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Nelson
Nelson maps
Historic maps of Nelson and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Nelson maps
Nelson photos
We have no photos of Nelson, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Llanfabon| Treharris| Abercynon| Ystrad Mynach| Hengoed| Maesycwmmer| Maes-Y-Cwmmer| Gilfach| Bargoed| Merthyr Vale| Penrhiwceiber| Llanbradach| Aberfan| Abertridwr| Blackwood| Aberbargoed| Pontypridd| Pontllanfraith| Mountain Ash| Penmaen| Oakdale| Markham| Bedwas| Caerphilly| Ynyshir| Porth| Church Village| Newbridge| Abercwmboi| Cwmbach
Nelson area books
Displaying 1 of 2 books about Nelson and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Nelson
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Nelson.
There are 8 shared memories to read.
Add your memory of Nelson
or of a photo of Nelson.
Fond Memories
I was born in Nelson in 1953 and lived in the prefabs at number 7, Heol Harry Lewis with my mother and father Mary and Doug Gray and my brother Neil who is 5 years older than me. Our next door neighbours were Peggy and Gordon Lewis with children Vivienne (Viveen), Nicky and Peter. I spent a lot of my time in 76 Bryncelyn Avenue at Helen and Jock Szymecka's. Helen was my mother's best friend and her daughter Wanda was my best friend. We used to spend hours playing in the Welfare where there was a pavilion where we played table tennis. There were also tennis courts and a swimming pool and a park. There was a little shop that sold everything at the bottom of the prefabs called Lloyds, does anyone else remember it? I went to Llanfabon Infants and Llancaiach Juniors and then went on to Ystrad Mynach Secondary School for Girls after failing the dreaded 11 plus. My grandmother Sally Gray lived a few doors up... Read more
Moving to Nelson
I moved to Nelson in 1962 aged 3 with my mother, father and brother from Rhydfelin, near Pontypridd. We lived in Tawelfan until 1970 when we moved to the dreaded England because my dad got a job in London.
I remember nostalgically what the earlier contibutor Denise wrote about, including her mention of the three teachers at Llanfabon School, Mrs Carlick, Miss Edwards and Miss Evans, three of the best teachers I ever knew. My mum worked in the Junior School until we left. I recall the headmaster, Mr Brown, was a larger than life jovial man, but he was not somebody to cross!
I've only been back to the village a couple of times since, and it never appeared to change that much, but perhaps it's different now.
Living With my Grandparents
I too remember Nelson very well. I was sent to live with my grandparents in Nelson when I was 3 years old. My grandfather owned the garage/cycle shop at 2 Dynevor Terrace. His name was Tom Bowen. I can remember going on the Suday School walks. One year I wore a straw bonnet with a white dress made from parachute silk with red smocking on the bodice. I used to go to the little cinema with my grandmother. I can vividly remember a film that had a baby called Sandy in it. Apparently I drove everyone mad because I kept wanting to see baby Sandy. I can remember my grandad's shop being very untidy, but he knew where everything was. My grandad was Chairman of the local Rotary Club. My uncle used to take me to the corner shop on the bridge for sweets. All this seems a world away. I now live in Portugal.
Happy Days
I was born in 1953 and lived in Nelson until 1978 when I moved to Scotland with my husband. I've lived in Hampshire for 26 years now. I used to live in High St and from the early 60s in Ashgrove Tce, by the bus station. The centre of Nelson has changed completely and looks better than it has done for a good few years. I remember the wonderful community feeling in Nelson when I was young and a lot of the social life was done through the chapels and churches. I remember Whitsun walks and also the Remembrance Day parade and the cenotaph by the bank which was next door to the Nelson Inn, as it was then. My grandfather was Joe Osborne and he repaired shoes from his workshop behind his house in High St. I went to Llanfabon Infants (which was knocked down and a new one built near the Community Centre) and was taught by Mrs Carlick, Miss Evans and Mrs Edwards. I also went to... Read more
Old Times
I was born at Gwaenfarren House in Merthyr Tydfil and lived at 70 Bryncelyn Ave with my father, step-mother and brother Barrie until I left to join the RAF in 1970. I can remember the old prefabs being knocked down and the new housing estate being built to accomodate those people who used to live in the prefabs. I can also remember the Queen of Hearts nightclub which was the old cinema (converted by a local builder Reg ?. I also went to both local schools (Llanfabon infants and Llancaiach juniors if I remember correctly) before passing the dreaded 11 plus exam and going to Pontypridd Boys Grammar School when the choice was Pontypridd, Pengam and Bargoed! My next door neighbours were Ron Holland in number 68 and the Millets in 72. Further along were the Farrants who went to South Africa with their 3 daughters Helen, Viviene and Carol. I think it was Carol who was involved in a car accident in the street which damaged her foot. The... Read more
Down Memory Lane.....
Although I was actually born in Italy in 1953, where my father was stationed at the time, my parents moved back to Wales in 1955. Our first home was in Bargoed and then my mother Lina bought the Café in Nelson (opposite the Dynevor Arms pub - hereinafter to be referred to as Ricci's Café), where I lived from 1956 to 1971. My name is Cristina (generally known as Chris), by the way. During this period, I attended St Clare's Convent (Porthcawl), Bargoed Junior School, where I sat my 11+ exam, and then Lewis Grammar School for Girls in Ystrad Mynach, where I obtained my 'A'-Levels in 1972. All my spare time (homework and exam revision permitting) was spent in the café, where I served behind the counter and at the tables. Nelson was a small village of about 2,000 inhabitants at the time and I think I could safely say that I knew about 90% of them. Ray happens to mention the Davis family, whom I knew very well.... Read more
Reminiscence
Yvonne Colwell's notes brought back memories of a few families, but I can't place St John's Lane, even though I lived in Pantycelyn until I moved in the late sixties after the prefabs were demolished.
Both my parents are now buried in Llanfabon Cemetery, and I live in sunny Folkestone, Kent.
I plan to have a few days staying in the Old Police Station, owned by a couple you must have been in school with.
You must remember the gasometer, handball court and Taff Vale Railway running through the centre of the village next to John Jones', or the ironmonger next to Phil's fish bar- Vic Morgan who lived in Llancaiach.
I was in school with his daughter Helen, who moved to South Africa and Edward Williams who lived in Llancaiach Fawr.
I can't picture you or your brothers, but the only Anita I remember was a Davis, with brothers John, Gareth & Joey who lived next door to the Johnsons.
John Pedro, the village butcher opposite the Nelson... Read more
Happy Days
I lived in Nelson from the age of 3. I was born in 1954 so I arrived there 1957. I lived in the prefabs at 9 St Johns Lane, until I moved to 27 Brycelyn Ave when they decided they wanted to pull the prefabs down. I went to both schools in Nelson and went on to Lewis Girls' Grammer until I was 16yrs old. I have fond memories of Ricci's cafe where we would go and play pinball machines and drink hot blackcurrant juice. I remember there was a youth club in the school twice a week (I think). We would go to Phil's fish shop for a bag of chips on the way home and sit in the bus station just for something to do. I remember writing my name in the toilets at the bus station and the name of boys I liked. (We didn't see anything wrong in them days.) I have a sister Susan who is 2yrs older than me and 2 younger brothers, Neil... Read more
