Sir,
Let me disabuse Mr. Stephen Beesley's mind (November 14) on a point of fact. I did not read his letter with any interest whatsoever other than to try, as far as possible, to prevent any more nonsense and myths, of which there have been more than enough over the years, entering any recorded history of Caldey.
I make no great claims to scholarship, but I am happy to think that I have always been recognised as at least an honest workman, researching as thoroughly as possible, consulting recognised scholars and authorities, always making due acknowledgement, and quoting my sources, which would be unlikely to include the late Dilwyn Miles.
Mr. Beesley refers to the business with Consuelo King and J. C. Griffith Jones as sounding 'very exciting'. It was certainly not, but was indeed very distressing, both for the recently arrived monastic community and the islanders, as well as for a number of the Tenby boatmen.
As far as the Haile Selassie nonsense is concerned, Mr. Beesley can find it all well covered, factually and with due acknowledgments to source, in my two books on Caldey, both now sad to say out-of-print, although sought after, and available from local libraries. I am only 89, but Miss Bridie Cummins, who is admittedly younger than I am, lived on Caldey at the time, and the Ethiopian children slept with her family. She has assured me that she is more than happy for me to quote her as confirming that Haile Selassie never came near the place.
If it is any help to Mr. Beesley in his further research, I can only tell him that round about that time one of the Haile Selassie family was understood to have visited a coal mine near Gwaen-Cae-Gurwen, and the idea was mooted later that it had in fact been Haile Selassie himself. My historical researches have never taken me that far afield, so I would not wish to be quoted, but I think the man who told me would have been a fairly reliable source. He was certainly well connected, and would have had no need to consult the oracles, because he also assured me that his father knew Lloyd George, and that was after only the first verse and just two drinks.
Roscoe Howells,
Amroth.