Early Days

A Memory of Pontllanfraith.

My family moved from Cwmfelinfach to 20 Millbrook Road, Pontllanfraith in 1948, a brand new house, with an indoor and outdoor toilet. Our next door neighbour was Mr and Mrs Tiley, who had two sons, Terry and Robert. My early schooling was spent in Pontllanfraith Infants, then the Juniors and Primary. Our play areas were down the mill, the field by the vicarage and Lovells, the stables. Across the common to Williams the scrapyard. We used to love going in Fords or Baters for our blackjacks and penny glasses of Tizer pop. I had a paper round when I was 11 years of age with Williams who had the newsagents opposite the Plough pub. I left the Juniors and went to Oakdale to Rhiw Syr Daffyd school for 10 months before being sent to Pontllanfraith Technical School, boys only. Those of you who went there will remember that the school was all over the village. The main building just down from Vics cafe. The canteen across the road in a nissan type building. Music and Technical drawing classrooms under the Plaza dancehall. Metal and Woodwork being held in the Junior school and of course sports down the local welfare. The play area was a clay tip above the Dram Road. We were forever getting in trouble with our parents for the state we came home if the tip was muddy.
Our pocket and dinner money was spent in Vics cafe or in the Plaza, when it held dance nights. When I was about 13 I used to attend, what is now the Penllwyn Hotel, weightlifing and Judo classes, which were held in one of the downstairs rooms. I finished school in 1961 and went to work with Guest, Keen and Nettlefold steelworks in Cardiff. This lasted until 1964 where I then joined the Armed Forces.

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