At its February meeting, Ridgeway History Group was very fortunate to hear Pat Barker talking about the History of Music in Pembrokeshire.

Those with good memories will remember Swales Music Shop in Haverfordwest and her father Joffre Swales, so what better pedigree for such a talk.

Music history is always going to have connections with the church and this is where Pat started by drawing our attention to the magnificent early 13th century arcades in St. Mary’s Church, Haverfordwest.

On one of the piers is a pig playing a fiddle and an ape playing a harp, part of which might have been destroyed when French soldiers captured during the ‘Last Invasion’ were imprisoned in the church.

Also from the medieval period, Pat played a performance of the St. David’s Missal, performed, intriguingly, by a New Zealand choir.

Moving forward into the 19th century, we learnt about the Rev. Meredith Morris (pictured), born in the Gwaun Valley in 1867, attended Haverfordwest Grammar School, who became a violinist and a collector of instruments and information!

As a result, he published in 1904 a biographical dictionary of British makers of stringed instruments and bows, entitled British Violin Makers; a title which is still in print today.

To end, we saw a video of ‘Wedd Hin Wer’ performed by the group Bois y Wlad. The song (written by Rev. Elfed Lewis), praises Pembrokeshire, using a melody of a Welsh carol; very much the highlight of a very enjoyable talk.

The next talk is on March 19 and will be given by David Glennerster on Villages of South Pembrokeshire.

Annual membership is £10, with non-members very welcome at a charge of £2 per meeting.

Contact Gerald Codd (secretary) 01834 871818 for more details.