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Oakdale
Oakdale maps
Historic maps of Oakdale and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Oakdale maps
Oakdale area books
Displaying 1 of 3 books about Oakdale and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Oakdale
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Gwent memories
Happy Days
I lived opposite Thomas the Dairy and sometimes I helped to deliver the milk driving the milk float pulled by a superb Welsh cob named Rob, well known and loved by all the local children and winner of many rosettes at horse shows, including the Bedwellty Show.
I also remember the American soldiers arriving and being invited to play baseball with them in the "show". I often wonder how many of them survived the war and returned to the USA.
Memories of Cefn Fforest
I am the youngest child of Thomas the milk and delivered milk on horse and cart from age 11 for 3 years and then went modern when the horse died. I remember Alastair Macsorley, his mum and the rest of the family, they lived opposite our dairy in Penybryn Avenue, after they moved Mr and Mrs Roper moved into their house, next door to Doll and Id Jones. My parents had a bungalow built on a piece of our land, we moved in 1959. I am still working in Cefn Fforest Primary School, please get in touch, Alastair would love to hear from you again. Cefn Fforest has only changed a little, Park and Showfield still the same, Bethany Baptist Chapel is still there. I am still in touch with Roy Smith who took over some of our milk round, he's living in Cornwall.
1950's
I can also remember a horse and cart going around Cefn Fforest from Central Ave selling cockles and mussels. We played football in Bedwellty Rd near to what was known as Rees Jones the grocers and the sweet shop known as Bizinni's? Cars and buses run passed us but it wasn't that busy in the late 50s and early 60s. I bought a book from Blackwood "Blackwood Yesterday" by Ewart Smith which shows all the districts surrounding Blackwood. Highly recommended for its photography. We are living in a small town called Ballymoney, Co Antrim now.
Gandparents
I am 62 years of age and never got to see my grandparents, but I have just found out today that they were married in Bedwelty, I have no idea when, but my grandfather's occupation was a Heaver, something to do with mining I have been told. His name was William Andrew Griffiths, and his wife's name was Sarah Jane Williams, also known as Sarah Jane Sheen. If anybody in Bedwelty has any information that can help me get to know about my grandparents I would be very grateful.
THE CIRCUS!
I was born in 1941 and can remember hiding under the stairs when the Germans were trying to bomb Crumlin Viaduct, and after the war the thrill of the park at the top of our street filling with strange people, large tents being erected and the aroma of strange and wonderful happenings. Widsor Park was now an erotic theatre of faraway places and strange animals, all at the top of the avenue, what a thrill to see elephants, tigers, lions and various other species in reality. Can anyone else remember these times?Clive Walker, Micheal Cooke, Ossy Lewis, Hadyn Persie, we all tried to get in for free in one way or another but to no avail. Fun times when the sun shone throughout the holidays and when the circus eventually left we had the the fairground with dodgems and carousels. Fun times that left the war forgotten in the tumultuous excitement of pleasure for a short period.Those days are long gone and I wonder if you can remember the name... Read more
Old Times
Does anyone remember going to the pictures in the “Memo” run by Mr Jones? He always stood in the foyer. After queuing outside, up the slope, through the glass doors and straight in front was the shop, 3d for some “woodies” (woodbine cigarettes). We always sat down stairs at the back for 9d. and two films. I can also remember Mr Salisbury’s hardware shop which smelt wonderful. Looking at the photographs it brings it all back even going to Greenfield Secondary Modern. Really good to see the old buildings.
My Childhood Walks
Me and my Uncle Antony always went nut picking in early September and would be gone for hours, that for me is a good childhood memory. Also my late Uncle Jack used to walk me most Saterdays down to the old Hanbury pub where we would have a glass of coca cola and a bag of pork scratchings. We would wait for the old red and white bus to come from Abertillery to take us home.
