I Too Remember Tondu Primary School

A Memory of Tondu.

I was born in October 1948, and lived in Bryncethin. For some reason I still cannot fathom even at my age, why kids from Bryncethin were sent by bus all the way to Tondu Primary School, when the one at Brynmenin was in fact closer, the bus to school as far as I remember drove past the Brynmenin school on the way to Tondu. I guess being born in 1948, I must have attended Tondu from around 1954 until I too with a mushy brain failed the 11+ and was sent to Bryncethin Secondary in about 1959 -60. I stayed there until I left to join the army boys school in 1964, I stayed in the army of 16 years before coming to Australia. My fondest memory of Brynmenin was was walking down into Aberkenfig at lunchtime with the boys and buying 3d of chips and always asking for the free "scraps" of batter. On the way back we would go into one of the shops opposite and buy liquorice root to chew on for the afternoon !, - never seen them since, they were like little pieces of wood with a strong liquorice taste and lasted for ages. One of my closest friends in my time there was a boy named Alan Dingle, who actually lived just down the road in Aberkenfig. I can still remember the old buses we used to travel on to and from school, we always got on at the end of Wigan Terrace where I lived in Bryncethin, I seemed to remember they called the buses old charabangs. I remember being told that I failed my 11+, and I was scared what my dad would say, but that was such a long time ago. I remember the old railway bridge at the bottom of the road from school, and how dangerous it was to cross the road there. I now live in Australia, and came back in early 2009 for a nostalgic journey to show my wife where I grew up, and it has all changed so much. Sadly I can't remember too much of Tondu Primary, but I remember lots more about my time at Bryncethin Secondary, the teachers and the boys (and girls) there: Headmaster Mr Davis, Headmaster's Secretary The gorgeous Ms Brady, Mr Griffiths (Rm 2, Arithmetic), Ms Richards (Rm3 English), Mr White (Rm 4 Welsh), Mr. Jones (Rm 5 Geography) Mr Chilcott. Some of the kids that I remember in class are: Brynley Eagle, Lynn Perium, Alan Jenkins, Alan Dingle, Gobi Jones, John( siona) Jones, Rosalind Williams, Gillian Emmerson, Linda Loyd. In those days there was about 30 children to the class I would love to hear from any of my old classmates there. Anyway enough for now, it would be great to swap notes with anyone about the old days, so feel free to contact me via my email: tgvdavis@gmail.com

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