Cilybebyll, West Glamorgan

Birthplace

I was born in Curtis Row, Ynysmeudwy Road in the early 1950s. My late father was a coal miner and my mother worked at the watch factory.

We moved to London around 1959 as there was a lack of work. I am now trying to build a family tree. My grandparents had eleven children and lived in Ystradgynlais on... [more]

bora da

i've always as far as i can remember holidayed down in trebanws/pontardawe.went 2 trebanos primary and 1st year clydach.but even though i was only in the welsh skools 4 years i loved it.when i moved bak to glasgow i hated it i classed myself as welsh but now i am scottish[glasweigan]a weegie and proud of it but wales will always b... [more]

Edward Thomas Evans (born 1923ish)

Dear friends, my mother-in-law, Joan, was once engaged to Eddie Evans whose family lived up and over a hill near Rhydyfro in the 1940s. His father was a farmer and he had a sister called Marion. Does anyone know anything about Eddie? Is he still with us? Joan would love to know what happened to him. She is coming up to... [more]

Graig-y-Merched

Hello Ystalyfera!
I have just discovered your site and I am ecstatic!
Having been born and brought up on Graig-y-Merched in the 1950s and 1960s, I have loved your photos. Having 'emigrated' to Baglan a mere 26 years ago (not through choice) they have brought back memories of some of the best times of my life.
I grew up with 4... [more]

Clare Road

I lived on Clare Road in Ystalyfera, and the Wern school was at the end of our street.  I remember having a street party for the Silver Jubilee.  I emigrated to Canada in 1978, but have not forgotten the Wern School and all of my friends there.  I had a favourite teacher named Miss John, and I also remember that we... [more]

Childhood memories

I spent my childhood summer holidays with my Nanny at 7 Crown Row, Cwymtwrch, a whitewashed cottage on the main road. My Aunty Annie lived further up the road, opposite the grocers shop. Next door lived my 'Aunty Molly', she had a son called David. We used to play a game with marbles on a board his dad made him. He... [more]

Neath - William Phillips family

I live in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. My relative, William Phillips was born in Neath and lived at 14 Company Street, Llantwit Fardre. He was a collier. He married 6/1875 Rachel Thomas (b.18/7/1852 Pontypridd Llaneth Verdre).In 1886 he and his family emigrated to Australia and settled in Stockton, NSW, a suburb of Newcastle. They had 9 children. He was a co-founder... [more]

Coffee and doughnuts

A friend from work, and I took courses at the Neath Technical Institute. I left Swansea about 7:30am, and had to run down Mount Pleasant to the bus station in order to get to the Institute. For lunch we walked up town to a little Italian cafe and had  a doughnut and coffee for lunch. After afternoon classes we went back... [more]