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I am pleased to report that the charity has recently purchased a new mower from the small amount of savings it has at its disposal at a cost of £425.00. This brings the number of mowers to four, though technically we now have five but one is about to be retired after long and faithful service ! I visited the cemetery today and met Robert and Alison there who were busy mowing and strimming. David another volunteer had already done his fare share and had left before I arrived. The cemetery is looking really good now thanks to the volunteers and I have five planters here at home which I have been planting up with all sorts of bedding plants and they will be brought up to the cemetery in due course. Three will be placed around the Cross of Souls and two where the two garden benches are located.

We are also in the middle of restoring another memorial and when that’s done a further post on this website will appear.

I would like to take this opportunuity to wish all our volunteers, friends and trustees of the charity a very happy easter. Thank you all for your kindness and generosity in supporting us. Raising funds for a charity connected to a cemetery is not easy as you can imagine for most people understandably wish to support the living, from infants to the elderly, however, maintaining the last resting place of our loved ones is so important to all of us in one way or another and as in the case of the Cross of Souls memorial it commemorates five thousand individuals buried in St David’s that have no memorial of their own . I was privileged today to lay some flowers there in remembrance of them all. May they rest in peace.

RICHARD J GOODRIDGE MBE.JP.KHS. ( Chairman of Trustees )

An Extra Ordinary General Meeting of the charity was held yesterday at the Royal Ivy Bush Hotel Carmarthen. Unfortunately the chair of trustees Mary Thorley will be moving to England in the near future due to family commitments and therefore felt it in the best interests of the charity for a new chairperson to be appointed and also trustees and volunteers alike. Mary will however remain a trustee for the foreseeable future.

Richard Goodridge MBE.JP. KHS was reappointed a trustee and also interim chairman and Andy Edwards was welcomed on board as a new volunteer to the group who will help out in the grass cutting of the cemetery. Huw Michael was appointed treasurer and Janet Williams the secretary. Also Chris Dzioba was again welcomed back as a Trustee. Sadly both Professor Tony Curtis and his wife Margaret will be retiring as Trustees next month having completed ten years service as founder members of the charity. They have both shown huge commitment and dedication to the charities aims and objectives and we are sorry to lose their wealth of knowledge and experience but know that they will continue to support us as Friends. Richard also expressed his gratitude to the outgoing Chair – Dr Mary Thorley PhD who ensured the charity continued it’s role in maintaining the cemetery and whose contribution and commitment was greatly appreciated.

Richard Goodridge, the interim chairman said “ I am happy to take on the role of interim chairman in the hope that before too long a new person with enthusiasm and a love of history will be able to take over this really wonderful and interesting role. I am sure that in the near future I will be able to hand over the baton to the next generation for the future maintenance and upkeep of this special place in our history” “It is hugely important that the charity looks to the future and plans for the future upkeep and maintenance of what is a very large open historic space in the centre of Carmarthen Town. In particular the volunteers who cut the grass and trim the edges and restore the memorials, it is their role that is most important as their present age range on average is nearly 70 years of age and whilst they are happy to keep going, there will come a time when they too will have to hang up their wellies” “ The charity is continually on the lookout for anyone interested in joining the volunteers and also becoming a trustee and if there is anyone out there who feels they can lend a hand in some way then please do get in touch with me” Details can be found on the CONTACT page. “Finally I would like to personally welcome the Right Reverend Dorrien Davies, Bishop of St David’s as our new Patron.I know he shares with me the importance of this cemetery and the history within and will be a huge asset to the Charity”

The Trustees of the Thomas and Elizabeth Mayhook Charity  held an Extraordinary General Meeting this afternoon at which Bishop Dorrien was appointed it’s new Patron.

The Right Reverend Dorrien Davies is the 130th Bishop of St Davids. He was elected Bishop in November 2023, consecrated in January 2024 and enthroned the following month. Bishop Dorrien was born in the Parish of Abergwili, on the outskirts of Carmarthen in 1964. He is a graduate of the University of Wales Lampeter and was ordained a deacon in 1988 and priest the following year in 1989.

He served his curacy in Llanelli and subsequently served as Vicar in Ystrad Aeron and St Dogmaels in Cardigan. In 2007 he was made a Canon of St Davids Cathedral and in 2010 became Canon Residentiary. In 2017 he was appointed Archdeacon of Carmarthen, a post he held until his election as Bishop.

A native Welsh speaker, Bishop Dorrien is married to Rosie and they have two sons – Morgan and Lewis. Morgan is currently serving as Canon’s Verger at the Cathedral. Bishop Dorrien sees St David’s churchyard as a significant historical, social and environmental space in addition to it’s importance as a place of commemoration, being the repository for the remains of those gone to Glory ahead of us and looks forward very much to supporting the charity as Patron whenever possible.

 

The Thomas and Elizabeth Mayhook Charity celebrates the 10th Anniversary of its formation on 15th December 2015.

Ten years ago on the 15th December 2015 the Thomas and Elizabeth Mayhook  became a Registered Charity with the Charity Commission. For nearly two years prior to this it existed in name only. The founding Chairman – Richard Goodridge ( back right of the photo) expressed his great appreciation to all those Trustees and volunteers who continue to ensure that St David’s Cemetery is maintained to the highest standards.

As always he said ” charities rely heavily on the financial contributions it received from individuals, and also the valuable  time given by the small band of volunteers that keep the cemetery looking beautiful all year round. Robert and Alison Goodridge and David England are to be congratulated on their magnificient contribution in keeping the grounds in good order and also the Trustees- Mary Thorley, Janet Williams, Professor Tony Curtis and Margaret Curtis, and Huw Michael for their valuable contribution in ensuring the aims and objectives of the Charity continue to be met….that of the maintenance and upkeep of one of Carmarthen’s most important and historical sites.

‘The stories beneath our feet’, a visit by the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society. Wednesday 16 July 2025

A short walk led by Mary Thorley, Richard Goodridge and Prof. Tony Curtis, followed by refreshments.

Over 40 members of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society, old and new, met at St David’s Churchyard Carmarthen where they were given a tour of the restored graveyard by members of the Thomas and Elizabeth Mayhook Charity.  We were treated to a history of the graveyard which tells, through its monuments and gravestones, important aspects of Carmarthen’s history. The areas covered included social, military and women’s history.  At the end of the tour members enjoyed a convivial hour or so chatting and enjoying light refreshments.

The Antiquarians offered their thanks to those who made the evening possible especially Professor Tony Curtis and Richard Goodridge who conducted the tours, Janet Williams and Margaret Curtis who supported the event and provided refreshments. A special mention also to Robert and Alison Goodridge and David England who ensured that the grounds were in perfect condition for the visit.

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An  Open Day  was held at St. David’s Church cemetery as part of the Cadw event on  September 23rd 2023.

  

There were guided tours of some of the graves by Mary Thorley speaking about some aspects of Carmarthen’s social history which are reflected in the history of the graveyard. Also by Richard Goodridge who selected examples of those graves with a Military and Maritme theme, including:

Captain George Jones  Quay Warden

Fred Cadwallader Master Mariner

Prytherch Family Vault

George Nott

Sgt Major John Morgan Family Memorial

Sgt Major John Kyle 

Sgt John Samuel

Further details on their stories can be found in the section ‘ What’s in a Name’

Professor Tony Curtis read some of his poetry which is dedicated to the memory of those interred in the graveyard, including his poem Climbing the Overhang at Eglwys Dewi Sant

Climbing the Overhang at Eglwys Dewi Sant 

Rusted nails, the slip of loosened slates,

Another and another – the place is open to the weather,

Rain from the west, snow from the east

Complete the wrecking work and then it’s too late.

 

The Church throws good money after bad

To fill the holes – a small fortune

Goes up into the clouds that come over the Irish Sea.

So the place is sold. The pews are plastered by pigeons,

 

The pulpit is soiled and silent, the font dry.

The wooden list of the Great War’s dead

And the marble plaques to the crach-ach – Pictons, Williamses, 

Davieses – all renege on their promised immortality.

 

In the churchyard, to the rear and towards the town,

Seven war graves decline, their greying Portland

Head-stones sinking into a maze of barbed brambles:

We shall strain to remember them.

 

Your grandmother and grandfather’s marble chips

And small urn persist against the weeds and ivy

Under the ancient yew. You call and tidy up

Each time that you pass through.

 

Though now you have to negotiate the parked cars,

Families using the climbing and bouldering centre 

That rears from the nave and vestry: repurposed.

The angled grips and coloured foot-holds pattern the walls

 

Like stained glass, some galaxy exploding from its last millenium.

The Overhang. It’s a tough climb:

Roped and helmeted, harnessed and gloved,

They spider their way to heaven.

                                                               Tony Curtis

Following the removal of the storm damaged sycamore tree, it was decided that it should be replaced by some alternative planting.  On September 21st 2023 we received a generous donation of four saplings from the National Botanic Garden of Wales.  The planting was overseen by the Senior Horticulturalist at the Gardens, Ayshea Cunniffe-Thomas who organised the donation. Many thanks for all her advice on selection of specimens and tips on future care of the saplings. They can be found at various points in the graveyard and are clearly labelled.  

Juniperus communis

Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’  (Holly)

 Laurus nobilis

 Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’

The official planting ceremony was attended by members of the Trustees as well as local rugby legend Roy Bergiers, also a friend of the Charity and Richard Goodridge MBE,  founder of the Charity.

Left to Right:  David England (volunteer) 

Ayshea Cunniffe-Thomas (Horticulturalist) 

Roy Bergiers

Mary Thorley

 Richard Goodridge

 

The Thomas & Elizabeth Mayhook Charity held it’s annual general meeting yesterday, at which, on the retirement of the founding chairman Richard Goodridge, after seven years at the helm, the charity was pleased to appoint Mary Thorley as the new Chair.

Mary Thorley was born and brought up in Carmarthen. After studying for a degree in History and Politics at Swansea University she became a primary school head teacher in Gloucestershire and, later, in her home town. She was also Head of Teacher Training at Trinity St. Davids for a number of years and is now retired. Mary’s  PhD thesis from Aberystwyth University was titled ‘The Naming of Women. The Lives of the Middle Class Women of Carmarthen 1850-1918.’ Some of the women she studied are buried in St. David’s Churchyard. Mary is committed to the work of The Thomas and Elizabeth Mayhook Charity which honours so many of the people who have been part of the life of Carmarthen Town.

David England was appointed Vice Chairman, and also on the retirement of Robert Goodridge as Treasurer,  Mrs Gwyneth Thomas was appointed to look after the charities finances. Both Richard and Robert will remain volunteers of the charity.