Pontnewydd

Pontnewydd .... (welsh) New bridge

..Bygone Times ..

.. Pontnewydd Fire Brigade circa 1930`s .

The firemen are photographed in front of the Cenotaph at the junction of Richmond Road/Lowlands Road and Clark Avenue, Pontnewydd.

.. The Fire Station once stood where the Surgery is at present, on Clark Avenue ..

Colin Bowen relates: The Fire Station was just a few yards away in Clark Avenue. In the 1940`s and 1950`s, if there was a fire, the siren would sound and a lot of the children of Pontnewydd, if they were not in school, would run to the Fire Station to see if they could get there before the Firemen and to watch the Fire Engine speed away. Chas Slade was always first! ; he used to run from Godfrey Road.

Mr. Slade from Pontnewydd, who died in 1975 in his 90`s held the British record for service in the Fire Brigade. He became an Honorary Life Member with a total of fifty nine years.

.. Pontnewydd Fire Brigade - Winners South Wales Cup 1912 ..

.. Pontnewydd Fire Brigade - Winners South Wales Cup 1913 .. (Photographer W.G. Busby)

N.b. Jack & Ken stayed at the Kings Head Hotel -Station Road, Pontnewydd (now the `Oriental Garden` Chinese Restaurant 2007 ) W. H. Powell's Hardware shop can be seen on the right of the photograph.

.. The postcard bears a `penny red` stamp and postmarked - 11.0a.m - 28th July 24th, 1936. Pontnewydd ..

.. A Postcard depicting, The Canal, Five Locks Pontnewydd ..

.. The postcard bears a postmark which reads - 4.15p.m - 28th August, 1911 ..

(Photographs kindly contributed by Colin Bowen, formerly of Chapel Street, Pontnewydd)

.. The Station - Pontnewydd ..

..This postcard view of Upper Pontnewydd Station was sold on Ebay on the 16th March 2008 for £36.88 ..

To read the accompanying letter click here

.. This is an early 20th Century scene looking down Mount Pleasant road - Pontnewydd ..

A row of cottages to the left have now been replaced by the `Ladywell` senior citizens complex; to the right, is an advertisement for the EMPIRE Theatre (0pened 1881, burnt down January1942 ), Newport. The `inquisitive` girl is standing in the garden of Richmond House.

Please contact Victoria Gallery Tel. 01633 482332 for more info.

.. New Street ..

Baptist Chapel - Richmond Road - built 1882

.. Richmond Road Baptist Chapel - Richmond Road ..

(Built 1882)

Commercial Street photographed from the Railway Bridge (Now over Cwmbran Drive)

.. Commercial Street photographed from the bridge ..

.. Cwmbran Gardens Hotel ..

Cwmbran Garden`s Hotel - Pontnewydd (demolished 1965)

(Demolished 1965)

Cwmbran Gardens Hotel was situated on the canal bank between Richmond Place and the recreational ground, in fact the recreational ground was once part of the twenty acres that went with the property.

The original building was built by the Monmouthshire Canal Company who used it for a depot.
Later on, Colliers working at the Upper Cwmbran mine were given tokens as wages, which necessitated them to purchase their weekly needs at the `Company shop`; albeit at inflated prices .
After Richard Clark (born 1826 died 1885) purchased the disused property he embarked on a project in around 1870, to enhance the `gardens`; he planted numerous trees, four magnificent `fir `trees can still be viewed at the edge of the towpath / recreational ground; he also planted various fruit trees, laid gravel paths, ornamental fountains, flower beds etc. In July 1873 he opened the `gardens` to the public, under the name of Cwmbran Pleasure Gardens and Hotel.

Pleasure seekers flocked to the `gardens` from far and near, many visitors came to Pontnewydd via the train, or by horse drawn carriage to enjoy a pleasurable afternoon strolling through the gardens; watch games of cricket, tennis, croquet, even athletic events. A quadrille band was also enjoyed by the many visitors. Lively Dances and excellent food was remembered by all.

Interestingly, the road aptly named `Clark Avenue`, which runs from the cenotaph and emerges at the junction with Lowlands road, was land once owned by Richard Clark and in 1874 he offered the land to the Local Government Board for the roadway.

.. After Richard's death in 1885, his family carried on the business up until 1889 whereupon it was sold ..

n.b Also some years ago, there were a number of `prefabs`, where `Pen y Parc` is now and this was locally known as `Clarkville`.

Gareth Davies relates:- Pen y Parc was developed just after World War Two as an estate of pre fabricated bungalows; they remained in place until the mid 1970`s.

I have memories of helping my dad, a Housing Officer, help one of the last tenants move out from her prefab when I was 14 or 15 years old.

.. This Cwmbran Gardens token, (made of plastic) was found amongst some buttons, in a tin OXO box ..

( Photograph contributed by Colin Bowen formerly of Chapel Street- Pontnewydd )

.. What was it used for?

Lawson Skuse responds:- Probably Bakerlite and it was almost certainly a Dreyman's token which would have been issued by the brewery to dreymen in order that they could have complimentary ale. The token would have been re presented to the brewery and redeemed as money for the landlord.

This practice continues today with, for example, Welsh Brewers whose dreymen are issued with paper tokens which pubs will often change for cash at a rate of usury before redemption at face value.

.. If you have any memories or info you please click here ..

The Little Gem Store - Pontnewydd (Now `Korner Kut` Hairdressers)

.. The `Little Gem` Store - (Now `Korner Kut ` Hairdressers) ..

Commercial Street - 1902

.. Commercial Street 1902 ..

.. Poulton the Butchers & Carmarthen Stores ..

(Photograph kindly contributed by Colin Bowen, formerly of Chapel Street, Pontnewydd)

Commercial Street in the 1930`s - Pontnewydd; You can see B. Poulton through the window on the left hand side; he was one of the local butcher's. Mr B. Williams the owner of the Carmarthen Stores lived in the first large house going down Station Road on the right .. I think. A friend, gave me the picture years ago he said it used to hang in the shop.

.. A delivery label from Carmarthen Stores - date unknown ..

.. Co-Op Store Chapel Street 1930 `s ..

.. Click here for more info on the Co-Operative Society ..

.. Photographed circa 1981, shows `Great Western Railway` Engine No.5643 awaiting restoration at the Old Coal Yard - Adjacent to Cromwell Place - Pontnewydd ..

A Brief History

Engine No.5643 was one of 200 of it's class and emerged from the Swindon Works in October 1925; and spent its entire working life in and around South Wales operating out of the Coke Ovens shed at Pontypridd; Abercynon shed and the Barry shed.

... Fully restored 2005 ..

After 38 year's service, 5643 was withdrawn in July 1963, and was moved to the now famous Dai Woodham's scrap yard in Barry.

It was originally purchased for a now defunct steam operation in its native South Wales, but was soon transferred to Lancashire, and the now also closed Steamtown Railway Museum at Carnforth, near Lancaster.

It was bought in 1986 by members of the Lakeside Railway Society, moving to Haverthwaite, three years later. The L.R.S later set up the Furness Railway Trust as a charity to manage its assets, and so 5643 passed to its present owners.

For more detailed information concerning engine no.5643 and it's restoration visit The Furness Railway Trust website

.. The Golf Pavillion at Pontnewydd Golf Club back in 1918 ..

9th April 2008

Basil Gough relates:
It was with interest that I came across your site showing photographs of Old Pontnewydd; At the ripe old age of 77 I well those years immediately after the war. In fact I well remember the day my Grandmother told me that we were at war with Germany and I also remember the sorrow in her eyes. The photographs depicted in every detail as I remember my birth place.

Pontnewydd Station for example was a place where I would go with Tom Arundle to pick up the papers. I worked for Millie Edmonds later to become Mrs White, as a paper boy. Her husband held a commission in the army so during those war years we would scan the news where he was engaged.
I well remember the winters being very cold and the mornings were black no lighting. My greatest comfort was a balaclava given to me one morning as I made my `round`. I don't know if Tom is still alive, he joined the marines but was invalided out after a training accident. Of course the great tragedy was the loss of his brother Michael who drowned in the lock immediately behind Billy Charles workshop; he couldn't be more than 8 at the time. So Many memories.

Did so enjoy looking at the photographs.

This shop No.36, stands on the corner of Stanley Place and Chapel Street - Pontnewydd. The store was purchased from Mrs. Glover in 1983 and was then named Abbot and Gurden, a partnership between Mr. John Abbot and Mr. Carl Gurden. The shop sold washing machines etc; and offered a repair service. When Mr. Gurden retired from the business, John kept the name as it was, and although successfully trading until this year(2006), has now decided to retire, close the store and convert it back to a dwelling.

Colin Bowen, formerly of Chapel Street recalls:
Mr. Seth Williams used to own the house, they used sell motor car and bicycle parts in the shop. Outside the shop there used stand, two petrol pumps around the side in Stanley Place. Mr. Williams used to have a motor repair Garage ..... this was in the 1940`s to 1950`s.

After the Williams family left, Mr. Verge Peterson bought the house, and they use to run the funeral services from the shop; Mr. Verge Peterson's sons` still run the funeral home today at Woodside Road.

.. And Now the Present ..