Nostalgic memories of Abergavenny's local history
Share your own memories of Abergavenny and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying all 9 Memories
My parents ran Ye Old Herefordshire (a pub) in 1963 for three months. It was a rough old place and the police would come in at closing time to make sure there was no trouble. Next door was the Kai Nam restaurant. I was at boarding school in Cardiff, and I remember being called 'chinky lover' because I would eat with the owner and his family at weekends. It is a restaurant now, next to Tescos - that land ...see more
Annie Tranter was born in Abergavenny in 1884 at 2 Chapel Road. Her brother David had a flower shop in town. I have traced the Tranters back to 1750 in Abergavenny. I have been there to visit, great town.
Interesting to read about William Williams who was Mayor three times, lately in 1908. My great grandfather Samuel Deverall was Mayor in 1907 and owned a greengrocery in 44 Cross Street. He was married to Georgina and had two sons, Edmund and Albert. Sadly he was found hanged in 1910 at a farm in Pontypool. I have been told it wasn't suicide but don't really know.
My family and I often walked to the River Usk, going down Pentre Road and crossing the Brecon Road. We used to have picnics on the side nearest St. Mary's church in Llanwenarth, and look in the water for tiny fish and insects. I particularly liked the flowers I found in the meadows nearby and picked large bunches to take back to my grandparents' house. On the banks grew quantities of a flower I now know to be ...see more
The Deri, Rholben, Llanwenarth Breast, Big Skirrid, Little Skirrid etc. would be regarded as hills when compared to the mountains in Germany and Switzerland, but for us children they were real mountains, and we loved climbing them. This view of the Deri was practically the same as the one we had from our grandmother's garden in Albany Road, and in the foreground the cricket ground can be seen.
I think this a picture of Abergavenny Town Hall, but am not sure. When we were staying in Abergavenny we lived outside, in Albany Road, on the way to the Rholben and the Deri, which we often climbed and as we didn't go into the town awfully much, only when my mother needed something, I have only vague memories of it. My great-grandfather Williams was Mayor of Abergavenny in 1905, and he wrote an autograph in my ...see more
As far as I can remember, my brother and I were taken to this market only once, in August 1949, and we were most interested in the cattle. I have lovely photo of us stroking a calf there.
This picture reminds me of a photo my father took from the top of the Blorenge when we climbed it in August 1949. To start, we had to take the railway (closed in the 50's) to Gilwern or Govilon (I can't remember which!) and then begin our climb from there. When they reached the top, my father and brother built a cairn from the stones lying around - I wonder whether it's still there? I have a photo ...see more
My parents Monica and Jack Garrett ran the Frogmore Cafe from 1954 until 1978 when it became a dry cleaners when they then sold it to Sketchleys in 1980. I was their only son Richard.
