'Cwmtillery' was allocated to Cwmtillery Colliery circa 1925, it moved to Blaina, no reason given, however the locomotive may not have been suitable for Cwmtillery or because Beynon's Colliery at Blaina required an additional locomotive. The locomotive remained at Blaina for the major part of its life. It was despatched to Tredegar for a short period before returning to Blaina and being sold or scrapped after April 1967 and before August 1967 (further details attached from the Davies Family History).

The photograph was taken circa 1925 to 1930 at Blaina. Standing on the footplate (inside the cab) is Thomas David McNeill (1880 - 1939). On the footplate (next to the cab) is Arthur Davies (1886 - 1952) (my grandfather). On the footplate at the front of the engine is Albert Morden. Standing on the ground - right - is Duncan Yates, on the left - not identified.

Thomas David McNeill, Arthur Davies and Albert Morden are all related by marriage

Many Thanks to Idris Davies as the information provider (July 2004).

Bakehouse near Winifred Terrace and the old house that stood on the Fieldings Terrace side of the Pit Head Baths
Once familiar site on the West Side was the old bake house which was situated in front of Winifred Terrace. It was a wood structure I seem to remember and it had been disused for a long time. It finally burnt down in the early 50s. Anyone know anything about it. When it was operational, when it became disused, when it was built?

Many people can remember around the mid 1940s making cakes at home at Christmas time and then taking them to the bake house were they would bake them for you FOC.

Does anyone remember the old house that stood on the Fieldings Terrace side of the Pit Head Baths? It was demolished in the late 50s or so to make way for the Boiler Room addition to the Baths. At this time, the old Lancaster Boilers were removed. It would be interesting to hear who lived there and when it was built?

Yes, it was for most of the time that I remembered it, in ruins. I remember exploring it when I was very young. Sort of a dare with some others. Armed with candles we tip toed through the rooms keeping a look out with one eye for ghosts and the other eye for Bobby Parsons.

Shops-boots-shoes and payday
I have read in books about the Relief man? Was this a person arranging some kind of loan for the people until payday And was the fund held by the council Can anyone expand on this as I would like to include it to the site. Also the Boot fund, did children have to ask their headmaster before being issued with new one? Where did the boots/shoes come from, that is who funded it and can anyone expand on how the system worked Look forward to any input, message board or emails I'll leave it up to you Did the Co op shop in Cwmtillery fit into this anywhere

As far as I can remember the "Relief" was the local name for the the type of Social Welfare that existed when I was a boy( wartime and shortly after. Therefore the "relief man" was probably the person who dealt with your case. I think it was dealt with at Portland Street and would have been well used in those days of austerity and large families prior to the changes made by the Labour government from 1945 to 1951. I have never heard of the boot man but I certainly remember the lady who brought the Provident Cheque( Mrs Mc-Traverse).

My memories of the tales told about "The Relief Man" make him into the person (of course a Man in that period of time)who visited houses that were applying for today's equivalent of supplementary benefits and applied the "Means Test" in the 1920 & 30s. Families had to prove, on a weekly basis, that they had no "Means" of raising enough money to keep the family fed for the week. This applied to ANY items that could possibly be sold or pawned. The criteria for help was very strictly applied so all of the household goods that were over and above the families need were hidden, sometimes being passed over the back yard to the previous house that had been visited whilst he walked around the front to knock on the door. I heard tales of wedding rings being hidden in some very imaginative places when all the old folk in the family sat about the fire remembering their "Good Old Days". As for the Boot Club, I will ask my cousin who remembers much more than I.
Spoke to my mum on this one. She said this was during the strikes, you went to a board that head been set up and asked for help. It was means tested and they did expect women to sell their wedding rings etc. (of course this meant items being hidden by neighbours and friends. You did not always get money from the relief man, often what you received was a note to get shoes or groceries. Mum knew nothing about the boot fund.

Cwmtillery Snooker hall 25-April 01
The Cwmtillery snooker hall was located on West bank (see album five Pictures Page, I have no info before it became a Snooker hall. But it went from the snooker hall to a roller skating hall which was owned by Mr Purnell who also owned the shop just below the hall on the other side of the road. After the hall was closed it was owner by someone that hiring and delivered washing machines (it was said he could lift and carry a washing machine on this own, pretty good for a man with one leg?). Finally it turned into a battery hen house with over 250 hens, then late 50s early 60s it was demolished. Nowadays, two houses have be erected on the site.

The Britannia Pub -- 20-April-01
Near the old railway line a little way up from the Mount was the Pub" The Britannia", I have been told it was known as "The Old Maids" because it was run by sisters, but how many sisters two or three? Also it was well known for the staff of the steam loco to purchase a jug of ale on the way up the valley and hand in the empty on the way back. Anyone have any stories or comment.... Les

The Brittania Pub was down the bottom of Hill street from the Mount Pleasant. It faced the railway line and was commonly know as the Old Maids, as it was run by Three Dear Spinster ladies. Given time I might just be able to recall their surname, or find out from an older cousin who lived close to it. I enjoyed many a glass of lemonade sitting on the windowsill, outside of course, if Mum and Dad walked out for a Shandy of a summer evening.

I've been racking my brain for weeks now, trying to think of the street name (Hill Street). Even walked down by around the area last Saturday hoping it would move a few brain cell into gear.

In 1970 I bought my first car, and used to rent a garage up the hill from the " Old Maids Pub". The hill used to head up towards the old Washery, that hill we used to call The Brittania Hill. At the top of the hill turn right go over the old bridge and there was the Bridgend Pub. Hill Street was the steep hill that came off Alma St by the Mount Pleasant Pub down to Peny Bont. I was born on Hill Street.

The more people talk about a topic the more it stirs up the old memory box. I used to run down hill street and across the valley if I was late for school (gelli person was I) and bike down the hill that ran from alma st to the Brittania hill when I worked for Henley's in the early 70s but can't remember the pub. My father can because he used to stop the steam engine and purchase a jug of ale. More info on the "Old Maids" pub. It was on Brittania Road, led from Alma Street near the start of the wall to Blaenau Gwent Chapel Cemetery, all the way down the hill, past the bottom of Hill Street, past the Brittania pub up to the junction where you turned right across the bridge to the New Bridge End pub and the scouts hut, who remembers the dances held there - oh happy times, It was run by the three Miss Lewis's, one may have been called Binah, that's according to my cousin, who is now well into her 70's and was born and brought up in Bryn Morgan Terrace just a couple of hundred yards up from the pub, so I think it's fairly accurate. She, like me, has memories of the glasses of lemonade and packets of Smiths crisp, with the blue paper salt twist in them, as special treats. She also remembers "Brittania House" which was the larger house with steps

I delivered the South Wales echo to the Brittaia pub in the late fifties early sixties. Two sisters ran the place then and they were always known as the old maids, as was the pub. If the truth be known I found them a bit scary, and it always seemed that I was the only person who ever went into the place. There was a good apple tree in the back garden though and us boys would sometimes get over our fears, with each others help, and go scrumping in the place. happy scary times.

I too remember the Old Maids Pub. I can also remember the old steam dray that used to deliver the beer to the pub. I think I would be correct in saying that the driver would have been Gral Samuels as he very often used to talk to us kids when the dray ran out of steam half-way up the hill. I also remember people who lived in the area, Harry (Slabby) Bennet and Richard & April Lewis. Incidentally Gral Samuels had two children living in Abertillery, Don & Val Samuels who lived at the bottom of Oak Street, (near the rugby club). You see I lived in Bryn Morgan Terrace during WW2 with my Grandmother. I can also remember the Silks kids, Freda and I think she had two brothers Alan & ?. Perhaps she can jog my memory through your page.

Hello to all the Cwmtillery/Abertillery Migrants - residents -- Freda Griffiths - Nee Silk, 26-March-01 Mon
I am so pleased to have found this site, thank you once again Les for setting up and maintaining it, your time and hard work are really appreciated, by me, my cousin and niece, Denise Silk of the same schools but late 1950's)in Australia. I went to the "Crown" infants school in the early 40's and then on to Cock 'n Chick late 40's leaving Gelli Crug in 1954. I would love to hear from any one that attended same time as me. I have a couple of school photos and I can't put names to every one in them. I have lots and lots of memories of all the places mentioned here and more. My Grandparents Sarah and Henry Wright lived in West Bank, my parents Fred and Maud Silk moved to Alma Street, (close to Wallaces Lane) when they married in the mid 20's. I played all over Cwmtillery & Penybont particularly over the Washery and old coke ovens site, with many a dip in the old feeder tanks. I would really like news of Gary and Margaret Ace who used to live in Brynmorgan terrace or any of the other "Kids" that were in the gang there. I remember the Tombs family and also the Gilsons. I could go on forever, and really look forward to hearing from anyone that remembers me or my older brothers, Ivor and Bob Silk. God keep you all safe and warm there. Freda Griffiths

Cwmtillery Lakes:
Just another quick memory! Can anyone else remember swimming in the Lakes and playing in the old stone 'bridge' that was there? And damming up the old sheep dip at the west side of the lakes so that we could swim in that too? It makes me shudder to think what we could have caught to make us ill. Of course we were forbidden by rightly concerned parents to go near either, but we were kids after all!
Regards Lesley Butcher.

Memories
I lived all my life until I was 24 in Cwmtillery. Does anyone remember me? I lived at Gladstone Buildings next to Gwyneths shop, with my parents Des & June Young, and brother Glenn until I was 14, then we all moved into a house that my dad built up at the old Top Rows. Ours was the first house built to replace the old houses (I believe there are quite a few there now) the only other house was an old prefab that had been bricked around at the other end. My 'best friends when I was Small were Jane Price and Janet Thomas-where are they now? Later my friends were Carol Davidson (later Harding) and Shirley Jones (later Penny) I went to Bleantillery Infants, The British School, Gelli Crug School, The Grammer School and Nantyglo Comp. My paternal Grand Parents were Gwyn & Olga Young of Gwern Berthi Road. By the way what happened to Tony & Sandra Bradley who ran the Post Office in Gwern Berthi? I went to West Bank Chapel, Mr.Whiltshire & Miss Day were the teachers. And I can remember catching 'Taddies' down the 'Jinny' and up on the old brown tip, playing in the brook that ran through the 'Reck' playground, playing on the winder that was under the bridge on the west side, so many happy memories. I am now the Mother of 7 and Grandmother of 9,we all live in Somerset, have done for 20 odd years now but like a true Welshman I am very proud of my home. Gods Own People From Gods Own Land. I would love to hear from anyone who knew us.
Kind Regards. Lesley Butcher

Congratulations
During the school holidays in Aber I used to help Cecil Morgan with his Co-op milk round and I have fond memories of going to the Co-op bakery in Cwmtillery on Saturday mornings to collect a basket of bread. If I close my eyes I can still smell that hot bread to this day. Congratulations on your site.
Ray Bevan (Bristol)

Memories of Cwmtillery
Looking at the opening photograph brought back many happy memories. Mainly during the 50's I lived in one of the Roseheyworth Avenues. To keep fit my friend, Bernard Jones, and I used to run up the Roseheyworth side of the "Cock and Chick" mountain along the top, roughly in a NE direction and then down into the valley shown in the photograph then down through the valley past the lakes towards the old colliery, then finally along the roads to the "Cock and Chick" school back to the avenues. I wish I could do it now. This is a wonderful site, many thanks and well done.
Mervyn Davies.

Memories of Cwmtillery
I am visiting my sister and she showed me the web site which I was most interested in. I lived in Cwmtillery until I got married. Our garden adjoined the colliery area. I used to walk through the colliery area to go to Blaentillery School. I was also married in the West Bank Methodist Chapel. We used to look forward to our Friday threepence (one and a quarter new pence) which was our weekly pocket money. Life was poor but we were happy.

Cwmtillery Web Site
Congratulations Les on your Cwmtillery Web Site site. It certainly brings back many happy memories. In 1948 I started work in the Drawing offices at Cwmtillery Colliery as a Colliery Draughtsman after serving two years in the British Army. Worked there until 1955 when I was transferred to the Central Offices in Abercarn. We remain in contact with Abertillery via the Abertillery RFC web site that Dr. David Llewellyn runs and now we look forward to visiting your site. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your Family from Vegas.
Vegas Morley's ( Hilda & Ken )

Cwmtillery web site
I was most interested in the web site because my father worked in Cwmtillery pit before there were any pit baths. He used to walk home to Abertillery still in his pit clothes and had to bath in front of the fire. Eventually, he moved to Cwmtillery and we lived near The South Wales Inn. Then came the pit baths which made life much easier. He used to take the horses up to the fields by the lakes for their holidays when the miners had theirs. I was married in the West Bank Methodist Chapel and would love to see a photograph of the chapel.