Er mwyn deall chwyldroadau Rwsia, mae angen i ni wybod am ansawdd bywyd yn ystod teyrnasiad y Tsar. Mae’r daflen waith hon yn edrych ar rai agweddau ar fywyd yn Rwsia ar ddiwedd y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg, trwy lygaid merch raddedig ifanc o Gymru a aeth i Hughesovka, yn Rwsia, i fod yn athrawes gyda theulu o Gymru.
Dyma lun o Hughesovka, fel ag yr oedd tua 1912.
Roedd Hughesovka yn yr Wcráin, oedd bryd hynny’n rhan o Ymerodraeth Rwsia, ond sefydlwyd y dre gan Gymro. Yn y 1870au, aeth John Hughes, peiriannydd o Ferthyr Tudful, i’r gwastatir moel i sefydlu gwaith haearn a safle diwydiannol. Tyfodd y gweithfeydd i fod y mwyaf yn yr Ymerodraeth, a datblygodd tref lewyrchus o gwmpas y gwaith. Roedd nifer o weithwyr medrus o Gymru a gweddill y DU wedi mynd yno i weithio.
Aeth John Hughes ei hun a’i deulu i Rwsia gan ymgartrefu yno a phriodi a
magu eu teuluoedd eu hunain. Cyflogodd Arthur, un o’i feibion, ferch raddedig
o Gymru, Annie Gwen Jones, yn diwtor i’w ferched. Mae llun ohoni yma’n sefyll
ar y dde, gydag Arthur Hughes a’i ferched.
Treuliodd Annie dair blynedd yn Hughesovka gyda’r teulu, o 1889 hyd 1892, a gadawodd pan aeth yn rhy beryglus iddi aros yn sgil terfysg o ganlyniad i achosion diri o golera. Flynyddoedd yn ddiweddarach, ym 1944, ysgrifennodd am ei phrofiadau. Mae dyfyniadau o’i gwaith isod.
"We lived in a large one-storeyed house in the midst of a large garden surrounded by high walls for the sake of security and we had night watchmen guarding the place."
"Life in Hughesovka was full of interest and variety. Letters and newspapers which linked us with home and the outer world took 11 days to reach us at that period and they were frequently censored & particularly so when any incompatible allusion was made to the Imperial family. Certain books were not allowed to enter Russia."
"When
I lived in Russia there were but two classes of society and we were in
a position to see the vast gap between the two. The standard of life
among the Mujiks (peasants) was low and famine was not an infrequent occurrence
in some areas. The Mujiks lived in small wooden houses or huts with mud
floors. There were no amenities for health and comfort except for one
big stove which almost filled the room. On it some members of the family
slept at night. Of course, the workmen's houses in Hughesovka were greatly
superior.......I liked the Mujiks, they were kind, happy-go-lucky, really
religious with their simple, credulous faith. They faced every misfortune
without complaint.......
In contrast to the
Mujik class, the other class was exceptionally cultured. They lived in
large mansions on their estates with a large number of men and maid servants.
I well recall paying a visit to the mansion of a Marshal of the Nobles,
Piotr Valerovich Kamensky.........These Kamenskys were highly educated
and gifted and so were most of their class. Almost all could speak several
languages and they were widely read."
"Though we had to leave Russia in haste...I felt quite sad in bidding farewell to many friends there"
Atebwch y cwestiynau canlynol:
- Beth mae’r angen am ddiogelwch o gwmpas cartref y teulu Hughes yn ei awgrymu am gymdeithas yn Rwsia ar yr adeg hon?
- Pam oedd sensoriaeth ar waith yn Rwsia?
- Gan ddefnyddio’ch gwybodaeth bersonol a’r ffynhonnell hon, disgrifiwch amodau byw'r werin bobl. Cymharwch y rhain ag amodau’r boneddigion
- Pa mor ddefnyddiol yw’r ffynhonnell hon i hanesydd sy’n astudio’r rhesymau sylfaenol dros y chwyldro yn Rwsia?