Champion Clog Dancer Dead
25.01.1936
Older inhabitants of Aberaman and district will learn with regret of the death of Mr Rees Morgan “Rhysyn Shan,” 358 Cardiff Road, Aberaman, which occurred on Friday last after a short illness.
A native of Aberaman and 72 years of age, deceased had lived there all his life and retired from colliery work about eight years ago. For the last few years, he had been an attendant at Aberaman Workmen’s Institute, where he was a popular figure. About two months ago he met with an accident on the way to the institute by slipping down and cutting his head. However, he rallied from the effects of his injuries, but about three weeks ago took to his bed.
Rees Morgan was very well known in his early days as an entertainer and was regarded as the champion clog dancer of Wales. He was the outside cornerman of Aberdare Amateur Christy Minstrels, 40 years ago, and many will remember his famous song and dance, entitled “Dancing to the Shadows on the Wall.”
He declined an offer many years ago to become corner-man in the famous “Moore and Burgess Minstrels,” in London. In those far-off days, there was no concert programme was complete, without the name of Rees Morgan on it. He possessed vitality that has seldom been equalled.
Three of his clog-dancing pupils were Tommy Day, Dai Edmunds and Joe Jones, and there are still several members of the old minstrel group alive at Aberaman and Aberdare who will mourn the departure of such a versatile veteran as Rees Morgan. Latterly Rees became a member of Aberaman Old Veterans’ Society, and here he often entertained them and spoke in a reminiscent vein of the happy days gone by.
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