Llanelli, Stepney Street 1952

My visit to Llanelli 1958

Hi,
My name was Christine Pakenham, and my mother took me over to Lannelli Wales by boat to meet my grandparents in 1958. My mom was a war bride, from 31 New Dock road. Her mom was Mary Jane Williams (nee Jones) and her dad was Ernest Williams. She married my dad, a Canadian serviceman, in July of 1945. My grandparents are no longer around but my cousins and one aunt are there still. My mom is 87 years old now and doing well, living in Ottawa, Canada. She has 2 married grand children, one who is my daughter Jennifer who resides with her husband in Perth, Australia and my sister's boy who lives in Ottawa. My son is not married yet. She still has 2 other grandchildren not married. My dad passed away of cancer in 1999 and mom has never remarried.
My fondest memory was Park Howard, such a beautiful park, and downtown LLanelli, so beautiful and friendly. It is so nice to be able to go back into seeing these pictures on line. I only wish if anyone who knew my mom would get in touch with me, if they are still around. My mom's name at the time was Violet Christine Williams. Please get in touch with me at:
christine-mackie@rogers.com

london evacuation

my mother who is now 76 years of age,was talking with my son who is doing a world war 2 project at school.Only last night she was telling him,that in 1939 october,she aged 8 and a half and her then baby brother aged just 10 months along with their mother were evecuated to stradey castle from vauxhall,sw london.
They stayed for 10 weeks,and my mother said how the statues in the long hall scared the life out of them and also the nearby woods was something she had never seen before.My mothers maiden name was joan trim and her brother roy and late mother florence.The owners were by the name of lewis a laird i believe,by all accounts very nice people.I wondering on behalf of my mother,its the castle still there etc.Thank you Robert Penfold

A view from the band stand

I was born in 1965, the year the photo was taken and at the time my dad was a gardener at Parc Howard. I remember going to visit him almost every day, in the summer months, with either my grandmother or mother. This was a very familiar view taken from the band stand.

After what felt like hours of playing I would be taken to the cafe and bought sweets from a large select behind a glass cabinet.

Often we would go up the hill (to the left in the photo) to watch the old men play bowls and as I grew older I would play on the putting green.

Cwmfelin Road

Living far away from Bynea it was lovely and sad to see in this second photo of Bynea that the bus pictured is outside the house that I was born in in 1941. This house is approximately 110 years old and has always been in the Cooper family.

Many happy days were spent by the village boys and girls playing in the field opposite - cae Llewellyn I think it was called - and on the tip. I can´t remember it ever raining only the hot, dusty days!!

Marilyn Cooper Lewis

HAPPY YEARS

The four cottages in this photograph are of Bryn Terrace, formerly named Bryn Cottages where I lived at No 1 with my sister Beryl and our parents Ceinwen and William John Thacker. My grandparents Mary Ann and William George Davies lived next door at No 2, my grandmother's brother Evan Evans and his family at No 3, and David Morris known as 'The Powndyn' with his family at No 4. I was born in 1939 at No 2 in the parlour of my grandparents' house, but my family at that time lived at a cottage called YR ARCH which is situated behind the Farmers Arms pub close by. I have many happy and fond memories of living at The Bryn, as we called it for 25 years, with the advantage of great parents and outstandingly loving grandparents, with the added bonus of kind neighbours and loyal friends. I have been gifted with a good memory and although the war was nearly over, memories of growing all our own fresh vegetables, keeping chickens goats and pigs, and ration books are easy to recall. Times were tough for all parents living in the area still known as "the Graig", but the children were their main priority. The never ending warning of 'If you don't pay attention in school and pass your exams you will end up down the mines'.  This did spur me on, but where would this country have been without our miners, steelworkers and farm hands amongst others? Something that always stands out in my mind is the great affinity which existed between  the young and the old, and the built-in respect inbred into society at that time. Looking back it was a wonderful era in which to be growing up, and all my friends of that time I'm sure would agree. Perhaps that book which I've always fancied writing is not a lost hope after all!!
Ken Thacker