Wartime In Llanbradach

A Memory of Llanbradach.

I was born in Merthyr Tydfil but my grandparents lived in Rees Terrace. My grandfather, Hugh Price Watkins, was the St John Ambulance driver for the pits. I lived and went to school in Llanbradach for about three months while my mother was in hospital. Whenever there was an accident in the mines, the phone would ring in grandad's house and I would be told the location of the accident and would run as fast as my legs would carry me to the garage right next to the bridge by the station. After picking up another man, I would accompany them in the ambulance to the accident site and would often ride in the back of the ambulance with the injured pitman, not something that Health & Safety would allow now. Without exception they would say to me: "Don't go down the pit, Bach." I didn't, but spent my life in the printing industry in Oxfordshire and Canada. I enjoyed playing in the park with its wonderful collection of swings and slides. I was friendly with the Harvey family from Church Street: Lorraine was about my age and Keith a little younger. I can remember the Gas House between Llanbradach and Caerphilly being hit by a bomb that with intended for the gasometer nearby and seeing the front of it blown off and looking like a dolls' house with the furniture intact. I have very happy memories of Llanbradach: climbing the mountain and collecting whimberries during the summer holidays. Another memorable sight was the mountainside on fire during hot, dry summers. Happy days!