Tributes have been paid to Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) stalwart Meurig Voyle who has sadly passed away at 93.
Voyle was appointed county executive officer for Denbigh in 1966, and subsequently, during 1968, was given responsibility for the county of Flint.
According to the Daily Post, he also prevented a village being flooded for a reservoir and helped uncover a Soviet spy ring.
Responding to the news of Voyle’s death, FUW president Glyn Roberts said: “The farming world has today lost one of its biggest advocates and the FUW has lost a friend, a member of our farming family.
He told me once that he married twice – once his wife and then the FUW – he was a character like no other. Meurig will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.
Meurig Voyle was educated at Llanddarog Primary School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School where he was awarded rugby school colours.
Following a year’s Ministry junior scholarship at the School of Agriculture, Durham, he joined the Royal Artillery and was awarded Field Marshal Montgomery’s certificate in the field.
Passion for farming
Voyle was one of the founder members of the Vale of Towy Young Farmers’ Club, and after the war, he established Llanddarog Young Farmers’ Club, becoming the first chairman.
Later, he became the club leader, and during this period, the club organised an agricultural show, known today as Llanddarog and District Agricultural Show.
Before joining the FUW as an Assistant County Secretary in 1961, he was employed by the Milk Marketing Board and at the United Dairies Creamery at Carmarthen.
Voyle retired from the FUW during 1989 but maintained very close links with the union. He has promoted the image of the union by giving talks to a host of organisations on how and why the FUW was established.
The 93-year-old was also a familiar figure at the FUW’s pavilion at the Royal Welsh Show, greeting visitors to the stand – a task he performed for 53 years.
“Meurig attended almost every Royal Welsh Show since it moved to Builth Wells from 1963 up to 2017, except this year and when his wife was in hospital, which is another example of his great commitment to the FUW and agriculture,” added Roberts.
“He is possibly the only person holding this very proud record. We all missed him this year and it certainly won’t be the same without him.”
In 1991, he was honoured to the Ovate Order of the Orsedd at the National Eisteddfod at Mold as Meurig o Fyrddin.
