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Penmark
Penmark maps
Historic maps of Penmark and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Penmark maps
Penmark area books
Displaying 1 of 3 books about Penmark and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Penmark
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Penmark.
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or of a photo of Penmark.
My First Visit to Penmark
I know this as Kenson Cottage as my mother lived there and went to school in Penmark. I have a photo which was taken when we all went on holiday of us all on the bridge. I still have family living in the area and enjoy going back to visit. My grandfather worked in Aberthaw cement works which is why the moved there from Kent. I am working on my family tree and would like any information about Penmark school in the early 1900s as my mother and aunt went there, their surname was Verrall. If you have any memories to share I would welcome them. Thankyou.
Our Pub!
Gidday to all! Having recently travelled to Penmark to rediscover my family history, I am sure that this is a photo of 'Kenson Cottage',which used to be the 'Rose and Crown' pub .My family(Gabriel) used to own the pub and smithy until 1858,when it was bought by Thomas Hopkin.I have my family back to 1782 in Kenson,with 3 grave sites in 'St Marys' graveyard.Lewis Gabriel,my GrGr Grandfather left Kenson about 1870 for Victoria,Australia.I would love to hear from anyone who has recollections, information or is a relative! By the way,what a beautiful,peacefull place.Shame about the power lines.Cheers! email;aussiecelt@westnet.com.au
South Glamorgan memories
Royal Observer Corps
My Great-grandfather, Edward Stanley Carpenter, was in the ROC during WW2. He did not fight as he had emphysemia and pneomoconiosis from the mines, but he used to lecture his colleagues on plane-spotting to inform the relevant people of all aircraft movement in their area. After the War, he joined the RNVR and eventually became a Lieutenant Commander, a rank he took with him to the Sea Scouts at TS Cossack in Barry.
Sincerely,
Caroline Scott.
CARPENTERS ARMS RHOOSE
The following is a transcription of a newspaper article written about my grandparents Annie & Arthur Hopgood. May 1952.
They took over the Carpenters Arms Rhoose in 1941. (now called the Highwayman)
‘Leader of the Band’
Many friends and customers called at the Carpenters Arms to celebrate the Golden Wedding of “Mine Hosts” Mr & Mrs A J Hopgood on Friday. As recorded in our last issue Mr & Mrs Hopgood are well known over a wide area. Mr Hopgood has an interesting record as a band musician. He started with the Royal Horse Guards as a band boy. He was then transferred to the Royal Engineers and after some years returned to Barry where he formed the Barry Dockers Band. During the 1914-1918 War he was Bandmaster of the 12th Welsh and at Kimmell. On his return he started the Barry Band which became the Red Cross Band, which won a number of trophies. Mr Hopgood became the principal trumpeter... Read more
Rhoose Camp
Does anyone remember the camp where women and children stayed when they lost their home or were abused by husbands? Mr Hughes was the man in charge, he wasn't very nice. It was a great place for little ones who didn't know what was going on. I went to the girls' school in Barry. We were taunted on the bus as if we were trash, it wasn't the kids' fault they were there, or my mother's as it happens. We moved to a caravan in Llanmaes for a few years then moved back to the Rhondda. They have better places for these poor unfortunates now.
Fontigary Caravan Site.
I remember visiting Fontigary Bay Caravan Site with my family during the late 50s and early 60s. The caravans used to cost about £3 a week to hire. They didn't have toilets, of course, and we had to use the site's communal shower/toilet block. I can remember my dad lighting the gas mantles each evening. The beach was reached via steps - quite a few steps, if my memory serves me correctly - and the bottom steps were always slippery with green slime. I used to be a bit scared of the cliffs, because I thought they might fall at any moment. My brother once found a fossil of a sea urchin in a pebble. They used to serve delicious milkshakes in the restaurant. There was also a fish and chip shop near the entrance to the site, by the railway bridge. Wonderful memories.
Resident
I lived at the camp with my family around 1958. I was then put into a children's homes in Swansea. My mother moved to London and divorced my father. I had virtually no contact with her after this until approx year 2000. She told me that the "Captain" at the camp was not very nice and used to pick at her - so she moved us all out. Any more info available about this place at that time would be appreciated. I was about 3 years old. My mother's name was Cristabel. There were about 5 or 6 of us staying there. I myself have no bad memories of this camp, I could read before I went to primary school.
