Gladstone Villa, Bargoed.

A Memory of Bargoed.

I was born in Caerphilly Miners Hospital in August 1969 but I grew up in a property called Gladstone Villa with my mother and my grandparents. The property was a council one and it was split into four flats; we lived above the Thomas's at 1a. Mr Beer lived on the other side and would have his motorbike parked on the path, I would often play with the wheel. I lived there throughout the 1970's and my childhood there was mainly happy. The place was actually haunted and we heard things that defied rational explanation, and I wouldn't say this if I couldn't possibly back it up. My parents were divorced so my father Douglas would visit me there every Saturday. He lived in Gelligaer and he would get the bus and he would get off by the old police houses near the R.A.F.A club. I still remember him whistling as he came down the path before he knocked the door and my nana Rita would say, ''you're father's coming'' ...such good days. Granddad Bill would always play records on the Sunday while mam would cook the dinner; he would always play Johnny Cash, Slim Whitman, Jim Reeves and Elvis Presley, it was in Gladstone Villa that I heard about Elvis's death. We left Gladstone Villa on Saturday the 10th of June 1978 when Ricci's bought the property. I can still remember John and his at Gladstone villa. I often think back to those days. The property is now called Redz Parc Hotel.

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