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Captain Evans remembered with new blue plaque

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SATURDAY (Oct 19) saw the unveiling of a blue plaque on the village green in Wolfscastle to remember Captain William Davies Evans, who was born at Musland Farm in the Parish of St Dogwells on January 27, 1790.

Captain Evans became famous as a chess expert, inventor and sailor. After the family moved to Milford Haven, he became fascinated by the sea and ships and in 1804 went to sea to fight for king and country and rose to the rank of captain.

He invented the internationally recognised system of tri coloured lights for shipping in order to make sailing at night less dangerous.

Whilst aboard ships he passed the time by playing chess, and invented the move now known as the Evans Gambit. In 1825, Evans played a game of chess against a high-ranking chess player, Alexander Macdonnell, and Evans won using the ‘Evans Gambit. The move is now recognised and used across the whole world of chess.

The blue plaque is affixed to a stone located on the green, next to the school in Wolfscastle. The stone was brought to Wolfscastle by Paul Evans of Musland Farm, where Captain Evans was born.

The ceremony was attended by members of Fishguard Sea Cadets, Mr Chris Martin, Chair of the Board of Directors of Milford Haven Port Authority and a number of members of the Welsh Chess Association, which had contributed toward the cost of the day. PLANED were also involved in contributing towards the costs.

A spokesman on behalf of the Chess association said: “The Welsh Chess Union and the Dyfed Chess Association are delighted that it has been possible to honour Captain Evans, probably Wales’ most distinguished chess player ever, in this way. We are hugely grateful to all those involved in the organisation of this event in Wolf’s Castle and in particular to its driving force, the Reverend Geoffrey Eynon.”

The plaque was unveiled by descendants of the Captain, who had travelled from Falmouth, Bristol and Folkstone for the prestigious event.

The children from Ysgol Casblaidd entertained the audience present and the audience sang the hymn favoured by sailors ‘Eternal Father Strong to Save’.

After the ceremony, a presentation was held by reverend Richard Davies of Little Newcastle at Penybont Chapel Vestry of the history of Captain Evans`s life and marine career, and Mr Howard Williams of the Welsh Chess Association spoke of the history of the ‘Evans Gambit’.

Members of Captain Evans’ family said: “As a family we played a small part in the proceedings which were so full of character and distinctiveness.

“We were overjoyed to see how the village school nurtures a sense of heritage in their pupils. The wider community’s generosity of spirit was overwhelming and even the weather complimented the ceremony. Not to mention the superb organisation.

“It would be fair to say we felt quite overwhelmed by the support from the community for the recognition and the event. It was great to have Captain Evans recognised in his home village and we can’t thank everyone enough for their efforts to make the day a success. The blue plaque is an enduring tribute. We received such a warm welcome in Wolfscastle on Saturday, and it was a profound experience. The chance not only to value Captain Evans legacy, but also to understand where it all started for him as a youngster on a Pembrokeshire farm.”

Cllr Barrie Griffiths, Chairman of Wolfscastle Community Council gave a vote of thanks to all had been involved in making the day a memorable one for all who were involved.

Reverend Geoffrey Eynon, who presided the proceedings throughout the day, said “It has been a wonderful experience from the time I read about William Davies Evans, visiting his grave in Ostend, in Belgium, seeking out his descendants and being instrumental in organising today’s event.”

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

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A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

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News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

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THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

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Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

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RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”

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