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Pontypool
Pontypool maps
Historic maps of Pontypool and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Pontypool maps
Pontypool area books
Displaying 1 of 3 books about Pontypool and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Pontypool
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Pontypool.
There are 12 shared memories to read.
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Six Weeks in Pontypool
I was evacuated with my school to Pontypool on 1st September 1939. I was taken in with my friend Jim Baker, by a retired miner and his wife, and spent six weeks in what was alleged to be the smallest house in Pontypool. I can't remember the name of my hosts but their dog was called "Fly", my memory of this being supported by a small black and white photograph I still have of Jimmy and myself holding Fly standing in front of the tiny 2 up, 2 down, house and with the relevant names penned on it. Our hosts were very kind and we actually enjoyed our stay, slipping out in the evening to explore the blacked out town centre which I recall as a place of mystery and details are sadly lacking in my rememberance of it. The photograph on this site are completely unrecognisable to me. Our school "Central Grammar School"shared the premises of what I remember as "West Monmouthshire High School" having as I recall an... Read more
Pontypool Roots
My mother was from Pontypool and an uncle and aunt lived at 81 Osborne Road. My great grandparents lived at 'Coynant' (by the old Griffin Press building) and my grandparents at nearby Gwynfa (now flats). Towards Pontnewynydd (opposite side), is Balmond Terrace, named after my great grandfather, John Balmond.
Memories of Osbourne Road, Pontypool
My mother was born here in Number 55 Osborne Road. Her surname was Bryant. My grandad was a watchmaker and owned the watchmaker's shop in Osbourne Road. I spent many a holiday as a child in the 1950s. Happy times.
Gosh, My Birth Parents' House
My birth parents lived in number 51 Osborne Rd, glad I found a picture of the rd.
Grandpa Ran A Pub in This Street
My Great Grandpa Frederick Harvey was the beerhouse keeper who ran The Swan in George Street. Wish I could find some pictures of the pub (and my Grandpa, Arthur James Harvey, was born in the pub).
Its A Girl!
During the construction of Finefare my dad was general foreman. After 4 sons there was great excitement when he finally got a daughter. A banner was put up on the scaffolding saying, 'Its a Girl!' That baby girl was me, Kathryn Stundon.
Finefare is now the vacant Kwiksave store.
Penygarn 1954-1960
My recollection is of my friends and me belonging to Penygarn Tabernacle Chapel for children's religious teachings. Every Sunday afternoon we all traipse across to the little house behind the chapel. There were only two rooms one downstairs for the younger children and one upstairs for the older children, in the cold weather there was always a roaring fire in the old blacken grates.
All the services in the big chapel was conducted by the Reverent Mr James, whom we all adored for at Christmas time, we all had to practise in the big chapel in front on the stage singing, Mr James a well built parson who gave is all, with perspiration dripping of his face and his shirt clammy with sweat, he was inspiring to watch him singing with such enthusiasm and encourage us all to raise our voices to the glory of god.
Christmas was a great event in Penygarn Tabernacle Chapel and so was the Easter Parade, where all the children... Read more
Long Lost Bus Stop
The bus is parked outside the Pontypool office of the "Red & White" bus company. Their head office was in Chepstow and they ran services across the whole of Monmouthshire as Gwent was then known. Buses for Newport, Usk, Chepstow, Abergavenny and Blackwood went from the Clarence. A glass canopy ran across the whole of the front of the building which included the Carlton cafe and the Free Press newspaper office. The large building behind the bus is the Clarence Hotel - the best hotel in Pontypool at that time. In the 60s and 70s it fell into disrepair but has recently been renovated as residential accommodation. On the left behind the tree was the home of Dr Siddons.
