Abergarw Estate (The Hostels)

A Memory of Abergarw.

My name is Gareth Davis, brother of Yvonne Davis, and son of Harry & Gwen Davis, originally of 35, Heol yr Ynis, Abergarw Estate, commonly known as "The Hostels". I remember my big sister Yvonne walking me over this bridge every morning to go to Brynmenyn primary school which was quite a long way for children to go, passing the old pub over the railway line where my grandad (also Harry Davis - with one arm lost in WW 1 ) who used to get plastered whenever he could much to my dads anger having to drag him home. I now live in Australia having travelled the world with the army, (now 64 and retired) have settled on the other side of the world. I have many many fond memories and was able to visit the area in 2008. I was born in 11 Meadow Rise at the top of the hostels in an old wooden house that was black with creosote, and then we later moved down to the (posh) brick houses in the middle of the estate, (Heol Yr Ynis). I remember travelling on the Brynmenyn bus from Bridgend and people asking for bus tickets to "the ostels", everybody knew where they were. We used to play in the old air raid shelters in the middle of the greens, and go paddling and swimming down in the Ogmore river which was at the back of the hostels. The funny things we remember, particularly the infant school where they used to make us have a sleep in the afternoon on old army camp beds ! very difficult if you are a boisterous infant...I remember the old shop which I think was built from an old air raid shelter, and it was called by the name of the owner....something beginning with "C" - can't remember the name at the moment. My father had a great friend at the estate, his name was Emelyn Hatch - the local Mr fixit. he did everything from haircutting to fixing radios to putting up sheds, I remember him cutting my hair with old manual hair clippers. My sister eventually got a job at Bowater Scott, the carton factory just around the corner across the bridge in the photograph. When I visited in 2008, of course everything was gone, and there was an industrial estate there, however I was able to stand on the spot where I was born, and later lived, which is now the yard of a factory, I was also able to find what was the old lane from the top of the estate that leads off the Bryncethin - Blackmill Rd. Fond memories indeed, there was no danger in those days, kids could play out for hours without worry. I would love to hear from anyone who is from "the hostels" , or should I say "Abergarw Estate". If you have a mind to contact me: tgvdavis@gmail.com I would love to hear from you.