Adjudicator David Read found himself turning a full 50 year old musical circle recently when he adjudicated at the Welsh Miners Eisteddfod Championships in Porthcawl- all thanks to the great American singer and political activist Paul Robeson.

Famous broadcast

The 2008 Miners Eisteddfod took place at the Porthcawl Grand Pavilion Theatre where in October 1957, a packed hall of miners, politicians and the general public squeezed in to hear Robeson’s voice transmitted from America in an historic broadcast.

At the time Robeson had his passport confiscated as part of the McCarthy led witch-hunt against those thought to harbour pro soviet sympathies — ‘fellow travellers’ as they were called.

I was only a few feet away from the great singer and could see the emotion and passion particularly when singing Negro spirituals. He really lived the partDavid Read on Paul Robeson

Support

The great man, still at the height of his powers and popularity made the transatlantic radio link to thank, and to sing to the people of Wales and the mining communities in particular for their support for his cause.

Yorkshire Miners Festival

Meanwhile in Yorkshire a young David Read was playing happily with Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, and less than a year later was part of a massed bands and Mineworker’s choir concert held at City Hall in Sheffield, when Robeson, now free to travel the world once more, visited to thank the people of Great Britain for their support and to sing at the Yorkshire Miners Festival in the city.

After a tremendously emotional entrance to the sound of the bands and singers in unison with ‘Old Man River’, which moved him to tears, Robeson sang to the packed auditorium.

David was sitting on the front row and was asked to be the page turner for his accompanist – just a few feet from Robeson himself.

Passion

As David says in his book ‘Beyond the Box’: "I was only a few feet away from the great singer and could see the emotion and passion particularly when singing Negro spirituals. He really lived the part. After the concert and behind the stage, scores of people wanted his autograph and an over fussy minor official tried to order them away, but Robeson was having none of it. His deep voice boomed “I will sign every autograph if it takes all night”. That was sort of person he was."

Thrill

50 years later David was in the very Pavilion Theatre where that first historic broadcast took place and the memories came flooding back. "My father, like all the South Wales miners in the thirties had a great affection for Paul Robeson and all that he stood for and had all his old 78’ records. I will never forget the thrill and the nerves of being asked to sit at the side of his pianist and to turn the pages over while he sang."

David added: "It was such an experience being so close to such a great man and singer. I thought it was a wonderful coincidence that exactly 50 years later I should be at the very venue where it all started."

Recording

Although the Pavilion Theatre no longer has the room dedicated to Robeson full or artefacts, a bronze head stands in the entrance to the ahll, whilst this year a recording of the historic broadcast has been released and was one sale at the contest.

"It’s strange how things come around full circle," David said. "After 50 years it was as if it had happened yesterday – and it still gives me goosebumps thinking about it."