Esgairgeiliog as A Kid

Reading Gwynfor's memories, reminded me of my childhood in Esgairgeiliog . I lived in 'Awelon' or as commonly known 'Yr Efail'. The blacksmith's forge was our wash house and above was my father's workshop. A few years ago my wife and I had the pleasure to be shown around by Julia. What a fantastic home she and her husband had created, and what an excellent book she has also written. I was born in Ceinws in the 1943 before the camp has been converted to houses and the new housing estate had not been built. My parents were both English speakers - one of three families in the village then. My mother was a dressmaker and people would come for miles to see her. My father was a carpenter on the railway. They kept to themselves. My main memory of being young was of playing cricket or football on the bridge with a stone wicket and others for goal posts. Clifford was the usual instigator of these games and he lived in the houses next to the bridge. We spent a lot of time rescuing the ball from the river. Increasing quantities of traffic stopped this (or was it maturity). Other boys I remember were Archie, Gareth, later Noel and John and Chris Lake. Mari Morgan lived nearby. Her annual pig-killing was exciting for all. She once aquired a vervet monkey which lived on a tree branch. She provided a taxi service for schoolkids. We spent a lot of time exploring the mountain and the numerous quarry holes around. I remember going down down a narrow cave in Rhiwgreithin woods which sloped down very steeply. I was in front when the torch stopped shining on anything. I looked down and I was on the edge of a vertical drop. A quick reverse scramble occurred. We later went down into a quarry hole nearby which had a cave at its base. We walked along one of the passages there and came to a large 'agor' ( cavern from which slate was extracted). It was massive and I realised that the the sloping cave without a visible end was probably an air shaft into this. Another time when it was snowing heavily we went for a walk up the mountain. When we got to the top we could hardly see anything and the wind was incredibly strong. Half way down conditions were calmer and we realised we were one short. We didn't dare try lookng for him and decided we had to go home and get some help. Imagine our relief whe the lost one met us. He'd rolled down another way. We all went to the old Corris junior school. It only had three teachers. Miss Owen taught the youngest group. Mrs Jones then taught the next two year groups and the Headmaster taught the top group. There were only about six or so per year. I remember seeing my first eclipse there through a sooted glass. I was saved from an accident there by my heavy hob nailed boots when Glyn accidentally pushed me off the edge of a rising path. I ended up suspeneded upside down by my non-bending boots on the stone wall beneath the path. We went by bus but after the first year we had to walk the mile and a half back home. We'd run and walk between alternative telephone posts until we got home. Corris had a Siver Band in those days which I joined. We were initially taught for half an hour before practice by Oliver Jones who was the conductor then. He had a beautful tone and was and excellent teacher. I remember being asked to play a fanfare with Elined at the Urdd Eistethfod at Dolgellau. We had to make up our own fanfare and stand on either side of the stage. What we didn't realise was that the stage must have been about fifty foot wide. Still we managed. My busiest time with fanfares came a few years later when I had to play the last post in Corris, Machynlleth and Cemmaes on the same day.. When the camp had been converted to bungalows and the local forestry commission heaquarters, the commission donated a hut as a village hall which had a function room with a stage and a kitchen. The carpentry for these was done by my father, helped by others. (He also made the altar rail for the Church there.) The most important bit for us boys was the billiard room which had a magnificent table which had been donated by Colonel Beaument along with a scoring board. The cues were not the straightest but we managed. The cost of electricity was 1p for 5 minutes. We couldn't afford to play very often. There was also a weekly library there. There were girls in the village as well but we didn't have much with them, though I became friendly with Delyth when in my teens. There was a small factory in the village in the old mine processing hall. Hubert worked there making hospital beds. John France then came to manage it and work there. I worked there for a summer holiday and learned to weld, braise and spray paint. The river provided the power for saw and lathe. Another holday I worked cleaning felled trees for a a penny a cube in the forestry. Gerald - the contractor - would drive us there but we usually had to walk back home. Though the village was small there was always something to do. There was no television in those days. When it came it had a negative effect. My father refused to have one. Neither would he buy electricity from Mr Evans. When the National Grid arrived he accepted it. Until national water grid arrived we'd collect water from a spring until a local supply was constructed to a tap. Then we built a water closet with a septic tank over the road. We dug the hole across the road ourselves.