Wednesday 3 October 2012

Pictorial Portmeirion

   You may very well have seen an earlier Postcard From The Village regarding a hermit, Uriah Lovall who lived in the woods at Portmeirion. Well here is a photograph from the 1920's which I found in my own collection of Portmeirion postcards which I have collected over the years, it is of Uriah Lovall at his camp site.
   
    Described as being the most courtly and accomplished old hermit of high degree, whom many visitors to Portmeirion remembered with real affection. He lived in the woods in a plaited wigwam. He made his living by weaving baskets, and conversing philosophically by the hour. It is said that he kept his little hid-out neat and tidy, and himself almost dandified in his own handsome person, with his grey curly hair, gold earrings, an yellow silk scarf, and brown moleskin coat.
    Clough Williams-Ellis had not counted on a resident hermit, but Uriah Lovell simply arrived and settled in, just as some wild creature might have done, thinking that he might be happy there. And so there he remained for several years, keeping himself to himself, yet friendly to those who crossed his path, and never cadged anything from anyone, yet he accepted any little gift that might be brought to him.
   Uriah Lovall was perhaps as happy as any man could possibly be. But alas, he was cruelly run down by a motorcycle, he never fully recovered, and one day he simply crept away - and died.

Be seeing you

8 comments:

  1. he was married to a rebbeca williams

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    1. Hello Mister Evans,

      That is a very interesting comment. Having been married to Rebbeca Willimas, that presumably made him a relative of Clough? Is that why the Clough Williams-Ellis family tolerted his presence in both the woods and Portmeirion? But does not explain "why" he was living in the woods in the first place. Can you shed any light on this for myself and my readers?

      Very kind regards
      David

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  2. He's wife name was Rebecca woods not Williams Uriah Lovell was a Romany gypsy, he nor he's wife were not related to Clough William-Ellis,
    Uriah and Rebecca were my great-grandparents.

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    1. Dear Ms. Boswell,
      Thank you for your comment, for setting the record straight about your great-grand parents. I apologize most sincerely for the miss information presented in this piece of blog and subsequent comments.

      Kind regards
      David

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  3. This is my great grandfather do you no where he is berrried and he’s wife’s name was Rebecca scamp

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    Replies
    1. Hello,
      I wish I could tell you, but unfortunately I have no idea where your grandfather is buried. As Lovall is a Romany name, perhaps he was cremated.

      Best wishes
      David

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  4. Do you know if there are any of he’s baskets in portmerion ?

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    Replies
    1. Hello,
      I would not have thought so, not after all these years. But only the management at Portmeirion would know.

      Regards
      David

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