A Meander Down That Lane

A Memory of Ogmore Vale.

The photograph is that of the miner's hall where films were shown. It was also used for pantomimes and other functions. The Lymp referred to in the memory of David Whitney is the Olympia Cinema, owned by Mr Adams. I lived in Pantyraw and went to school, first in Ogmore Vale, then Nantymoel. I left the valley in 1952 aged 15 together with a school friend, Aaron Davies to seek our future in England. I lost touch with Aaron in 1958 when he did his National Service in the RAF then signed on.
In 2004 I was in Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada. I was invited to a Welsh Society funtion where I met Graham Adams. I could not believe the way the conversation developed. This was the son of the Mr Adams who owned the Olympia Cinema. He was a close friend of Aaron Davies, he was in the same class as my sister Daleth at school. What sort of a coincidence is that!
Before leaving home i was in the Ogmore Valley Silver Prize Temperence Brass Band - although I don't know where the temperance came from. My cousin, Jean Davis was pianist to the valley choir before ill health forced her to end one of the most enjoyable periods of her life. What a send off the choir gave her at the commemoration of her life service, a memory i shall never forget.
I haven't been back to the valley for some time, ill health prevents that. It seems smaller - the Wyndham, Ocean Pits and the Drift mine at Pricetown have gone. There's a lot of green where they used to be. It all looks a bit forlorn when I was last there. This started off as a correction to that photograph and the Lymp - which by the way, always showed the best films. Funny old world, aint it.


Added 12 April 2012

#235972

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