Cwm

Read and share memories of Cwm and Gwent inspired by Frith photos

Missing home

I was born in Wales and lived at 3 Bailey Street until moving to Canada at age 10. All of my memories of Cwm are wonderful ones, sliding down the mountain on cardboard, wading in the river behind our house, climbing the hill to play at the park or swinging on the rope swing that was always around but we never knew where it came from. I still have family living in Cwm, my mother's sister and husband Thelma & Bob Annett. My plan is to bring 4 children back this summer (2008) and show them where I grew up. Please feel free to contact me if you have any information on my family.
Thank you
Debbie Turner
Contributed by Debbie Turner

The Pitts Family

My Dad and his sisters were all born in the Cwm, at 10 Bailey Street in the 1920's. They later lived at 4 Woodville Road. My grandfather Bertie Pitts and all his brothers worked in the Marine Colliery. Dad, Eric Pitts, joined Bertie in the Marine in 1938 and left there in 1946. Most of Bertie's family are buried in the cemetery there including Bertie and Eric, Bertie's parents Alfred and Caroline, five of his sisters and one of his brothers. Bertie was the youngest of 13! I remember visiting my grandmother Eliza many times especially at Easter when there was the Parade through Cwm until she moved away from the Cwm in the late ...read more here
Contributed by Ceinwen Scales

Miner Jack Bedford

My father worked at the marine colliery for over 20 years. His name was Jack Bedford, from Brynmawr, a hard working man. There was a pitfall in 1964 where a friend and workmate was killed,  he brought this poor man to the surface. I remember him coming home crying. I had never seen him cry before. Those miners worked in awful conditions, up pass their knees in water, with a pick and shovel. I’m always going to be proud of my Dad. What he done for his kids. The one time he had a beat knee, where his knee was just rotting from standing in dirty water for hours.  He died in 1995 -  God Bless You my beautiful Dad.
Contributed by jackie haynes

Happy days!

I was born at 1 Woodville Road, Cwm on the 15th November 1940.

My Grandfarther was a Miner at the Marine Collery. His fellow miners called him "Stonejar Morgan" because he took a stonejar full of water to work each day.

He was a rescue worker during the "Six Bells" disaster.
Contributed by David Kenny