Abergwynfi memories
Here are memories of Abergwynfi and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Abergwynfi or a Abergwynfi photo.
People I Knew
I knew Gordon Speck's granddad and his second wife, also their daughter Helen. His granddad used to teach music and singing in the Westlyan chapel when I was a child, At 12 years old I was confined to bed for two years and it was Mrs Speck who started my love of reading, she came to vist and bought me a book 'What Katy Did' and from then on I worked my way through all the children's classics. Their daughter Helen married my friend's brother Clive Hodgson. I was born and lived in Abergwynfi until I was sixteen, we lived in the houses across from St Gabrial's church. Around the back of the church was a haven for catching tadpoles. I remember having no fear of wandering the mountains or going up or down the woods hill even at night. I remember Mrs Brown our head mistress, she was quite scary to get on the wrong side of, which for me was quite often because I was always late for school and... Read more
A Long, Long Time Ago.
My memories relate to an era around the early 1960s. My father: Cyril Rex Speck, was, I believe, born and raised in Abergwinffi. His father, can't remember his name, owned a cafe: I think on Jersey Road; I remember playing outside and being able to see the steam trains in the distance. My grandfather's, second wife, was named Kate and she had a daughter named: Helen. Helen, married a chap named Clive and had, I think, two daughters by him. Does anybody remember these names or places? Would love to hear from you.
Football
I left Blaengwynfi in 1952 when I was fourteen. My father was Emlyn (Capers) Thomas and my mother was Betty (Scotch) Thomas. I had four brothers and a sister. I remember that I was one of the ball boys at the football pitch at the top of the mountain. When the ball was kicked out of the pitch we ran down the mountain and the ball usually ended in the church grounds. I would have a heart attack if I tried it now. Bob Thomas
Family
My Uncle Dai was from Abergwynfi, his name was Dai Hopkins. His wife was Dolly. They had my cousins Clive and Joanie and lived in Nantyffyllon.
No Longer A Church
This church had been derelict for many years and was still derelict when I returned home on R & R. I believe it is now a business premises. Shame a waste of a lovely church.
Edwards of Stationers Hall, Blaengwynfi
My great-grandfather was William Edwards. He ran the newsagents/tobacconist/bookshop at 55 Jersey Road, Blaengwynfi in the early part of the 20th century. He also had another shop in Wyndham St., Treherbert which daughter Catherine (my grandmother) used to work at - she would catch the train from Abergwynfi to Treherbert each day going through the tunnel to get to the Rhondda Valley.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has memories or informaiton about Stationers Hall - it is still a shop which now sells groceries, etc.
Grandfather
My grandfather George Morgan was a colliery blacksmith, he died in an accident at work in October 1938. My grandmother's name was Hannah, she died in 1919. In the 1911 census they lived in 94 Margam Street, Cymmer. My grandfather had three brothers, John, Thomas, Francis, and a sister Alice. He died before I was born so I have not got a lot to go on. If anyone know how I could get any information or old photos, I would be very grateful.
Thomas Family, 30 Commercial Street, 1920
Hi, my grandfather William James Thomas was born 9th Feb 1920 at 30 Ccommercial Street, Abergwynfi. His father was called James Thomas, he was a collier/hewer, William's mother was Sarah Thomas. I am trying to research the family, but am stuck on James and Sarah, would anybody remember them? James would have died quite early on in William's life, not sure when, William was also known as Bill, he left Wales in 1935/36 and moved to Midsomer Norton, he died in London 1973. Would anyone know if he had any siblings, or any memories of them? Kind regards, Louise.
Summer Holidays Spent With Nan
My mother was born in Abergwynfi, her name was Avril Morris, she had sisters Mary, Betty and Jean, also brothers Jackie and Gwyn. We lived in the north east of England, but always visited Nan Florrie, she lived in the flats and I remember the climb up the steps to the shops, mostly the Co-op, what a hike! My mum is 90 this year but can still tell stories of the poverty suffered, but there were lots of good times too.
Ancestors
My father was born in Glyncorrwg - his father was killed in a mining accident in about 1937 and my grandmother came with my father and his brothers to Birmingham. We have a medal and on one side is an engraving of a chapel and on the other side in blue enamel are the words from the people of Abergwynfi and BlaenGwynfi in thanks for soldiers volunteering in 1914-18. This may belong to my great-uncle Taliesin Evans (Welsh Guards) who died in 1916 and is remembered on the Thiepval memorial. Any thoughts I would like to hear please.
Land of my Fathers
I loved growing up in the 'cape' as we called it. In the hot summer of 1977 I remember going up the mountain behind Villiers Road to go picking whinberries with my uncle Peter Morris, and I insisted on carrying them back down the hill and fell over with the tiny berries flying every where! They took hours to pick. I also remember going with my friends up the hill behind Scotch Street, we used to slide down the mountainside using cardboard pieces or whatever we could find to do it. I'll never forget the lovely sweet smell of the foliage and also the cold water from the streams where we used to make dams with bricks and clods of earth down near Tunnel Terrace which we built deep enough to swim in! I'm too young to remember the existence of the pit but I do remember the heavy plant machines landscaping the aftermath of a now bygone industry for the cape. but for me I'll always have lovelly memories of growing... Read more
Family Research
My family have always been associated with Abergwynfi, since my father, Talfryn Jones was born there on 21/05/1898, through to my great-grandmother Elizabeth dying there on 07/04/1909, and my great-grandad Benjamin Jones on 25/12/1929 at 153 Jersey Road, witnessed by his grandson William Thomas Williams. I wonder if anyone there now can help me further my research? I understand there is a cemetery there which possibly holds his gravestone?
I Grew up Here
My first recollection of living in the valley was at Duffrin where my sisters Pat and Pam Smith also lived, later we moved to the Gwynfi, and that is where I lived and was educated in the local infants school at the bottom of the hill near the river and bowing green, then to the local Secondary Modern at the top of the hill, from there to Cymmer, left there in 1953, memories for me was one of poverty and like most a true sense of pride.
Poverty even if you were in full time employment, the weekly wage just about got you through the week. Pride even on men with ashen faces who could no longer work, and came from the fact that they were miners and had the respect of other men, whose lives depended on each other when in the body of mother earth, but they were hard men, strong in the arm and of their skills.
I worked after my training in Mastag in South... Read more
My Family Roots
My father lived in Abergwynfi as a child, his name was Peter Thomas Walley. My grandmother was from the area, her maiden name was Eirwen Thomas and she had brothers named Estyn, Edward, Emlyn and Thomas. She also had a sister named Ginny (Janette).
My father had copper coloured hair, so there may be people who are still around who may remember him. The family lived at:
15 Heol-Y-Felin
Abergwynfi
Is there anyone who can remember my family or who can provide a picture of the house if it still exists?
The family moved to Stoke-on-Trent (where my grandfather Ralph Walley originally came from) around 1955.
I did pay a visit to Abergwynfi in November 1991 to see the place where my father grew up, but as it was winter, there were not many people around and so I did not find much information about the place.
I am led to believe that my Great-Grandfather is buried in the graveyard close by. His name... Read more
Memories of West Glamorgan
Home Base
This pic was taken from Tunnel Terrace looking over the old iron bridge coming from The Tunnel Hotel. The building closest after the slag heap is the old Police station with the Bandroom next door to it. My Grandmother and Grandfather Loveday lived in number 5 Tunnel Tce. Sadly no longer there.
Afan Colliery
This is the old afan colliery in full swing until the late 60's early 70's. This picture was taken from the Bwlch Road looking over Jersey Road. The lone white building is the old vicarage.
Aber/Blaengwynfi Silver Prize Band-Thankyou For The Music!
I grew up in Blaengwynfi in the 1950s/60s. My father was Don Davies, and he was band-master during most of those years. He'd joined the band in the 30s when he'd been forced to leave school at Maesteg on the death of his father, and learned to play the trombone and euphonium mainly. The band-master then was Mr. Wade, a Yorkshireman, who'd trained as a tailor originally. Dad went on to teach brass on a Friday evening at Maesteg grammar school, and later the new Sandfields comp in Port Talbot on a Thurs; on the way he taught my brother French Horn, who went on to play with the Scots' Guards' band for 25 years, and he still both plays and teaches in London schools. He in turn taught his two sons horn and trumpet.
One of the band's euphonium players in the 50/60s was Frank Loveday, obviously one of Philip's close relatives. Dad thought Frank was an exceptional player with a truly beautiful tone. When he was... Read more
Uncle Dai
My Uncle Dai Hopkins came from Blaengwynfi. He married my Aunt Dolly and they had Clive and Joanie, my cousins, and lived in Caerau Maesteg.
My Great Grandparents
My Great Grandparents, Thomas and Ellen Jenkins, moved from Bristol to 76 Jersey Road, Blaengwynfi around 1899/1900. Thomas was a grocer. He had an assistant called J A J Spreaklin who was from Coytrahen.
Thomas and Ellen already had 2 children when they moved to Blaengwynfi, Arthur aged 2 or 3 and Lawrence, my Grandfather, aged 1 or 2. Another brother, Thomas, was born in 1900, the birth being registered in Abergwynfi.
By the time of the 1911 census it seems that the family had moved back to Bristol.
Jersey Road still exists but I have not been able to go there yet to find out if No.76 is still there and whether it is still a shop. I intend to do so in the near future though.
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