Family of Richard Burton to help restore grave of teacher who propelled acting legend to fame

Emily Price 

The family of Richard Burton will help restore the final resting place of the teacher who helped propel the acting legend to fame, following a Nation.Cymru report that revealed the grave had been left abandoned and overgrown.

Richard Burton’s granddaughter – Charlotte Burton – got in touch with us after we revealed the overgrown burial of the man who taught her grandfather at Dyffryn Comprehensive School in Port Talbot in the 1940’s.

Philip Henry Burton helped propel Richard Burton to international stardom after recognising his talent – even becoming his legal guardian and lending him his name.

The teacher was played by Bafta winner Toby Jones in the recently released film ‘Mr Burton’ which documented the metamorphosis of Welsh schoolboy Richard Jenkins into the famous stage and screen actor – Richard Burton.

Overgrown

Philip Burton died in 1995 at the age of 90 in Florida and was cremated there.

But his ashes were flown back to Wales and interred with his parents – Henry and Emma Burton – at Aberffrwd Cemetery in Mountain Ash.

Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council padlocked the cemetery around ten years ago and it was left for the undergrowth to take over with some of the headstones now no longer visible

The council says access to the site is “poor and hazardous” due to the ground condition and dilapidated memorials.

People wishing to visit a specific grave can only do so by making an appointment.

Last week, we reported how Rhondda resident Geraint Lewis had tended to Philip Burton’s grave, cutting back the brambles to allow the headstone’s inscription to be made visible again.

‘Grandpa Rich’

After seeing our story, Charlotte Burton asked us to put her in touch with Geraint so her family could thank him and help with his efforts to restore and reopen Aberffrwd Cemetery.

She said: “Our family wants to thank Geraint Lewis for his impassioned dedication to restoring a local landmark and recognising Philip Burton’s historical significance.

“Philip Burton quite literally changed the course of our family’s path when my grandfather, Richard Jenkins, was his student and then became his legal son.

“Grandpa Rich is known for many achievements and his personal life. At the end of the day, he is a Valleys boy who was able to soar as an artist because he was given the wings by a brilliant educator.

“2025 is the year of the Richard Burton centenary and one of the main goals for our family this year is to honour Philip.

“Aberffrwd Cemetery was in operation for over 125 years, there are undoubtedly many descendants living in the area who deserve to be able to visit these headstones and enjoy the nature surrounding it.

“Our family hopes that we can assist Mr Lewis in his efforts to restore and reopen the cemetery.”

Notable

The graveyard is the final resting place of several notable Welsh figures including Lord Aberdare, Henry Austin Bruce  – an important influencer of progressive moves towards increased provision of public services for working people during the latter half of the 19th century.

Just a stones throw from Lord Aberdare’s plot marks the final resting place of mining engineer John Nixon.

He successfully developed several collieries in south Wales with much of his success due to his improvements in the art of mining.

There are also six Commonwealth War Grave Commission graves from WW1 at the site as well as several victims of the 1894 Albion Colliery explosion which killed 290 men and boys.

Neglected

Geraint Lewis said: “These people gave their lives in one way or another for this country, I think there is a common feeling in the town that those interred, and the town itself deserve better.”

He and Charlotte Burton are now set to meet in June to explore setting up a Friends of Aberffrwd Cemetery group.

Geraint said: “I’d like to thank Nation Cymru for drawing attention to the terrible state that this cemetery has been left to fall into by RCT council.

“I fully understand the financial restraints over the last 15 years or more, but this neglect started before this time. The wonderful news that Charlotte has offered her and her family’s help with this project is a wonderful opportunity for change.

“I am in the early stages of exploring the possibilities of setting up a Friend of Group to pressure the council into fulfilling their legal obligations but also in working with them to make the cemetery as safe as possible and accessible again.

“If anyone would like to get involved, please get in contact, we have an opportunity here to achieve something which is by no means unattainable.

“There are hundreds of Friends of Groups all over the UK who do amazing work helping to look after cemeteries with a historical and environmental importance.

“The opportunity to gather information and advise from these established groups is a gold mine waiting to be used.”