Robert Owen, who is considered to be one of the most famous Welshmen of all time, is thought of as the ‘father’ of the Co-operative and Trade Union Movements.

The Robert Owen: Legacies that last exhibition, which celebrates his life and considers the relevance of his ideas and actions to current issues in Welsh society, including co-operation, lifelong learning, social justice, and fair trade, was developed with a grant of £49,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

CyMal, the Welsh Assembly Government’s museums, archives, and libraries division awarded a further grant of £19,888 to develop an accompanying online exhibition at www.robertowen2008.coop.

Siân Williams said: “This year, 2008, marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Robert Owen of Newtown. 200 years ago, Robert Owen was talking about issues such as the environment, fair trade, social justice and working conditions.

"It is remarkable how relevant his ideas and actions are to current issues in Welsh society. He was certainly a man ahead of his time."

The exhibition, which forms part of the year long activities being planned by, and in conjunction with the Newtown-based Robert Owen Network, was launched last month in the Senedd by Lorraine Barrett, Labour and Co-operative Member for Cardiff South and Penarth. 

It is on show at the University's South Wales Miners' Library (Hendrefoelan site) until Monday, March 17, and on show in the Library and Information Centre at Swansea University until the end of March.  It will then go on tour throughout Wales until November 2008.

For further information on where to see the exhibition, please visit www.robertowen2008.coop, and for further information on the South Wales Miners’ Library at Swansea University visit
http://www.swan.ac.uk/lis/historicalcollections/swml/.