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Blaenau
Blaenau maps
Historic maps of Blaenau and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Blaenau maps
Blaenau area books
Displaying 1 of 3 books about Blaenau and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Blaenau
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Dyfed memories
My Home Area.
Although I was born in Princetown I spent endless hours and days in Tafarnaubach. I was brought up in the area and my closest friends all lived in Princetown or Tafaneu. Friends like Ken Woods, Graham Davies, Denis Francis, Alun Evans, Ken Galliford, Ray Leask, Ken Leask. We played football for Twyn Hotspurs in the 1950s at the back of the Travellers Rest pub. I also supported them in the late 1940s when Davo and Twny were running the team along with George Phipps, Jacky Fat Jimmy King. They were happy days. I now live in the Midlands but will always remember those days. I could go for ever. All for now. Carol Evans
Remember This?
Well, it's 1960 onwards for me because that's the year I was born! My dad was Bill Pritchard and he was the secretary to the manager at McLaren pit. We lived in McLaren Cottages, my mum and dad had me late in life, having married in 1929, they were 48 and 52 respectively when I came along! As well as me there was Molly (born 1930), Ken (b 1932), Christine (b 1942) and Robert (1947-1997). My dad died in 1973 and my mum died in 1983. I moved to Cardiff in 1984 and have been living in Aberdeenshire since 2005. Does anyone remember the following?
Mr and Mrs Owen's butchers shop; Mrs Lippiatt who ran the Post Office: Roffi's; Alan Crane the newsagent; Merle who ran the wool shop (later the fish shop), Mrs Jones who used to live in the 'Big House' (McLaren House), the Co-Op, Dr Ieuan, Dr Connolly (from my mum and dad's time), Abertysswg Infants & Junior School with the teachers Mrs Edwards, Mr Eynon, Mr... Read more
Manager's House
Because of my friendship with Helen Jones, the manager's daughter, I also went to play with her at her house, for me it was something very special because I had never been in such a big house before. It seemed so big, especially after my house in the village. The excitment of exploring the rooms especially the attic was wonderful, and later the grounds, where we picked crab apples. It would be wonderful if I could get in touch with Helen once again.
Growing up in Aberyysswg
I was 10 years old in 1953 and then lived in my 'gran's house' in Alexander Street. Janet McCarthy, Rita Anthony, Dilys Jones, Mylais Nash, Shirley Perry, Jean May, Dawn Waklin, Elvet Davies, Malcolm Powell also lived in this street and we were in school together apart from the older children who were closer to my sister's age (my sister, Joyce still lives in Abertysswg).
I remember Miss Hannah Davies teaching me at the local infants school and Mr. Taylor and in our final year we had kind and gentle Mr. Phillips. Miss Josie Cusack was the school secretary and always appeared friendly and helpful. Robert Griffiths from Carn-y-Tyla was praised for his papier mâché construction of a fort for a class project. He was an extremely confident boy if I remember correctly.
Abertysswg
I remember so many people from Abertysswg that it was great to find this website and know there are people writing about the village I shall always think of as ' home '.
Had fate been kinder to me I most probably would never have left but things happen that make us make decisions and mine was to leave Abertysswg. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I had stayed in the village but it is so good reading the memories of people from Abertysswg that I feel I still belong there and that is such a feeling of belonging!
I was in school with Christine Pritchard and the late Dorothy Tapscott. During the summer of 1958 I went on holiday to Seaton, Devon with Christine and we stayed at a bed and breakfast establishment owned by her brother Ken. Lovely times and cherished memories.
I remember going to the Queen's ballroom in Tredegar on a... Read more
TROEDRHIWFUWCH A Place in my Heart
My father, Thomas Henry Williams, was born at 57 High Street, Troedrhiwfuwch in 1908. In his early 20's he left Troedy for Bristol, to look for work. It was in Bristol that he met and married my mother, and subsequently my sister Sylvia and myself, Roy, were both born. As a family we never lost touch with my father’s birthplace. We spent every Christmas in Troedy and I spent most of my summer school holidays there. I was born in 1937 but never knew my grandfather, who had passed away a few years earlier - so the head of the house was Gran. Gran was the kindest person I have ever known, but she was very strict and nobody ever argued with her. Also living at No 57 was my father’s brother, Uncle Ol and his wife Auntie Clar with their son Edwin who was four years older than me. I always looked up to Edwin and was fascinated by his stories. He told me that he used to catch... Read more
A Coal Mining Community Started in 1853
My late father was born in Troedrhiwfuwch on 16th Feb 1917. His name was David Thomas Harris, mainly known as Dai Tom. He lived in a terrace house later turned into a shop. He lived there with six other brothers and sisters. His grandfather worked down the pit, his father worked down the pit. He went to school there. In 1927 Glamorgan council awarded Dai Tom a silver medal for not having a day off in three years, a good attendance medal. On his 14th birthday he then went down the pit. He worked there for 10 years. There is a book about Pontlottyn and Troedrhiwfuwch with photos by Jervis R Pearce printed in 1985. I have been there not so long ago and the whole place has gone without a trace. Sadly my father passed away 10th June 2010. He and his kind will be greatly missed, just like the place.
