Happy Days

A Memory of Maesteg.

l was born in 1942 & lived in 16 Temple Street, we lived just around the corner to the swimming pool. We spent hours there as kids, Mr Maddocks was in charge of the pool & loved to teach the kids how to swim. l can just see this big hairy man that was always bright red from sunburn walking around the pool telling us to get up the other side of the rope in the shallow end. l also loved the Saturday night dance at the Town Hall. l met my husband Allen Stone there; we have been married 50 years this March and have been living in Melbourne, Australia since 1969. My mother worked in the 'Bird in Hand' for many years, it was run by a lady called Annie Evans, she was known as Annie the Bird. It was such a lovely pub & was spotless. You could smell the polish as you walked in the door, in fact we had our wedding reception there & Tuckers the bakery catered for it. God, l miss those cakes from Tuckers - l loved their cream doughnuts, & custard tarts.
l went to Plasnewydd & Llwynderw School,& my school friends were; Carol Howells, Gaynor Burgess, Fay Barlow, Wendy Harris, & many more. Would love to hear from any of you if you are out there. l could go on & on about Maesteg, l just loved the place. Our last trip back home was in 2003; we stayed with my sister Barbara who lives in Bridgend Road but l was so sad to see so many empty shops there, it's as if the soul has been taken out of the place. But it's still my home & l'd go back there tomorrow. l just love the place & the many characters that were around in my childhood days.