Dunvant Male Choir Vice President, Gilbert Bennett, died on Monday 17th February
2003 aged 85. His funeral service was held at Ebenezer Chapel, Dunvant a week
later on Monday 24th February 2003, prior to cremation at Swansea Crematorium.
In the order of service, Gilbert was simply described as: -
“Husband
of the late Gwyneth
Dear Father of Jonathan and Rhian
Loving ‘Pop’ of Jonathan, Samantha,
Rebecca and Richard
And a dear friend of Barbara”
The
press, of course, have no need for such restraint. The South Wales Evening Post
headline shouted “Dylan’s champion dies.” Gilbert was a founder
member of the Dylan Thomas Society in 1977, chaired it for many years and was
an active vice president and inspirational member of the Society right up to
his last year. He devoted so much of his time and energy to ensuring that Wales’
greatest poet should have the credit he deserved, at home and abroad.
Gilbert was also, of course, a well-known Rugby commentator. He loved the game and from 1948 cast a refined and learned light on this toughest of games for the BBC and later for our local radio station, Swansea Sound.
Another love of his was music, both orchestral and choral. He was a knowledgeable opera fan and of course was a keen supporter of the Dunvant Male Choir. Gilbert compered several of our concerts through the years; he was a regular contributor to our annual magazine and most enduringly recorded with us on our Christmas album at the Brangwyn Hall (see picture), so we can still enjoy his vibrant voice and impeccable timing in the spoken lines of “When a Child is Born’, with Bryn Terfel.
My own memories of Gilbert go back further. To me, he will always be treasured as my English master at the Boy’s Grammar School, Gowerton in the 1950’s. For more than twenty years, he exercised his special craft there as a teacher of English literature; words were his speciality and his passion for the language shone through his sparkling eyes, his gentle smile and his cultured voice. Above all, he enjoyed leading young minds to an appreciation of the great works of literature from Chaucer and Shakespeare to the 20th Century prose and poetry. He had a huge knowledge, but more importantly for a teacher he showed his pupils respect and we in turn respected, no, loved him. So, for hundreds of old Gowertonians his loss is more keenly felt: we have lost a mentor and guiding light whose influence lived long after we left school. Can there be a greater legacy?
At Gilbert’s funeral service the choir sang Gwahoddiad and Eli Jenkins’ prayer from Dylan Thomas’ “Under Milk Wood”. Dylan’s daughter Aeronwy was amongst those who spoke, but many more would have likes to pay a public tribute to a special man. The Dunvant Male Choir was proud to have known him and to honour him as our Vice President. Rest in peace.
Elfryn Lewis
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Copyright©
2003, Dunvant Male Choir