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 (50) and Rodney(40). My name when I lived in Nelson was Williams. My brother Neil used to help a family who lived in St Johns Lane with their fish business. I remember that our neighbours were Davies and the girls name was Anita. The boy's name was John but I really can't remember much more about them, and our other neighbours were called Butcher. When we moved to Bryncelyn our neighbours were Reagan and I think they had the other cafe in Nelson. I now live in Aus and was back in Nelson in 1999 and was amazed to see Peglars the butcher shop was still there. The Nelson Inn as it was called when I was living there has changed so much but the actual main street is just as I remember it, like going back in time, it was great.
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RE: RE: Happy Days
I was born in 1955 and lived in the prefabs (Heol Mabon) until 1968. I remember going to Lanfabon and later Llancaich schools. I remember the youth club on a Friday night and going to see films in a club on Saturday mornings. One of the boys in my class drowned in the Wrn, I still see his face in my mind but cant remember his name, they filled it in soon after. I remember going to Peglers and the Co-op and going to Llanbradach outdoor swimming pool with the school and Pontypridd pool and park on weekends in the summer. I also remember going to Trecco Bay in the miners holiday, staying in a caravan without running water or toilets and gas lights and meeting up with most of my friends.
Comment from Howard Sellick on Tuesday, 15th February 2011.
RE: RE: Happy Days
The Wern took a number of lives unti it was filled in. It was flooded quarry and a magnet for young children from the village. In the middle 50's when I was around 7 or 8 years old, I also fell into the Wern. I trying to catch minnows at the time and reached in a little to far. I didn't know how to swim and I knew I was out of my depth and then I remembered I'd seen a boy showing and telling another how to float in Edwardsville pool. I lay back and relaxed and I floated just like he said. Alan Price, a boy a little older than me from Wern Crescent reached out from the side and pulled me in. God's angels spent a lot of time watching over me when I was growing up and I don't remember Alan ever getting any credit for that helping hand that saved my life.
Comment from Robert Burgess on Sunday, 29th May 2011.