I am a researcher for a social history documentary company in Bristol, called Testimony Films.
We are making a documentary for ITV1 on the story of one of Britain's most illustrious yet now forgotten photographers James Jarché (1891-1965) who shot some of the most famous images of the 20th century including the Siege of Sidney Street in 1911 and the first ever photograph of the Prince of Wales with Mrs Simpson taken secretly in a London nightclub. Some of his most moving and iconic photographs were taken in the Rhondda Valley in the early 1930s. In one he features a Welsh family- a miner and his young son who also works down the pit- standing in their back garden holding twin babies. We would love to track down the families of those in the photos. We are trying to discover whether either of the twins are still alive.

We would also love to track down the whereabouts of some of the miners who appeared in the Weekly Illustrated article, entitled, ‘Coal, and the Men Who Get It!’ Unfortunately the photograph we have is not of the best quality but perhaps a family member remembers their Father/Grandfather being photographed in the Powell Duffryn Pit in the 1930’s or has a copy of that article from 1934? Eventually we want to be able to take the audience around Britain, and the places where James Jarché took some of the most iconic shots from the last century.

I was told by Brian Davis at the Pontypridd Heritage Centre, that the pit that Jarché went down to take these photographs was the Penallta Mine, and if so, is there any chance that you might still be in contact with relatives of men who worked down that particular pit, or whether you might consider putting an appeal on your website with the photographs so that people can get in touch directly if they recognise any of the men.

I hope you don’t mind me asking, I know it’s a long shot, but I would be absolutely thrilled to find out about the whereabouts of anyone connected with these shots, or any information or leads.