Abergavenny, St Mary's Church c.1960

My parents ran Ye Old Herefordshire (a pub) in 1963 for three months. It was a rough old place and the police would come in at closing time to make sure there was no trouble. Next door was the Kai Nam restaurant. I was at boarding school in Cardiff, and I remember being called 'chinky lover' because I would eat with the owner and his family at weekends. It is a restaurant now, next to Tescos - that land was ...see more

Annie Tranter was born in Abergavenny in 1884 at 2 Chapel Road. Her brother David had a flower shop in town. I have traced the Tranters back to 1750 in Abergavenny. I have been there to visit, great town.

Interesting to read about William Williams who was Mayor three times, lately in 1908. My great grandfather Samuel Deverall was Mayor in 1907 and owned a greengrocery in 44 Cross Street. He was married to Georgina and had two sons, Edmund and Albert. Sadly he was found hanged in 1910 at a farm in Pontypool. I have been told it wasn't suicide but don't really know.

My family and I often walked to the River Usk, going down Pentre Road and crossing the Brecon Road. We used to have picnics on the side nearest St. Mary's church in Llanwenarth, and look in the water for tiny fish and insects. I particularly liked the flowers I found in the meadows nearby and picked large bunches to take back to my grandparents' house. On the banks grew quantities of a flower I now know to be ...see more