A FAMILY CLAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 420, 3 January 1933, Page 2

A FAMILY CLAN

COMMUNITY OF M'TURKS^ WANTS NONE BUT M'TURKS. I have found the village of one family. It is called M'Turk. Everybody in it is a M'Turk (writes a special correspondent of the Sunday Express). M'Turk is' a community in Wales. A hundred years ago a M'Turk, a shepherd, acquired land In the Black Mountains, on the outskirts of Sennybridge, Brecon. He prospered, and in time sent to the soutli of Scotland for a wife. He bought more land and raised more sheep. His family grew. His daughters outnumbered his sons. After •the fashion of men his daughters were sought by the people of the land. But the M'Turk was firm. "None but a M'Turk shall live in this community," he said. And from the south of Scotland and the North of Ireland the M'Turks came to Wales to preserve the community and carry on the tradition. To this day, through three generations, the M'Turk stronghold is inviolate. They have their own Presbyterian minister, who is a sheep farmer as well. They make their own roads and build their own houses. They do not welcome strangers. Michael M'Turk, head of the clan, would tell be nothing of their strange life. From neighbouring sources I learned other facts. The postal service -does not reach M'Turk. It calls at Sennybridge for its letters. The 'provisions for the entire community are bought at Brecon by one of the clan. No individual shopping is done. ■Every commodity bought is paid for in cash. The M'Turks take no credit. They give none. None of the women of the clan leaves the village unescorted.