Museum hunts family of heroic pit disaster medic
ASEARCH is under way for the family of an awardwinning Valleys doctor best known for his heroic rescue attempts during the Tynewydd Colliery disaster in 1877.
Dr Henry Naunton Davies worked tirelessly in his makeshift medical centre on the colliery surface in Porth, Rhondda, as well as deep underground in his efforts to ensure the safe evacuation of men who had been trapped for nine days during the horrific episode, in which four were drowned.
Following the Chilean mining accident in 2010, parallels were drawn to the 1877 disaster, after which 25 Albert Medals were given to the rescuers – the first time the award had been given for saving life on land.
Dr Davies was subsequently awarded the British Medical Association’s Gold Medal for Distinguished Merit – the first recipient of that honour.
His portrait has been donated to National Museum Wales in Cardiff in a bid to share his story with the nation, and now attempts are being made to trace his family.
Speaking about the portrait, Rachel Podolak, national director of BMA Cymru Wales, which donated it, said: “This impressive portrait depicts an interesting and brave doctor who achieved notoriety in his lifetime for the medical services he delivered to the people of Rhondda.
“It is our hope that by donating this portrait to Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, that more people can share Dr Henry Naunton Davies’ story, deepening understanding of the crucial role physicians played in valleys communities following the industrial revolution.”
Originally given to the BMA by Dr Davies’ grand-daughter, Matty Jenkins Howells in 1972, the portrait has held pride of place in the association’s offices in Cardiff.
However, the decision was taken to donate the portrait to the National Museum Wales because of its historical significance and the particularly interesting background of the doctor himself. More recent attempts to trace his family have been fruitless, and BMA Cymru Wales said it is now keen to trace any of Dr Davies’ living relatives to share his remarkable story.
Mr Ceri Thompson, curator of coal mining collections at the museum, added: “We are very grateful to BMA Cymru Wales for their donation of this wonderful portrait.
“Dr Henry Naunton Davies was an important figure in the early history of industrial Rhondda.
“He not only dealt with the major disasters, such as Cymmer in 1856 and Tynewydd in 1877 but also the day to day injuries that were so very common in such a dangerous industry.”
If you believe you could be a relative of Dr Henry Naunton Davies, please email newsdesk@walesonline.co.uk or Stacey Snow at ssnow@bma. org.uk