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Talywain
Talywain maps
Historic maps of Talywain and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Talywain maps
Talywain photos
We have no photos of Talywain, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Garndiffaith| Abersychan| Pontypool| Six Bells| Cwmtillery| Abertillery| Blaenavon| Llanhilleth| Aberbeeg| Sebastopol| Llanover| Crumlin| Llanellen| Cwm| Chain Bridge| Newbridge| Waunlwyd| Nantyglo| Oakdale| Cwmbran| Clydach| Llanfoist| Govilon| Markham| Penmaen| Brynmawr| Ebbw Vale| Blackwood| Pontllanfraith
Talywain area books
Displaying 1 of 3 books about Talywain and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Talywain
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Talywain.
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Thoughts From Long Ago
I've put the year as 1949 but I was born in 1947 at the Ashtree Houses, number 3, the one with the tap outside. I went to the Varteg Infant School, not for long though as we moved to Coventry in the early 1950s. There was Mam, Dad, brothers Emrys, Graham, Billy, myself and my youngest brother Granville. We had relatives in Blaenavon and Tinklers and Bates and Jones's and Bates on the Garn. When we left Wales we lived on the corner of PembrookTerrace and Salisbury Teerace. Had a great time living there. Old Mrs Fluke lived in the row, also the Smallcomes and Webbs. Mrs Fluke had Ivor Williams living with her, he also moved to Coventry. If you think you know me or any of the names I've written about I would be glad to here from you. PS I was the steward of the Garn Workingmens Club if that helps. From April 1978 till December 1979.
Pontypool
My family lived in The Globe in Crane Street from 1973 until I guess 1980, although I had left in 1979, John and Kitty, ran a fab pub which was always very busy with many customers working in the council and police station. The pub was headquaters for the police rugby team which was very popular. I can remember many after hour drinking sessions going on. I think the decline in pub trade happened when the pits started to close down. I have to say I was very shocked at the state of the town when I drove through it yesterday to have a look. I can't believe that a bypass road has been put in place to avoid the town - why ? That has taken away so much trade by the looks of things. I can remember when it was a thriving town, I recall the cafe next to Woolworths that was good, also the chip shop owned by the Italians in Crane Street, I remember their... Read more
Friday Night
Keen's fish and chips and liquorice pipes from the bar opposite. Need I say more. Happy days.
Gwent memories
I Used to Live on Garndiffaith High Street About 1952-3
My name is Bruce Griffiths, my sister's name is Paulette, we lived on High Street. Over the road was a grocery shop where we would buy pomegranites, cut in half then shared betweeen us both. There was another road opposite us leading to a church where people got married, people would throw pennies over them and we would scramble to find the pennies. My Uncle Roly played the organ at the top of the hill. He and my Uncle Howard worked at the colliery along with my grandfather. My grandmother's name was Violet. I remember my mother shopping in the Co-op at the top of the hill. I used to attend school at the top of the hill. I remember my grandparents had a smallholding on the Varteg, I remember my grandad killing a pig there. Fond memories, I remember it well.
Bruce Griffiths
Evacuation
I hope I have the right Garndiffaith? My brother, Walter (Wally) was 13, my sister June was 10, and I was 4. We were evacuated from Birmingham in 1940/41 after our home was destoyed in the blitz. Wally stayed with a Mrs Cooper who died shortly after we arrived, he then went to live with a Mrs Williams, and worked for the local baker delivering the bread. My sister and I stayed with a Mrs Powell at number 13, Top Road. I remember a little girl about my age who may have been Mrs Powell' grandaughter? We were playmates. We all attended the local school, and would sometimes visit a milkbar called the Temple Bar. I recall 13, Hill Top as being in a small terrace, perhaps 3 cottages, it had small ornate fish ponds in the garden with a railway line running along the bottom. The view from the front of the cottage overlooked the hills opposite, one morning we awoke to find that a plane had crashed on... Read more
Coppers Hill
When it snowed, it snowed. Fondest memories were sliding down Coppers hill on old cardboard or playing in the old ramping cat walks and camping up the mountain, wimberry picking and knockout ginger in the avenue.
Those Were The Days
I was born on the Garn in 1961 and shared very many happy days. You didn't worry about locking your door or strangers because everyone knew everyone. My memories were:- sliding down the policeman's hill (as it was known then) when snow was snow, from top to bottom, knock out ginger, devil up the drain pipe on Halloween (naughty), fireworks especially jackijumpers, pictures on a Saturday morning cost 6d, (it's a shame it had to be knocked down), scrunchies from the chip shop, FREE, carnivals on the football field, the youth club over St John's Church hall, and the old lollypop stick when you needed to see the doctor who actually knew you by name. And they say time are better, questionable I think! There is nothing in your local areas no more, you now have to travel everywhere at a cost, walking distance was always always a build up to the fun, parents always knew where you were going and what time you would have to be back.... Read more
