1876 in the Newspapers

Selina Ord Pinder (35). The lady ringmaster.

For Years 5-6

Roll up! Roll up! The circus is in town. Wrexham town. And I am Selina Pinder. It’s my circus. With elephants, lions and tigers. Here to help celebrate Wrexham’s Year of Wonder. 1876. A long, long time ago. But not so long. Not really. The very start of Welsh football. The opening of a brand-new cemetery. And then, a great arts exhibition. For four months. Right in the middle of town. A thousand paintings. Thousands of rare treasures. Choirs and concerts. Thousands of people pouring into Wrexham from all over the place to see the exhibition. Oh, and to see the Eisteddfod too, of course. Because here’s another thing. 1876. The first time that the National Eisteddfod has come her. But, all those visitors. The poems, the music and the songs. What a show!

For Years 7-8 (or older)

Roll up! Roll up! The circus is in town. Wrexham town. And I am Selina Pinder. It’s my circus. With elephants, lions and tigers. Here to help celebrate Wrexham’s Year of Wonder. 1876. A long, long time ago. But not so long. Not really. And the newspapers have been filled with all the wonderful things happening here. The very start of Welsh football. The opening of a brand-new cemetery. That’s a bit sad, I suppose – but the people of Wrexham have been very excited about it, all the same! And then, a magical and enormous exhibition. For four months. Right in the middle of town. In a great pavilion built just for this. A thousand paintings. Thousands of rare treasures. Choirs and concerts. Tens of thousands of people pouring into Wrexham from all over the place to see the exhibition. Oh, and to see the Eisteddfod too, of course. Because here’s another thing. 1876. The first time that the National Eisteddfod has come to Wrexham – though this has a bit of a sad ending as well! But still, all those visitors. The poems, the music and the songs. What a show! And then, to cap it all, the town shall have its very first tram service – buses pulled by horses along iron tracks. Such a wonder!

So, I wonder, can you write a newspaper article to tell everybody about this magical year, 1876, for this part of Wales? Maybe about my circus – Pinder’s Grand Continental Circus. Or a poem, perhaps. Even a song.

But maybe you’d like to hear a bit more about some of these things that happened. If so, I have some friends who can help.