Wigan Terrace

Hi Julie, my name is Gareth Davis, I lived at No.14 Wigan Terrace from 1955, right up to 1964 when I joined the army as an apprentice technician at 15yrs old. My father Harry Davis continued to live there up to about 1965/66, I think he sold it to one of the Harris girls who lived next door at No. 13. I remember all the things you mentioned and it really brought back some very fond memories, also playing up the mountain and in the old brickworks. I also remember "The Tump". When I was younger I was a choirboy in St Theodore church down the bottom of the playing fields, it used to be run by Mr Harris, who was the lay preacher and lived at number 12 Wigan Terrace, he was also the manager of the refuse yard next to the old Coop. I came back on holiday in 2009 and there are houses where the church was, and the old bridge is gone along with the old railway. The football pavilion looked derelict, and the "mountain" is also gone. Reading your memory really triggered mine so vividly. I remember lots of the people who lived in the street, although lots of them will be long gone by now. I am 66yrs old now, retired and have travelled the world, and finally settled on a small farm in Victoria Australia. I have been back to UK twice in the last 10 years and stayed with my sister Yvonne in Bridgend both times, and visited Bryncethin, but as you have said, so much has changed. I remember your shop very well, and I am pretty sure that I remember you also. Was your maiden name Valentine ?
Anyway Julie where are you living now ? My email is tgvdavis@gmail.com, get in touch it will be great hearing more about the old place, and the people we knew.

Julie, I cannot believe this. I was browsing the Internet for pictures of Bryncethin reminiscing about the past and I started reading your memories. As I read I thought to myself that's my old friend Julie. It's me Anita Smith that was, I lived in the Manse behind the chapel. Memories of the weddings and the pennies, dog pond and temp all came flooding back. Can you remember sitting on the pillars of the rugby pavilion pretending that we were riding horses. I remember watching the magic boomerang in your sitting room with you. We also used to cut through from the main road to the back lane through the side alley way past all the pop and everything. I am now living in Cumbria. I am have been windowed for 6 years. I would love to hear from you I am living in Cumbria now. My email address is anitbaptist@ btinternet.com. Please get in touch.