Nostalgic memories of Bridgend's local history

Share your own memories of Bridgend and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying Memories 21 - 30 of 31 in total

I worked at the toy factory, T N Thomas. I could not understand why they said 'Made in England' when we were in Bridgend in Wales! It was hard on our hands working there, trimming the plastics, but we had some good friends and some laughs. My husband Stan was at General Stampers, they did Government work.
My name is Gareth Davis, and I now live in Australia. I fondly remember travelling the No 7 bus to Nantymoel to my home in Bryncethin. My best friend Lewis Lee, who I have now lost touch with and have tried to find, was a bus mechanic with Western Welsh for many years at the Bridgend Bus Station. It was from here that I took my last childhood journey to join the army at the age of 16. At the ripe old age of ...see more
I was working on the Echo Box in the early 1960s. I got to know a lot of the characters who worked for Western Welsh, Rhondda Coaches, Red & White, Coity Motors and the luxorious N & C Coaches from the Neath area. Jack Golden was the most memorable as many a night I would catch him sleeping in the buses that were parked up for the night in the depot. I used to use the station canteen, which ...see more
Friends of mine, Glenys Thomas (nee Burrows), Haydn Burrows and their family lived off Newcastle Hill at "The Graig". Much of Newcastle Hill remains unchanged today with the bottom of the hill closed to through traffic. I used to use the hill as my link to school friends then living in nearby West Road.
I was a big time Echo & Western Mail seller before I left school in 1966. I remember the guy selling the Echo, his name was Dennis and he sported a beard. One of my first jobs when I left school was in the parcel office, where I started as a parcel boy, and then I worked my way up to parcel van driver before going on to become a conductor. I finished in Jan 1971, just as decimilisation came in. I have many fond memories of working on the buses (Western Welsh).
I was born and bred in Bridgend; less than 1/2 mile from th bus station in an (estate)? known then as "Coity Fields Estate" just behind the Girls' Grammar School, where my sister attended and also my Aunt Rene worked as secretary. My brother John and myself attended the Boys' Grammar School, while my other brother David attended other schools including Heolgam and Maesteg Comp. The Newspaper "Echo" ...see more
I worked at T N Thomas in Bridgend, it was on the Arsnel industrial estate. We used to catch the bus from Caerau in the morning. When it snowed we had to leave early or get snowed in. We made toys in Wales that always said 'Made in England'.
Who remembers Stutchberry's - first shop on the left next to the parked car - it was an Aladdin's cave. My mum used to buy dress fabric and haberdashery there. Remember the vacuum tubes that took the money to the cashier and then came back with your receipt and your change? they used to fascinate me when I was little. We had to go there for most of the Girls' Grammar School uniform - the rest you had to get in Evans the Outfitters in Cardiff.
We were a large family - I had 4 younger brothers and we often went to Newbridge Fields to let off steam. I remember my youngest brother Clive had just mastered riding a two wheeled bike (he would have been about 6/7 years old) and he got a bit over confident and actually ended up in the paddling pool bike and all! Clive sadly died of leukaemia in 1997 aged 37 but we have lots of happy memories. Family name was Trevelyan.
I am on this photo. I am one of the three girls in Grammar School uniform. The time on the clock, I believe, is 12.40 so we must have been going home for lunch. Not many people used to go home for lunch but we used to walk together. Hazel Jones (in the middle of the group) was about to cross the road to go over the old stone bridge to Sunnyside Rd. But Lorna Jones (on the left) and I used to walk all the way ...see more