Tonypandy

What a funny sounding word.  I learned it this week as I read a book by Josephine Tey titled "The Daughter of Time."  In the book Detective Grant uses the word, "Tonypandy" to describe widely believed historical myths, such as the Tonypandy Riot, or deliberately falsified history, such as the life of Richard III.
So, in other words, it's when the historical facts have been altered over time and the truth has been twisted and tainted for so long that it is anything but truthful. Tonypandy is actually a town in Wales where a riot occurred, but the events were so exaggerated over time that the term 'tonypandy' was attached to any such marring of historical truth.
And so the account of Richard III killing his two nephews (ages ten and twelve) in order to attain the throne has been regarded as tonypandy.  In 1984 England - centuries later - a trial was enacted with the defendant being the long departed Richard Plantagenet.  Evidences were given and closing arguments made for both sides. Though the jury found him innocent of the murders, the debate will go on forever, I suppose.
I personally like the idea of him being innocent of such a crime. 
Recently - in August 2012, remains of a body were found under a parking lot and DNA testing proved it to be that of Richard III. He was then interred at Leicester Cathedral. This brought to light again, the question of his guilt or innocence. 
Will this new discovery someday be labelled as tonypandy?  With all of the documentation we have today, I think not.  And so you ask, "Who cares?"  Well, not me really.  I just like the term 'tonypandy' and wanted to share my new found knowledge of a man of which I knew nothing.  So, there you have it.  (Smile.)