Gelligroes Mill in Pontllanfraith will be honouring the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic this week, with an exhibition dedicated to an unlikely association that connects the Mill with the catastrophe.
The Mill is the location where Artie Moore, an amateur radio broadcaster, picked up the SOS signal sent from the Titanic more than 3,000 miles away.
From 10am until 4pm on April 14, visitors can visit the commemorative exhibition for free, and experience amateur radio broadcasting, costumed characters, and much more. Refreshments will also be available to purchase, along with commemorative candles, specially made to mark the occasion.
For visitors with a passion for keeping active, there will be a guided walk along the Artie Moore Trail. Come and hear his story and explore the area in which he grew up, with its hilltop church, mystic burial mound and secret reservoir.
If you would like to join the guided walk please meet at Gelligroes Mill at 11am wearing sensible footwear, suitable clothing and a waterproof jacket. The walk will follow country lanes and footpaths with some uphill areas and you should expect to return to the Mill at 3pm.
Also on display will be a piece of Artie Moore’s surviving equipment that the Moore family have presented to The Blackwood and District Amateur Radio Society. It is one of his spark gap transmitters, used to send Morse code in the form of long or short sparks as dots and dashes.
At over 100 years old, the spark gap is an important piece of Caerphilly’s history, and can be seen in old photographs of Artie’s Shack.