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Hawthorn

Hawthorn maps

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

Hawthorn area books

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

Memories of Hawthorn

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Mid Glamorgan memories

Rhydyfelin 1949- 1963

I lived in Elm Street and went to Parc Lewis school, Wood Road 1 year only, and Hawthorn Secondary Modern until 1957. My friends and I killed more Indians and Germans than anyone else on the mountain behind Bown's House up Dynea Lane. My particular friends over those years were Gordon Lewis, Malcolm Thomas, Billy Bowditch, Brian Coombs, Gerald Murphy, Brian Pike to name a few. I hope they are all still with us. We used to sing on the bus to and from Parc School almost every day. Do they do that now? Our summers were spent either playing cricket and football down Holly Street, in the fields, or building tree houses up the mountain. We got caught once pinching windfall apples from Mr. Bown's orchard. We knew where the best trees were for cutting vaulting poles or making bows and arrows. We spent hours building our own "bogies" out of wooden planks and pram wheels. But as soon as "Journey into Space" or "Dick Barton" came on the... Read more

Happy Days in Rhydyfelin

I remember when (I sound like my mother now!) we all had fun in the street, on the Eglwyslian Mountain, the "Monkeys Tump" and the "Dickie Woods". There were many of us living in Rhydyfelin during those great times. Some names like, Terry Powell, Colin Spencer, Emlyn Jones, Tina Evans, Yvonne Blackler, Barbara Price, Brenda Morgan, Keith Evans, Paul and Steven Durham, Desmond Jones, Dai Williams, Pat Dando, Billy and Melva Pike, Mervyn Davies, Lennie Jenkins, John Griffiths, Tanya Llewellyn, Margaret and Anne Jones, Mary Lewis, Dawn Crabb to name a few. Some gone now, some have forgotten each other but not me! I really loved my life there from 1949 to 1969. If ANY of you ever read this please get in touch - even if I haven`t included your name. I live in Cyprus now but return often. I miss it! Mike Morris 7 June 2010.

All my Youth Days

I will never forget the days growing up in Poplar Road, Rhydyfelin. My friends were; Val Kerslake, Val Wiles, Barbara Young, Sylvie Elliot, Mavis Brown, John Baker, Dai Parsons, Dennis Webster, to name but a few. We would be up a mountain most of the day, building a dam in the stream to paddle in, running through the ferns and half way up we would drink water by the farm. I remember the vinegar man with a patch over his eye, my gran used to take a milk bottle to fill it up with vinegar. Dancing in the Legion, Mr Protheroe was head when I was in school, then Mr Railton came. Miss Leyshon was cookery, Mr Edwards (maths) and Miss Davis (games) - there were a few bullies in my class, but that's life sadly.My maiden name is Knowles, I live in Barry now. If you knew me, get in touch. So many lovely memories...

Schools' Names

I want to know the names of the schools that children went to in the Treforest area.

Vaughan Family 1920's Minnie And Rees

Looking for information on great grandparents/grandparents.  Pryce Vaughan and Bessie (nee Flowers).   Children born in Church Village, Minnie (my grandmother), Graham and Irene, Annie May, Emlyn and Stanley.

Minnie married Rees Jones and moved to Yeovil in the 1930's.  Graham and Irene also came to Yeovil.  Irene only one left now unfortunately - she is living in Yeovil and is well.  Any information please contact jonesres@talktalk.net

Church Village

What a name! Anyway I grew up here from the age of 5 till 13, what a dump... yet, somehow it certainly has its charm. I will 'always walk in the same old recondite corner of my flowery garden', Dylan Thomas.

My Courting Days

Common, The Memorial c1960
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I lived in Mountain Ash and my husband to be lived in Cardiff, we both used to travel on the bus to Pontypridd to meet up. From there we would walk up to the monument for a kiss and a cuddle. We spent many happy hours up here thinking of our future together. Some times it was so cold we could hardly walk back to the bus as we were frozen. Now 47 years later we sometimes travel to Merthyr and every time we pass the monument we have lovely memories.

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