Rhydyfelin 1949 1963

A Memory of Rhydyfelin.

I lived in Elm Street and went to Parc Lewis school, Wood Road 1 year only, and Hawthorn Secondary Modern until 1957. My friends and I killed more Indians and Germans than anyone else on the mountain behind Bown's House up Dynea Lane. My particular friends over those years were Gordon Lewis, Malcolm Thomas, Billy Bowditch, Brian Coombs, Gerald Murphy, Brian Pike to name a few. I hope they are all still with us. We used to sing on the bus to and from Parc School almost every day. Do they do that now? Our summers were spent either playing cricket and football down Holly Street, in the fields, or building tree houses up the mountain. We got caught once pinching windfall apples from Mr. Bown's orchard. We knew where the best trees were for cutting vaulting poles or making bows and arrows. We spent hours building our own "bogies" out of wooden planks and pram wheels. But as soon as "Journey into Space" or "Dick Barton" came on the radio there were no kids to be seen in the street. There were no cars in our street unless Mr. Pike had brought the butcher's van home, so playing cricket, football, scotch, marbles, cat & dog could all done without any problems, unless of course PC.Puddefoot came into the street when we would all sit on a wall like little angels. Do you remember the numerous traders who came around? Seymour the Fish, the vinegar and eggs men, one of whom wore an eye patch. Various fruit and veg men and of course Dimascios Ice Cream. I did quite a few small jobs i.e. paperboy for Miss Turner, shop-bike for, I think,Thomas & Evans on Cardiff Road. As we got older of course girls came onto the scene, and the attraction of having an under-age drink at Eglywsilan. I remember to this day my mother threatening me if I were ever to get involved with "those Abertridw girls". I never did, so I still wonder what I missed. My memories of being at Hawthorn School are mainly good. Mr. Railton, the Headmaster was frightening, but most of the teachers were o.k. Miss. Thomas (English), Mr. Edwards (Maths), Mr. Clayton (Geography & Pocket Billiards), Mr. Rees(Woodwork), Mr. Little (Art) and Mr. Hickman (Gardening). Not to forget Mostyn Jones, Pennar Jones and Mrs.Dummer. Our "treats" in those days were going down the hut for pictures, going to the "Cecil" on a Saturday, the annual trip to Barry and of course "Ponty Park". When we were a little older there was the dance down "the hutments" in Upper Boat, if my mother didn't catch me first. Then there were the Carnivals. It seems like there was at least one every year for some reason or another. What was the name of the lad in Elm Street who used to do bird whistling, was it Ossie or similar? What about going for a haircut in Dickie Harris's coalshed? Or going down the old railway line to watch the dog racing, and collecting the exotic cigarette packets after? I often wonder whether we actually did these thing or if I dreamt them. By the time I was 16 we, my pals Gerald Murphy, and Billy Bowditch, started to get an interest in girls and went to Porthcawl to holiday in a caravan. And of course we started to drift our separate ways. I worked in the Co-operative in Ponty, Chrome Leather down the Estate, Mark & Spencers in Ponty, and joined the Fire Service in 1963, the same year as I married Carol Wintle, as was, from Oak Street. We are still together 48 years later. I think we were fortunate to have grown up in that era, and area. We were poor but so were most other people. To borrow a cup of sugar, a spoonful of tea, a few slices of bread or a shilliing for the gas was almost a daily occurence. Thank you for reading my ramblings, if you would like to communicate for a chat on-line please feel free.
John Davies.

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