Keeping up with the Johnses
FEEDBACK is much appreciated when it comes to this weekly column – if only to reassure me that some folk are reading and paying attention! There’s been quite a bit of reaction to last week’s piece about Hollywood legend Glynis Johns being buried in Burry Port, particularly from local historians who are trying to patch together the area’s links with her dad Mervyn.
Martin Davies, a second cousin to the Mary Poppins star, got in touch from Colchester in Essex.
Martin, originally from Pembrey, explained: “I attended the burial at Jerusalem [Chapel] and, although a brief service for family only, it was lovely to know she wanted to come home to Burry Port.
“Mervyn was one of three brothers and a sister. My grandmother (his sister) and grandfather ran the grocers in Randell Square until 1964, when they retired.
“Mervyn ‘ran away’ from the family home in Elkington Road at 14 years to join the RFC (Royal Flying Corps).
“He was discovered to be underage and sent home, to rejoin the RAF when he was old enough.”
World War I records show that Mervyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1917.
Martin added: “His brothers served in the army and my grandmother was a nurse in Salonica (now called Thessaloniki, or Thessalonica, in Greece).
“The family name was John – Uncle Mervyn added the ‘s’ for stage presence!
“It was known to close family and friends that Glynis always wished to be buried in Jerusalem, alongside her father and his second wife Diana Churchill , another actress.
“Their family home was at the top of Elkington Road and I hadn’t realised there are other family graves in Jerusalem.”
Martin said Mervyn played many memorable roles, including Bob Cratchit in Scrooge, alongside Alastair Sim.
Martin went on: “You’re correct about Stephen Sondheim. He wrote Send In The Clowns especially for Glynis, to suit her voice.”
Glynis won a prestigious American theatre Tony award for her performance.
Those keen on finding out more about the extraordinary lives of Glynis and Mervyn Johns will find plenty of material on the internet.
As far as Mervyn is concerned, it is worth seeking out a documentary called Cavalry Of The Clouds on Youtube.
The programme features many World War I pilots and some fascinating stories from Mervyn about his time as a pilot.
Meanwhile, the email inbox has also been busy with pals of jazz musician Wyn Lodwick reflecting on his life, after I featured his story here on May 3.
Wyn’s funeral is at 10am today at Llanelli and District Cemetery and is sure to be attended by friends from far and wide.
One of his pals was academic and historian Sir Deian Rhys Hopkin, who emailed me with some of his memories of Llanelli’s Y Dyn Jazz, The Jazz Man.
Sir Deian wrote: “I just wanted to congratulate you on a very warm, and perceptive, tribute to my old friend Wyn Lodwick. I know he would have been very touched by your comments, and glad to have shaken your hand!
“In his autobiography, he refers to our first meetings in our home town of Llanelli, and also to playing together, although he admits I was a modern jazz pianist and he was very much the traditionalist.
“Nonetheless, although we were involved in different groups and played very different styles, we often got together to assemble a group for a particular occasion, usually a function (where the guests were often puzzled by our music!) – and we also did a programme together for BBC Wales, entitled Aberjazz.
“He was a great friend of the great pianist Dill Jones, with whom I also had connections (both of us, at different times, had gone to Llandovery
College and we returned there for a BBC Wales documentary and a bit of duetting).
“After I left for London in 1991, we didn’t have any more opportunities to play together – though we met from time to time, and I was also delighted to talk to him about jazz, politics and sailing!”
Diolch yn fawr, many thanks to Martin and Sir Deian for getting in touch. Please keep the feedback coming; it can be a lonely life scribbling this column in the attic office. Emails and updates from readers make it all worthwhile.