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Cwmpennar

Cwmpennar maps

Historic maps of Cwmpennar and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Cwmpennar maps

Cwmpennar area books

Displaying 1 of 2 books about Cwmpennar and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Cwmpennar

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Mid Glamorgan memories

Duffryn House

Grammar School 1938
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I can remember having lessons in Duffryn House, top floor. The walls and stairways were amazing, thick handrails curving from top to bottom. An amazing building which in my opinion should have been listed.
Dai Boyce,
MACS 1981 -1985

Playing Fields

Swimming Baths c1955
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My name is Martin Flower. I lived in 21 Bailey St. The field at the back of our house is where I would spend most of the day. There was a crowd of us and we would make Dutch arrows, yes you cannot use them today. If you could see forty arrows in the air it was some sight. And when there was a flood Nieno's cafe lost all his stock. The grown ups would be in the water getting fags, tobacco and any beer barrels that were from the Baileys Arm. The treat in the summer would be loading a pram with bread, butter, cups and jam, bats, football, and then it was a long walk over the cwm where there was a stream. Have a few pictures of me and my gran. When I saw this picture of the swimming baths it reminded me of a boy that lived in Bailey St that drowned there, eddie he was out skinny dipping. His mum was dad ran a shop... Read more

Mountain Ash Town Hall

Town Hall And Bridge 1950
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My nan and grandfathey lived in the house directly opposite the Town hall. There was just two houses there, one of which become Lee's Hairdressers in the later years.

A Memory For The Rest Of Your Life

Swimming Baths c1955
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I remember the swimming baths very well. My name is Peter Weeks and I used to live on Llanwoanno Road. I swam at this baths at every opportunity during the summer. I used to dive from the diving board on the right hand side as you look at the picture, coming up at the steps in middle of the pool. On the one occassion there were people at the steps blocking my access to the steps, it was at this time I learnt the value of being able to swim, for I could not, and nearly drowned. The staff of the pool noticed my distress and managed to get me out of the pool, and carried this semi-concious little boy to the office, where I managed to recover, but this was not the end, after I recovered the staff took me back to the pool and despite my protestations would not let me leave till I had learnt and demonstrated few basic swimming strokes. ... Read more

A Magical Time

Town Hall And Bridge 1950
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My name is Peter Weeks and I lived on Llanwoanno Road. Every Sunday I would cross this bridge with my elder brother Kenneth, on our way to the Baptist Chapel. This was the time of steam trains. We could hear the trains comming a long time befor they reached the bridge. When we heard the train we used to run to where the train ran underneath, lean over the edge of the bridge, and get lost in the white smoke and steam from the train as it trundled along bellow, a time when it seemed like a differant world full of amazing things with these magical machine monsters.

Walking Home After Night Out

View From Royal Oak c1955
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I remember walking home to Perthcelyn from Mountain Ash, after a pint at the Glancynon (now the rugby club) and the 'Navi', then on to the Nixons dance. We, Ray Furlong, Dave Furlong, Dai Gracco, Tony Bish, Alan Jones and myself, called 'Jessie' as my surname is James.

Yes, Cold

Swimming Baths c1955
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The water was not just cold, but freezing! A few of us always wanted to go for a swim before school (very brave of us) but we never did. I never went off the stages, they were too high for me. Living in Cefnpennar we spent most of the time swimming in the warm reservoir even in the winter. Did you see the photo I put in the Cynon Valley Leader? Most of the time we swam in the buff.

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