The Battle of Orgreave is retold in detail but the author is silent where Jon Gower is forthright. An essay on the miners is a record of pride and solidarity. Not all the bookРІР‚в„ўs essays follow this unsparing forensic model. The argument of his lawyers was that his acts were to be judged under the Spanish law then prevailing, which permitted torture. One of the great scandals of its age, his guilt under British law was over-turned at a retrial. Memorialised in marble in CardiffРІР‚в„ўs City Hall as a Welsh hero, he is eulogised by Terry Breverton in his idiosyncratic РІР‚ВWales A Historical CompanionРІР‚в„ў (2009).РІР‚в„ў РІР‚ВPopular with his men and the British publicРІР‚в„ў he writes, and again РІР‚Вloved by his men.РІР‚в„ўР”В«y way of riposte Chris Evans describes here, in horrible detail, the torture and atrocities presided over by Picton during his governorship of Trinidad. If one figure were to exemplify the ambiguity of history it would be Sir Thomas Picton. РІР‚ВOf course,РІР‚в„ў Stead writes РІР‚Вone manРІР‚в„ўs hero is anotherРІР‚в„ўs villain.РІР‚в„ў Peter Stead provides an introduction in which he reiterates his stance on the public platform: РІР‚ВHistory is a battleground.РІР‚в„ў He cites a conservative politician who was spurred, ironically, into public life in reaction to Aneurin Bevan. Beginning with Saint Cadoc and ending with Rhodri Morgan and Dafydd Iwan, they take in teachers, cyclists and rugby players. The essays first appeared in the Western Mail in Spring 2011.

The book, a collaboration between the press and academic body History Research Wales, is unique according to BowenРІР‚в„ўs Acknowledgement. Bowen of Swansea University is Chair of the first event and editor of GomerРІР‚в„ўs new collection of twenty-four accompanying essays.

Hay 2012 is host to six start-of-day debates, which range across culture, sport and soldiery. The setting is a misty Saturday morning at the Hay Festival and a panel of three historians and a journalist has come together to discuss Welsh history. The speaker is Peter Stead: РІР‚ВOur roleРІР‚в„ў he continues РІР‚Вis to bring complexityРІР‚в„ў. РІР‚ВHistorians are there to put in the complicationsРІР‚в„ў.

Heroes v villians