Tributes for ‘Mr Nos Galan’
THE family of Nos Galan founder Bernard Baldwin MBE has paid tribute to “a passionate Welshman” who “meant so much to so many people” following his death last week at the age of 91.
THE family of Nos Galan founder Bernard Baldwin MBE has paid tribute to “a passionate Welshman” who “meant so much to so many people”.
Mr Baldwin, who founded the famous New Year’s Eve Mountain Ash races in 1958, died at the age of 91 on January 3, 2017 – just days after thousands turned out for the 58th anniversary of the Nos Galan.
His funeral will take place on Wednesday, January 18, at St Margaret’s Church in Mountain Ash, at 12.45pm, and at Llwydcoed Crematorium at 2.15pm. Cynon Valley Bowls Centre in Mountain Ash will later serve refreshments for guests.
Born in Barry, Mr Baldwin was an accomplished Welsh cross country champion who served as a trainee gunner with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
After the war he trained to become a teacher and went on to marry Pat Richards, of Mountain Ash. The couple had one daughter, Alison.
A family statement said: “As a family, we are devastated to lose a husband and a father. Bernard Baldwin MBE meant so much to so many people.
“A passionate Welshman, he gifted us the world-famous Nos Galan Road Races, which was celebrated on the streets of Mountain Ash just a few days ago on New Year’s Eve.
“It was Bernard who made the Welsh legend of Guto Nyth Bran so popular.
“It is therefore fitting that 2017 is the Year of Legends – as there is no greater Welsh legend than Guto Nyth Bran.
“We thank everyone for their kind words at this very sad time.”
Meanwhile, Welsh athletics historian Clive Williams has shared personal memories of Mr Baldwin – an account which has been posted on the Welsh Athletics website.
Mr Williams said: “His overall role in the devel- opment of the sport was immense.
“My earliest memories of him go back to the early 1960s and in particular to the Welsh novice crosscountry championships in Gilwern.
“Here was this slightly balding gentleman still in his 30s resplendent in a fawn mackintosh wearing brown suede shoes – despite the morass of mud and incessant rain, directing proceedings with a megaphone.
“He took that megaphone with him wherever he went. My abiding memory of Bernard is with that megaphone in his hand! Indeed, when he bought a new one, he gave me his old one.”
The excerpt adds: “Bernard trained as a teacher at the then Caerleon Training College, and after a brief spell teaching in Tintern, he took up a post as PE and music teacher at Mill Street School, Pontypridd.
“Little did his headmaster know that in due course the whole of Welsh athletics was being run from the school!
“Following the success of Nos Galan, somehow he convinced the local dignitaries in Pontypridd to allow him to hold a sprint race in Taff Street – reputed at the time to be the busiest street in Wales.
“And so the Taff Street Dash was born in 1959 over a distance of 250 yards from the fountain to the New Inn Hotel.”
Mr Williams added that Mr Baldwin was responsible for “a series of event which brought athletics to the people” which were organised by the Nos Galan Committee or the Road Runners Club (Glamorgan) – which he had formed.
These included the Easter Road race series at Pencoed, the Wattstown Road Races in Rhondda and the series of evening road races in Cilfynydd, Glyncoch, Pwllgwaun, Hopkinstown, Merthyr, Troedyrhiw and many more.
Mr Williams added: “On the surface organised by these groups, they were first and foremost the idea of the redoubtable Bernard, who must take the credit for their introduction and organisation.
“Underlining his allround talent he played the cornet and trumpet, was an amateur magician, and a linguist speaking French and Russian.
“Apart from his Welsh junior mile title, he was a very good middle distance runner.
“He once told me that one of his greatest regrets was not finishing in the 1947 International Cross Country – the forerunner of the present day World Championships – race in Paris.
“He had gained selection for the Welsh team by finishing an excellent second in the Welsh Championships – over a minute ahead of the future Olympic silver medallist Tom Richards who was the first Nos Galan mystery runner in 1958.
“Bernard was a remarkable man with ceaseless energy. We will not see his like again. He was Mr Welsh Athletics.”