About
Did you know?
The founder of the Calgary St. David’s Society was John Morris (Morris Bach) from Pen-y-Groes, Caernarvonshire. He helped gather other interested Welshmen together in 1906.
St. David is the Patron Saint of Wales.
We honour St. David each year with our formal St. David’s Day Dinner.
St. David was a Welsh monk who spread the message of Christianity, and encouraged his followers to care for the natural world. He is credited with many miracles, the most famous being when he raised a hill beneath his feet so that the crowds could hear him preach.
St. Davids Day is on March 1st.
To mark the day, Welsh people around the world wear one or both of Wales’s national emblems – a daffodil and a leek.
One of the first presidents of the Calgary St. David’s Society (now the Calgary Welsh Society) was R.C. Thomas.
R.C. Thomas owned a ranch south of Calgary and was one of Calgary’s most successful pioneer businessmen.
He was active in the lumber and coal business, owned a livery stable, was president of Alberta Ice Co., served as an Alderman and built the Wales and Royal Hotels.
WELSH HERITAGE IN CALGARY 1906 – 1983
A book by Betty Evans.
Betty Evans, 1915 – 2016, was honoured at the Opening Ceremony of the North American Festival of Wales, 2016, in Calgary.
(An excerpt from Welsh Heritage in Calgary)
“A group of Welsh people cannot come together for an evening without expressing themselves by breaking out in full harmony. This is evident when you hear about the sing-songs in the home of any Welsh member on a Saturday night. The heritage of the Welsh is reflected in their thirst for their culture, thus the St. David’s Society of Calgary was formed to extend this culture.”
Favourite foods of Wales include:
Symbols of Wales include:
