The Valleys -

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53 Results

Ann Clwyd

The first woman to sit in Parliament for a Welsh Valleys constituency.

Ann Clwyd is recognised for her work in the fields of international development and human rights. She was the first woman to sit for a Valleys constituency, representing the Cynon Valley since 1984.

James J Davies

James J Davis, or 'Puddler Jim' as he liked to be called, emigrated to America from Tredegar and became United States Secretary of Labor in 1921. He signed his name as James J. Davies - the Welsh way - even though his surname had been changed on immigration to Davis!

Andrew Vicari

'I must have been 12 or 13 years old and my art teacher Margaret Thomas at Neath Grammar School entered me for the National Eisteddfod of Wales – I ended up winning the gold medal… I was completely ecstatic… If it wasn’t for that early encouragement I would never have pursued a career in art.’

Britain's highest-paid living artist - and also the official artist of Interpol - was born in Port Talbot in 1938.

Paul Robeson

A voice so pure – a vision so clear, I’ve gotta learn to live like you, Learn to sing like you. (Manic Street Preachers)

This political activist, the son of an American slave, was adopted by the Valleys as an honorary Welshman, in recognition of his support for striking miners.

Sidney Gilchrist Thomas

‘These two young men, Thomas and Gilchrist of Blaenavon, did more for Britain's greatness than all the Kings and Queens put together.’ ( Andrew Carnegie)

A global hero of industry; in the 1870s, his experiments at Blaenavon Ironworks led to a boom in steel making that echoed around the world.

Anthony Hopkins

'This was where my whole life as an actor started.'

This legend of stage and screen, who was born in Port Talbot and started acting at the local YMCA, was knighted for his services to the arts in 1993.

Ioan Gryffydd

'As a Welshman, I grew up in a culture of singing and performing with music, and I think it was through this performing that I got my confidence as an actor.'

This Hollywood actor, probably best known as Hornblower, started his career in Welsh language films and TV programmes.

Dafydd Williams

Shaper of the modern world

This shaper of the modern world drafted the first constitution of the French Revolution, assisted with writing the American Constitution and founded the Royal Literary Fund.

Sir Daniel Gooch

I look back upon the time spent at Tredegar as by far the most important years of my life... large works of this kind are by far the best school for a young engineer. (Sir Daniel Gooch)

Sir Daniel Gooch trained as an engineer under Thomas Ellis at Tredegar Ironworks. Together they pioneered steam railway locomotion in south Wales.

Nye Bevan

All I am doing is extending to the entire population of Britain, the benefits we have had in Tredegar for a generation or more. (Nye Bevan)

Heroes don’t come any bigger than Aneurin Bevan who shaped modern health care in Britain, establishing the National Health Service in 1948, which became the envy of the world.

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