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Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]
This undated letter was sent to Thomas Alker, Liverpool Corporation Town Clerk, by Elizabeth M. Watkin Jones, Secretary of 'Pwyllgor Amddiffyn Capel Celyn' (the Capel Celyn Defence Committee). The Committee had been established in March 1956, shortly after it had been announced that Liverpool Corporation was intending to build a new reservoir in the Tryweryn valley, drowning the village of Capel Celyn, north of Bala.
The Committee launched a spirited campaign to oppose the proposal to drown Cwm Celyn. In addition to canvassing support from local authorities, individuals and national institutions, the Committee organised a series of protest meetings, conferences and rallies across north Wales and in the city of Liverpool. Ultimately, however, the efforts to halt the building of the new reservoir failed and on 1 August 1957 the Liverpool Corporation Act was passed. Work began on the site three years later and was completed in August 1965.
In this letter, which appears to have been written following the passing of the Act, Elizabeth M. Watkin Jones makes one last request to the Liverpool Corporation concerning the name of the proposed reservoir. The Committee favours the historic name 'Llyn Celyn', rather than 'Llyn Tryweryn', as the 'area which will be submerged and the surrounding district has been called by the natives Cwm Celyn - thus taking the name of the tributary of the Tryweryn river. All living octogenarians still refer to the place by this name'.

![Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]](uploads/pics/GTJ15055.jpg)
![Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]](uploads/pics/GTJ15060.jpg)
![Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]](uploads/pics/GTJ01337.jpg)
![Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]](uploads/pics/GTJ01269.jpg)
![Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]](uploads/pics/GTJ28935.jpg)
![Letter from Capel Celyn Defence Committee to Mr Thomas Alker, n.d. [1956?] [image 1 of 2]](uploads/pics/GTJ18052.jpg)