Borth memories
Here are memories of Borth and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Borth or a Borth photo.
Evacuated to Borth
I think it was about 1939-41 that my mother, Florence O'Donovan, my sister Sheila and I went to Borth with Mrs Back and her children Joan and Guy to get away from the danger of living in Norwich which was a target for bombing during the Second World War because of its RAF base. It was a lovely place with the sea on the other side of the coast road from our house. I remember my mother riding a horse along the beach once and I remember being in the Infants' school - the school building was two rooms with a partition wall between them. We could hear what was going on in the other room. I spoke Welsh but forgot it very quickly when I got home. The milkman gave us rides on his horse-drawn cart. I threw a boy's cap down the steps of a semi-basement on the way back from school. We had a train ride into the hills to visit a... Read more
Fun in The Sun
Our late grandparents Bob and Alice Maudsley owned a caravan on Cambrian coast in 1965 to 1969, me and my sister Kerry spent our school holidays playing on the beach and riding round the camp in the site owner's landrover, his name was Mr Taylor and he had a son called Michael, they came from Ellesmere Port as do we. As children we used to watch the old farmer checking his sheep, I think his name was Old Louie. We both returned to Borth a short while ago to many changes but our landmarks were still there, the Grand Hotel, the lifeboat station, what happy memories.
Evacuee
I was evacuated to Borth in 1944 from London. I woke up in the morning in an air raid shelter in Shepherds Bush and went to bed in Benfleet, Borth having been taken in along with my brother by Mrs Bennet who owned the Grand Hotel. I lived in Borth with Mrs Bennet until I was 13 and came to love the village and its surroundings. Sadly for me, when I last visited three years ago it was clear that Borth is no longer the place I knew and loved so much, but that is progress I suppose. Yet the memories of Les Mathews, Trevor the Butcher, Aeron Morris the greengrocer, Mrs Galloway the toy shop, Mr Bowen the chemist and Sgt Davis who caused me to be sent back to London after seven years for taking two tins of condensed milk, the highest price anybody ever paid for such as that. Still, I have many wonderfull memories of Borth, for me as a boy it was a magic place.... Read more
Holidays in Borth
I was born in 1948 in Wolverhampton, and my parents bought a caravan at Aberleri farm, Ynyslas. I was lucky enough to spend all my school holidays, apart from Christmas, at the caravan. Our first caravan was a gypsy style, quite a collector's item now. The 6 weeks in the summer was the best, and l used to pester the life out of Emlyn the donkey man to let me help him with the donkeys. I still have a week at Borth in the summer even though l live in Devon. If it wasn't for my husband, l would be living there right now!
Fond Memories
I first visited Borth as a toddler in the early 60's, with my Uncle Dai from Machynlleth. I used to visit him and his wife to stay with them for holidays. As he had worked the railways he used to take me from Mach to Borth on the train and would sit on the bench, watching while I played on the sand. Uncle Dai bought me my very first penknife in Borth, and taught me how to whittle! Other members of my family eventually moved to Borth (Upper Cliff Road) quite some time ago - unfortunatley they have now passed away, and are buried in St Matthews church yard. I loved, and still love, Mach and Borth. Only today, I have returned from a four day stay in Borth. I feel so at home there. One day I hope to have my own home in this lovely village so that I can walk on the beach when ever I want, and on... Read more
Borth-A Sea Born Village
I was raised in Borth from 1952 until I went to sea in 1968 and it was still very much home and sanctuary at every opportunity until I moved to Australia in 1991.The second son of Aran and Eileen Morris of Bel-Air I remember well the many characters who bought their fruit and veg at our shop and the timeless conversations they used to share in the quieter winter months-no internet or mobile phones then!!! During childhood my memories are of carefree summer days on the beach and in the sea and exciting winter stormy seas battering the windows and thudding against the house.Since then my memories are tinged with sentimentality-the long run in on the train alongside the Dovey bringing home ever closer and the final,somewhat tearful glimpse of Borth headland as the outward train began my journey to foreign shores.Sadly my recent visits to Borth have made me realise that this unique sea born village is not timeless but I will be forever thankful that... Read more
Memories of Dyfed
Frondeg Talybont
my grandparents Rosina & Rev'd John Williams moved to Frondeg on the Aberystwyth side of Talybont in the 1920's when John's health meant he could no longer preach. He died in 1925 Rosina died in the 1950's I don't really remember her although my sister Phyllis who is 5 years older than me does. My uncle Idris Parrish Williams continued to live in the house until his death in June 1992 my mother Lili died in Dec of the same year. I spent most of my summer holidays at Frondeg with uncle Id either with my parents or as a teenager I would catch the bus from S. Wales. I was always made welcome in the village even though I spoke no Welsh & I carried water from the pump in the street until water was piped to the house. When I married & moved to N Wales Frank & I continued to spend time a few weeks a year at Uncle Id's. I still have many items from... Read more
Gwalia Garage
I was born in 62 North Parade, Aberystwyth and lived next door to a very busy Gwalia Garage run by my grandfather Charles Abel Jones and his four sons.
During the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II the street was alive with celebration, with buntings hung along its length, and on the day we all sat on rows of tables in the street and had the most wonderful party. Great times. My parents Maurice and Gwen Henley continued to live there until they died in the late 1980s.
Galloway & Morgan
I have a bookmark with this exact same photo that my Welsh pen friend sent me c.1960. (I'm in America.) It has several other pics of Aberystwyth, and says "BOOKMARK BY FIRTHS" at the bottom.
Cae Balloon
As a child our family stayed near the village of Blaenplwyf and as we passed Frondeg Farm my father always pointed out a field know as Cae Balloon (Balloon Field). Frondeg Farm had been farmed by his Grandfather and he had been ploughing the field one day when his horses and, I suspect he, had been startled by a huge balloon floating towards them. It landed in the field and by sign language, for they were French, the passengers persuaded him to take them and their balloon to Aberystwyth Rail Station. This he did.
The story emerged later that the balloonists had seen the Coastline before them and, with no land the other side, decided to land.
My great grandfather's name was John Davies.
Carnival Day in Gadlys' Field by Our Church
I was dressed up as the 'knave of hearts' with real jam tarts on the plate which my mam made. My friend Martin Morgan was dressed as 'Andy Capp', most of the village dressed up, children and grown ups, and if they didn't they were involved in other ways. I also remember the following year I dressed as 'Puppet on a String' in bare feet like Sandie Shaw, they were the begining of some great memories. Jane Arch Davies
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