Today, The Brynmawr Museum and Historical Society has announced a £21,960 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to produce a short educational film celebrating the life and achievements of Roy Francis – a pioneering mixed-race leader raised in Brynmawr during the Great Depression.
The film will explore Roy Francis’s remarkable story while preserving and sharing Brynmawr’s heritage during this challenging period in history.
Born in Brynmawr in 1919, rugby league player Roy Francis was the first Black coach in UK sport.
The Brynmawr Museum and Historical Society is shining a spotlight on the icon of local, sporting and Black British history through a documentary about his life.
Aimed primarily at young people, the project will involve them directly in shaping the film through a series of workshops. Participants will help decide the style and format of animation, ensuring the final film resonates with its intended audience. The film will also support learning during Black History Month.
Andrew White, Director for Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:
“Roy Francis’s story is an important and inspiring part of Wales’s heritage, rooted in the community of Brynmawr.
Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will bring his legacy to life for new generations while helping to preserve and share the rich history of Brynmawr and the people who shaped it.”
The project will bring together different generations of the Brynmawr community. Museum volunteers, local pensioners’ groups and Brynmawr Rotary Club members will contribute to workshops to help ensure historical accuracy. Young participants will also be encouraged to interview older residents, capturing valuable first-hand knowledge and memories.
Alongside telling Roy Francis’s story, the film will highlight Brynmawr’s wider history. From its rural beginnings as a small group of farms, through industrial growth, to the hardships of the 1920s. It will also explore the Quaker-led “Brynmawr Experiment”, which introduced a series of initiatives designed to bring hope and opportunity to the community during a time of economic crisis.
This project also supports the Museum’s wider ambition to digitise and share Brynmawr’s heritage with future generations.
John Hill the Treasurer of the Brynmawr Museum said:
“We are thrilled to have received this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we are able to tell the incredible story of a man who was raised in Brynmawr and became a Legend in the world of Rugby League. Just as importantly we can preserve the heritage of Brynmawr.”
As there is very little surviving footage of Roy Francis or Brynmawr during this period, the Museum is keen to hear from anyone who may have relevant materials. The workshops will be open to all, and anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to get in touch via the Museum’s website.
Feature image: Roy Francis playing rugby.
Image Credit: The Brynmawr Museum and Historical Society
