Ystradgynlais police station

PWMP logobutton-theme-crimebutton_lang_welshYstradgynlais police station

This building opened in November 1915 as a combined police station and court. The previous facilities had been outgrown by the town’s population growth, which resulted in more offences being committed.

The opening ceremony was performed by Joseph Moore Gwyn, the county’s acting Lord Lieutenant and chair of the magistrates’ bench. Lord Glanusk, the Lord Lieutenant, was commanding soldiers overseas in the First World War. Before the first wrong-doers were brought into court, Joseph moved a vote of condolence for Lord and Lady Glanusk, whose son Gerald Bailey had died on the Western Front three months earlier.

The district’s military tribunal began meeting here in March 1916. Conscription, introduced two months earlier, compelled most men aged 18 to 41 to join the armed forces. Appeals – by individuals, parents or employers – were heard in each district by a tribunal of men representing the military and other interests.

There were complaints that the Ystradgynlais tribunal had no farming representative until David Price, a farmer and Sardis chapel deacon, was appointed.

The tribunal’s decisions raised strong feelings in the community. One tribunal member received an anonymous letter in 1917 accusing him of sheltering a man from going to war.

At one sitting in July 1916, the tribunal temporarily or permanently exempted many men, including 24 tinplate workers, a conscientious objector, a bootmaker, a colliery traffic manager, the sub-postmaster (Post Office manager), a science student and a father of 11 children. Gwilym James, of Crickhowell’s tribunal, was an unofficial second military representative. He grew increasingly frustrated with the leniency until another tribunal member told him that only one military representative was allowed. Mr James then left, saying he was “fed up with this”.

The police station was modernised by Dyfed-Powys Police in 2010.

Postcode: SA9 1NZ    View Location Map

To continue the Ystradgynlais in WW1 tour, follow Station Road to the town centre. Go along Commercial Street and over the river to the Ynyscedwyn Arms
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