Memories of Hengoed

Hengoed School Burning Down

Unless the school burned down twice, it definitely happened in half term of 1980. I was on the school pitch behind my house at the time. I was well-chuffed because I had reached the top class with Mr Thomas and was allowed to use a fountain pen. Then one day - so we heard - workmen in the school dropped a gas cannister. I can still remember standing there watching smoke pour out of the roof of the main building, while all the neighbours were shouting "ring the fire brigade!". Our class and year 5 (was standard 3) underneath us had to go to Tiryberth primary for 2 weeks while they sorted out portakabins for us, which they placed on the top yard and on the school pitch.

I spent the rest of the school year in that Portakabin. The rest of the school were housed in the corrugated canteen building and the original separate school room building.

We have photos of the school, photos of the school as burnt timbers, but none of it burning because it was the one and only time we didn't have any film!

It was a lovely old school. After they'd pulled it down, I walked around on the original floors, remembering where each classroom had stood

The Good Old Days

I moved to Hengoed when I was 6 years old. I lived in Hawthorn Avenue when the houses were first built. The first winter there was very bad, I have not seen a winter like it since, not in Hengoed anyway. It was a close-knit community there, 24 steel houses and policeman always lived in No 24. Everybody knew everybody and for a small community we had a lot of tragedies, always involving small children. Two children were killed by vehicles and when you consider that there were not a lot of vehicles on the road then two was a lot. Another child disappeared in the evening, I remember a knock on our door asking my father would he join the search, and I believe it was in the early hours of the following morning that they found the child dead in a quarry which contained a lot of water.

I can never remember being bored, there was always something to do. We wree surrounded by fields and were always playing football, cricket, or going to the Stute for a game of snooker. I remember well when we ran short of fuel my father would take one of us down the Graig, he would leave us in the small wood then he would cross the river, then over the railway line then dig in the tip for pieces of coal. He would return after about 30 minutes. I would still be where left me, cold and scared stiff. Then we would climb the Graig back home home. I must have been only about 8 then.

We kept a few chickens, the one day the cockerel attacked my mother. My father went down with a broom handle and sorted him out.

I went to school at Hengoed Infants, then on to the junior school. Our headmaster was Mr Owen. Can anyone remember Knobby Hayes? What a character he was. Then it was down to Ystrad Mynach Secondary Modern until you left school. I did not hear the word 'bully' then.

My first job, like nearly everybody, was down the mines, firstly training in Bargoed then to the local colliery, Penallta. I then went to work in Cardiff General Station as it was known the, then in 1961 I joined the S W B. My parents moved from Hengoed when I was in the Army, my mother in law and three of my sister-in-laws still live there so it cannot be a bad place to live.

HENGOED SCHOOL INFANTS AND JUNIOR

I HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF A GREAT SCHOOL WHICH SADLY WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE 1960 S I REMEMBER THE DAY WITH SADNESS; AS I WATCHED WITH MY PARENTS AS IT WAS COMPLETLY DESTROYED. HOWEVER SHORTLY AFTER A NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT AND MY CHILDREN WHO ONLY ATTENDED THE OLD SCHOOL FOR 3 YEARS ' STARTED AT THE NEW SCHOOL.AS THERE IS NOW AHOUSING ESTATE BUILT ON ITS GROUND,OLD SCHOOL GRANGE, IT WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERD BY ALL THAT ATTENDED IN MEMORY OF MR OWEN HEADMASTER AND ALL OUR TEACHERS .

My great grandmother

It's not a memory of mine but, she was my great grandmother and I am not sure of her first name although I know her surname was Powell.  She was a mother to grandad, who's life so tragically ended, she died in a fire, a caravan fire, in Hengoed.  I would like to know about her, and would like even to know her name and where she is buried.
I believe that everyone should be remembered and I think that I am the only one who wants to remember.