Caerphilly, Castle c.1959

Photo ref: C5122

My father purchased the Dowdings Estate Agency, I think possibly from the owner Mr William Dowding, in 1955. The original building, built circa 1900, was then sold to Lloyd's Bank when my father's business closed down in the mid 1980's. They originally rented just the ground floor and subsequently knocked the original building down and replaced it with the current building which they now occupy completely.

I used to live in Bartlett Street next to the bus station. My first job in Caerphilly was as a delivery driver for Harris & Ash DIY merchants, they were situated in a double fronted shop opposite the castle, although I came across a photograph recently that showed their shop as originally opposite the bus and railway station. That shop became an Italian cafe run by a brother and sister team, his name was Marco ...see more

I left Caerphilly in 1955 to join the Royal Airforce. Prior to this I worked for AJ Marshall Wholesale Confectioners in Castle Street. I went to school at The Twyn Secondary Modern as it was then known. I remember coming on leave and having a few pints in the Clives Hotel, on leaving I took the short cut to Nantgarw Road via the Castle fields but unkown to me the moat had been filled so ...see more