The Ostels, Brynmenyn

A Memory of Abergarw.

I am Philip Hopkins, born 1952 and moved the Ostels when I was 6 months old and lived there till I was 10. We lived in the posh part of the Ostels (brick built), I think the hostel had two bedrooms and was in a place called Ty-Draw Square, opposite the shop run by a Mr Priddle. My father Tal Hopkins, was a fruit & veg merchant delivering to shops all over the Bridgend area. My mother was Marjorie. I also remember the nursery, sleeping in the afternoon, jumping over the fence to go home (next to the nursery) The walk to Brynmenyn school with Philip Sadd who used to tell terrific stories all the way to school. I learned to swim in the Ogmore river where we built a damn. Every summer, we crossed the railway line to go to the woods called the Kinder. I am still in contact regularly with friends who lived there. It felt like through the summer it never rained, and we were forever out on the square playing monkees out of the den and bulldog chase. The back lane leading to Blackmill had a steep hill, we made gambos (with Albert & Arthur Bater) and rolled down that lane at all sorts of speeds, there was a sharp bend half way and if you were going too fast the gambo would tip over, but we just got up again and carried on. Some, I am still in contact with; Christine Hooper, Philip Jones (born in the hostels, but moved a couple of months after he was born) Phil & Chris (married in 1975) Len Hale, Alun Griffiths (his son lives in Australia and he visits as much as possible), Jeff and Peter Keen. I have a succesful fishing tackle and gun business in Aberkenfig. Others are; Dickie Williams, Martin Haskin and Martin Thomas. I recently came across a school class photo taken around 1959, some I recognise. Will update as I get more memories from friends.