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Cymmer memories

Here are memories of Cymmer and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Cymmer or a Cymmer photo.

Village

very nice place to live on the left is the shop by the bus stop and railway crossing

Childhood Memories

My dad was born in Cymmer & he lived in Heol y Glyn. My dad's name was Clifford White and my grandparents were Tom & Maud White. I have many happy memories of Cymmer and I remember catching the train to Cymmer from Treorchy & going through the tunnel in Abergwynfi.

Memories of West Glamorgan

No Longer A Church

St Gabriel's Church 1938
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This church had been derelict for many years and was still derelict when I returned home on R & R. I believe it is now a business premises. Shame a waste of a lovely church.

Family

St Gabriel's Church 1938
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My Uncle Dai was from Abergwynfi, his name was Dai Hopkins. His wife was Dolly. They had my cousins Clive and Joanie and lived in Nantyffyllon.

Football

St Gabriel's Church 1938
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I left Blaengwynfi in 1952 when I was fourteen. My father was Emlyn (Capers) Thomas and my mother was Betty (Scotch) Thomas. I had four brothers and a sister. I remember that I was one of the ball boys at the football pitch at the top of the mountain. When the ball was kicked out of the pitch we ran down the mountain and the ball usually ended in the church grounds. I would have a heart attack if I tried it now. Bob Thomas

A Long, Long Time Ago.

St Gabriel's Church 1938
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My memories relate to an era around the early 1960s. My father: Cyril Rex Speck, was, I believe, born and raised in Abergwinffi. His father, can't remember his name, owned a cafe: I think on Jersey Road; I remember playing outside and being able to see the steam trains in the distance. My grandfather's, second wife, was named Kate and she had a daughter named: Helen. Helen, married a chap named Clive and had, I think, two daughters by him. Does anybody remember these names or places? Would love to hear from you.

People I Knew

St Gabriel's Church 1938
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I knew Gordon Speck's granddad and his second wife, also their daughter Helen. His granddad used to teach music and singing in the Westlyan chapel when I was a child, At 12 years old I was confined to bed for two years and it was Mrs Speck who started my love of reading, she came to vist and bought me a book 'What Katy Did' and from then on I worked my way through all the children's classics. Their daughter Helen married my friend's brother Clive Hodgson. I was born and lived in Abergwynfi until I was sixteen, we lived in the houses across from St Gabrial's church. Around the back of the church was a haven for catching tadpoles. I remember having no fear of wandering the mountains or going up or down the woods hill even at night. I remember Mrs Brown our head mistress, she was quite scary to get on the wrong side of, which for me was quite often because I was always late for school and... Read more

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