Pontnewydd

Colin Bowen: I think the photograph is circa 1955 a bit further down the procession I think is a Girlings lorry float and a Westons `biscuit` lorry, they used to throw small packets of biscuits out of the back to the public.The man in the front is PC James, a police man of Pontnewydd who he lived in church road; his wife Mrs. James, who was the first cook in the `new canteen` of Pontnewydd Church school.

A few weeks ago I was looking at ebay, there were some R.A.F. medals for sale, the address on them was, A Miles Church road Pontnewydd I new Alan Miles when he came home after the war was over. Seems sad to me, there is no family left Today to want his medals. Going back to the picture the two boys out in front is on the left is Aubrey Chappell from Five Locks and Baden Pennells from Ty Pwca in West Pontnewydd; alas I don't know the boy holding the paper bag.

... Nightingale Row ...

.. Nightingale Row, now demolished, was originally situated at the bottom of Maendy Way - The blocks of flats in Ty Box are still present ..

(Photograph kindly contributed by Colin Bowen)

Stacey:(19th January 2013) My husband has just opened a computer shop in Pontnewydd village on commercial street (No. 24). He has uncovered a sign on the front of the property 'E. Burgess' and I just wondered if anyone had any indication of what type of shop that used to be? if you can help click here

Dorothy Powell responds: `Black Road` is the old name for Woodland Road, Lower Pontnewydd now part of Croesyceiliog. My Great Grand Parents were the first tenants to live in 'Lynwood `which is no 52, Woodland Road. The last of my family to live there was my Great Aunt May, who lived there until just before her 101st birthday when she died in hospital.
Sue Bradfield responds: I have enjoyed looking at the old pictures on Pontnewydd, we actually live in one of the houses shown on the first photo, then called Woodland Place, Black Road, Pontnewydd ... way back in 1905 . Now known as nos. 69 & 67 Woodland Road, Croesyceiliog. The house you can see in the background is the start of the terraced row next to Evans's DIY Centre.
The road, of course is much busier these days - however the one thing that hasn't changed is our beautiful view of the Mynydd Maen! ... Thanks for producing this amazing website and giving us the opportunity to see how Cwmbran has changed over the last century.


Police Station photographed in 1977, dates back to 1909	2009 Russell House comprises of 12 Flats, built in 1991

Lawrence Skuse recalls, I remember we were walking past it as a family one evening, when Lawson (my twin brother) dropped some litter (we were about eight or nine at the time); suddenly this voice boomed out "Lawson! Pick that up!" It was PC Ruffles, you just don't have policing like that now. (He picked it up).

Mel Hillman relates: When I left the Gwent Constabulary in 1969 this was the Police Station/House in Pontnewydd. By 1969 most of its functions had been taken over by the 'new' police station near the Town Centre and 'Panda' cars patrolled its former area.

Paul Mahagen originally from and now residing in Mandurah,W.Australia relates: This is the soccer field where Pontnewydd used to play opposite the Cenotaph between Pontnewydd and up Lowlands Road, I think the park & field were faced by Brookland Terrace and Park View Terrace. The old railway line is down the bottom of the park, now Cwmbran Drive.

Oh ... some more memory's of sliding around in the mud as a kid and getting a thrashing by West Pontnewydd Football Club!!

Les Roch now residing in Par,Cornwall relates: This is the view of the fields and the stream in front of Brooklands Terrace in Pontnewydd. My Mother was born in the Terrace along with the rest of my Aunts and Uncles. My Grand Parents were the Hunts from Brooklands Terrace and my Grand Father used to work at what used to be called Linpacs which used to be to the right of the view shown. The green areas this side of the brook is a football pitch.

Gary miller from Pontnewydd responds: This is the park next to Brookland Terrace. The old `tin plate` works can be seen in the distance. The trees seem so small in the park compared to now and I noticed the roundabout and slide is still there.

Lawrence Skuse from Thornhill responds: This is the park in Pontnewydd between Park View and Brooklands Terrace with the Ty Newydd tin plate works just the other side of the railway line. I well remember falling off a swing on the play equipment (now gone) and really cracking my head; of course it was just concrete bases then. I'm not sure when the tin plate works (where my mother worked during the war, and my Uncle Ben lost an arm, crushed in a roller) closed, but I would estimate this picture to be mid to late 1960s.

Colin Bowen formerly of Pontnewyydd now residing in Gloucester relates: At one time in the 1950`s Brook land was a place, the `fun fair` used to visit .

Colin Bowen responds: A good picture, the building (Pontnewydd Stores) with the green board across the front was once the Pontnewydd `British Legion` the house next to the `Legion` I recall a chap named Ray Smith and his dad Joe lived there ... then the `Old Bridge End` inn and you have come to the canal or around over Pontnewydd canal bridge just over the bridge was the old school path along side the St. Johns ambulance hall .

The other side of the picture somewhere behind the bushes was the lock gate, I recall coming home from school when they were taking the gates away for ever, to start building Pontnewydd `Cascades` this picture would not have been possible at that time. A large black building used to stand in the middle of the picture it was Billy Charles the `Undertaker`. Just over the other side of the canal is Ashley house.

You may wonder why I mention Ray Smith and his dad? ... they were both over 6 foot tall. The time I speak about must be 1940`s 1950`s I often wonder what it was like years before .... When the narrow boats used to sail through Pontnewydd it must have been a busy place ...

Les Roch responds: I know where this view is also, it is opposite the Old Bridge Inn ( Top Bridge as it is know ) just below Ashley House.

I wonder how many people can remember how that section of canal looked in the late 1960�s? I do, it was a big holding area for the barges between the locks at Ty Box and Pontnewydd Park. I remember that there used to be a pair of nesting swans there every year and a pair of nesting Linnets as well plus the moor hens and mallards. It really was a fantastic place, I used to love it.

Thanks for the memory and keep bringing home closer to those of us that are a little further away.

.. Bridge 46 .. circa 1928 ..

Ralph Williams relates: This is the bridge at Five Locks. When I was in West Mon School, I used to go their to see a girl friend, she took my hat off and threw it into the canal !! ... great days.

Colin Bowen relates: What a nice old picture of a train pulling in or leaving Upper Pontnewydd. The station itself looks very overgrown. The train in the picture must have been one of the very last trains to travel the Eastern Valley line. Over to the right is our once, very well kept `Goods` yard with Pontnewydd railway bridge and Station road in the background. I recall a time when the schools along the eastern valley had a special train to London for the `Day`; we had to be in school at 8.00 a.m. then our teachers marched us down through Pontnewydd to catch the train; when the train pulled in to Pontnewydd station there was a large steam locomotive with about 12 coaches that already looked like it was full of school children from up the valley. I think the whole village turned out to wave us off and we still had to stop at Cwmbran station to pick up Cwmbran School children so many people at the station just like Pontnewydd our station have seen so many days like this, but now the wonderful picture is here but our station and goods yard are gone ..... as the book says `The trains don't stop here anymore`.

The train is probably an `enthusiasts special` of some kind as regular passenger trains were withdrawn from the line in 1962.

Colin Bowen relates: At the time this photograph was taken, the old `goods yard` had seen better days. I recall the yard having up to as many as 30 wagons of coal , ready for the coal merchants to deliver to almost every house in Pontnewydd; ... there was no other sort of heating. I remember the cold winter of 1947, there was so much snow everyone had to go to the coal yard and fetch their own coal in an old pram or a sleigh or anything else they could lay their hands on to carry coal in. When you arrived at the coal yard the coal man had to dig out the coal from under four foot of snow .... good old days!

Tomos Povey contributes information regarding his Great Aunt Mill, and Great Uncle Charles White (who once owned the Sweet shop, next door to the Odd Fellow Pub).

Mildred Margaret White
Born: 5th November 1895- 11th March 1980. Aged 84


Mill and her husband Charles White in the 1940s.	Elizabeth Ann (Mill�s mother), Hilda (sister), Jane (sister), and Mill- aged 14

July 2012: Ceinwen Hargrave responds: I read today about a Mildred Edmonds who had a sweet shop in Pontnewydd, and there was a request for any other information. My mother, Gwyneth Rowland, (nee Lewis 1919) wrote a personal memoir which includes the following:

'I never remember my father smoking, but he did have a dreadful habit of chewing tobacco (ugh!) - thin twist. As children we were sent to the newsagents. The lady who owned the shop was plump with cheeks like roses. She wore her hair in plaits draped on the top of her head. I always thought of rosy apples when I gazed at her. We would request 'an ounce of thin twist please' and Mill (Millicent Edmunds) would take a long length of the twist out of a tin box, cut a length and weigh it on a tiny old-fashioned scales. Then, always, with a mischievous smile on her face, she would take a piece of soft tissue paper, wrap the twist and laughingly say, 'Tell your Dad this soft paper is for him personally'. We caught on to that joke. Toilet paper in those days was newspaper cut into squares, tied with string and hung on the back of the outside lavatory door Our mother and father never failed to smile at Mil's joke'.

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.

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 ..

Ray Gullis relates: The engine is on the line which ran where Cwmbran Drive now passes Harold St and Stanley Place in Pontnewydd. Harold St to the fore and Stanley place behind. Immediately behind the telegraph pole to the left of the picture is where New Chapel Street surgery now stands.

..This is a view of the bowling green and pavilion of Pontnewydd Park off Mount Pleasant Road ..

Lawrence Skuse relates: In the 1950s/early 60s, our next door neighbour in the "Prefabs" at Penyparc, was Mr Jarrett (worked on the last ever shift at Cwmbran Colliery), and was a stalwart of the club. He was incensed one day, because they borrowed a load of turf from the green to create a grassed path for Princess Anne to walk on when she visited Cwmbran New Town.

.. The houses of Maesgwyn, photographed from the canal, adjacent to the Cross Keys pub - December 1981 ..

.. Chapel Street ..

1st August 2008

.. End of an era ..

.. `Powells` Hardware Store - Chapel Street ..

End of an era ---- `Powells` Hardware store finally closed it's shutters for the last time on Friday 1st August 2008

The store known by `one and all` for many, many years, has served the community of Pontnewydd and surrounding areas very well and will be sadly missed. The store's products range was immense, e.g. Garden tools and sundries, D.I.Y. products, carpet, tiles, dustbins etc; even down to the `saviour` of the `annoying dripping tap` ... the humble tap washer!

.... Many years ago I recall Mr.Powell (the previous owner) travelling around Pontnewydd and Cwmbran, calling on his `regulars` with his well stocked van of `goodies` and my mother going to his van with a `steel jug` to be filled up with paraffin to use in our paraffin heater .. no central heating in those days!

Cyril Clifford and his wife, bought the Hardware store 13years ago when Mr. Powell decided to retire, and carried on, changing little,if anything, to the `ambience` of the store .... another example which springs to mind was `Tothill & Bodnam`s Hardware store in Old Cwmbran.

Cyril informed me that he started working for Mr. Powell, whilst still at school (after school time though), and when he reached 15 years old, he left school to work full time at the hardware store .... and that was some 45 years ago ... How time flies ...

Unfortunately as time stops for no-one, Cyril and his wife have now decided to take `early retirement` and `shut up shop` for the last time ... I'm sure that, they and their `famous` Hardware store will be sadly missed. We wish you well in your `retirement` ...

.. Cyril Clifford and his delivery van - Clark Avenue, Pontnewydd ..

March 2009 .. Powell`s Hardware store is now being converted back to a dwelling ..

Ralph & Margaret Williams from Pontnewydd relate: The shop is Powell`s Hardware in Chapel Street. When we got married in 1957 we had our carpet squares from there. They sold everything for the home even Paraffin, also white powder, which I cannot remember the name, for the lamps on our bicycles when I was a child.

.. This photograph circa early 20th century, shows the original `Powells` hardware store situated in one of the terraced houses, opposite the premises that we are all familiar with ..

.. Hope Methodist Church - Foundation stone laid 1866 and officially opened 1867 ..

.. Hope Methodist Church - Chapel Street ..

.. Extension added 1878 - Schoolroom .. Photo dates to 1983 ..

Colin Bowen, formerly of Chapel Street relates:

The picture shows the Methodist chapel at the end of Chapel Street, Pontnewydd; Also shown is the `Western Welsh` bus stop outside the chapel door for the Pontypool direction. When the `Tin Stamping` works finished work at about 4.30p.m to 5.00p.m; the bus stop was full of around 60 girls all waiting for the bus to go home up the valley .

Also the bus stop in New Street, for the Newport direction, did not fare any better There was just as many people waiting for the bus at that time of the evening as well, along with G.K.N. workers and Girlings, not forgetting Avondale Tinplate and Ty Newydd Tin plate.

Pontnewydd and Cwmbran railway stations were full of people all waiting to go home of course; this was in the 1940/1950`s. Not many people had cars back then, the average wage was �2.00 to �5.00 a week. All this turnover of people, used to happen in the mornings as well everyone would be coming to work. An extract from a Great Western railway journal said that in 1933 Cwmbran Railway station sold 53,641 passenger tickets and 400 season tickets a year.

And all this happened before the creation of Cwmbran `New Town`   .... After a `good test of time` the old Methodist chapel is still standing there today.

Paul Mahagen relates: That's the church in Pontnewydd with Geogie James `Spar shop` ahead ; I did many hours of child labour in there when I was a young lad!!. This also used to be the main bus stop if you were heading up to Pontypool.

The `Spar` shop is now called `Premier`

.. 1974 ..

Viewed from Peterson's Funeral Home, shows the bottom of Maendy Way ... n.b. the row of houses (now demolished) next to the Workingmen's Club and the crossroads (now replaced by a roundabout).
Viewed from Peterson's Funeral Home shows Nightingale House
( block of flats, to the right ) under construction.

Photographs kindly contributed by J.Tamplin

.. October 1956 ..

This photograph taken in October 1956, shows the junction of Woodside Road, Maendy Way and Chapel Street - Pontnewydd. Notice the pavement on the right is are finished. The white cottages to the right were known as Nightingale Row (now demolished) behind them, can be seen the houses of Trinity Road, Ty box Road and the blocks of flats known as Nightingale House.

June Tamplin (nee Peterson) relates: This is the bottom of Maendy Way at its junction with Woodside Road. I see Ty Box Road. Trinity Road and the flats above have been built but Laybourne Close, Padarn Place etc do not appear to have been developed yet! The pavement on the R/H side seems to be in the process of being completed and the bus stop is still there!

We played in the park on the L/H side of the picture, it had little swings with the bar across to stop you falling out, big swings, a large wooden/metal roundabout, an umbrella roundabout which older boys would try and rock off its pedestal and horror of horrors concrete bases and in 1963 (the last BIG FREEZE) the canal was frozen and we skated on it! I don't know how we survived our childhood!
Barbara Thompson now residing in New Zealand relates: There was a park with swings etc to the left, we called it Woodside park.

.. Maendy Way Road Bridge ..

.. August 1956 ..

.. October 1956 ..

.. October 1956 ..

These photographs show construction work in progress, which entailed the building of a road bridge over the Monmouthshire Eastern Valleys railway line and a `new road` from the junction of Maendy Way, Woodside Road and Chapel Street to the `developing` Town Centre ..

The `official opening` of Maendy Way bridge took place in June 1958; The ceremony was performed by Mrs. Brooke (wife of Henry Brooke, Minister of Housing), Lady Rhys Williams, General Rees, Percy Jones, Lord Raglan.

Dawn Jones (nee Peterson) relates:- I can recall this view looking up Maendy Way towards the canal, obviously the construction of the road bridge over what is now Cwmbran Drive, I find this fascinating, as I can remember the houses either side and when they became unoccupied and derelict, we played in them as kids, I remember the fruit trees in the back gardens, it was like finding bags of free sweets. Where the crossroads were, not a week went by without an accident and Mrs. Miles lived in the end house (near the Workingmens Club) and she was always one of the first people on the scene and my mother often used to say that the authorities should give her a first aid kit as it must have cost this lady a fortune in bandages etc. I think the right of way was straight through Maendy Way  and then they changed the priorities, there were numerous accidents after this.

The park was on the left hand side with the big umbrella roundabout which we climbed, dangled from, turned upside down, played tag and allsorts, it had a concrete floor - how did we survive. The little roundabout, we used to whizz around on with lolly pop sticks and sharpen them to a point or place our shoes around the edge and see who could collect the most, sometimes they went underneath, there was a bench near the edge of the park and we would sit there and wave to the motorists - how dangerous that would be to do that these days.

Holy Trinity Church is visible up towards the right, as kids we would attend the Harvest festivals and any other important Church events, the tables would be laden with fresh produce and home-made bread, the colours would be outstanding. Vicar Redd was the Vicar and his sister Mrs. Evans taught at Pontnewydd Church School.

I don't remember the construction of this bridge but I do remember the construction of the telephone exchange and associated works in that area near the old dairy and one Saturday I had been shopping in the town centre with my sister and cousin, we were going to cut through Forgehammer but a JCB was working near this site and I was so scared I wouldn't go that way and under much protest my sister had to take me up over Maendy Way bridge, I must have been quite young but this is a vivid memory.

The view looking up towards Mynydd Maen has made me feel very nostalgic and I could waffle on for ages, it's brought back some lovely memories.

.. January 2010 ..

.. If you have memories to add or old photographs you would like to share please click here to email me ..

.. Pontnewydd Football Team circa 1926 ..

Lyndon Davies (Pontnewydd): Looking again at your Cwmbran website, the work you do is very good ,and very much appreciated by the many people both local and away, who want to see the old Cwmbran area and hear from `oldies` like me.

I don`t know if there is anyone who would be interested in one of the old Pontnewydd football teams from many years ago.

The photo was taken about 1926, my father was a trainer ,he is in the 2nd row 3rd from left with a towel on his shoulder. His name was Jim Davies, he lived in Park View, Pontnewydd, he looks about 25 on the photo .

Another relative is the player on the bottom row,2nd from left, its Jack Farley. Jacks brother Tom Farley married my aunty, he was supposed to be a very good player in his day. My father died in 1982,I remember him saying how strong the team was in those days.

Some notes for the people who look at your site, and make comments, A Mr. Nigel Holmes from the Midlands remembers having the baker calling who was `Ivor the bread`, that was my brother Ivor, we both had bread rounds in the 1960s,unfortunately Ivor passed away in May 2010,he was 70.

Lots of great stuff on the site, I live in Pontnewydd, my name is Lyndon Davies, some of the site visitors ask for updates,I noted Les Roch from Par in Cornwall uses the site. I remember most of the Roch family including Rocky,

I go for regular walks past the `cross roads`; at the moment, there are vans everywhere, doing cladding and insulation work an the old steel houses, you would not believe the difference to the 1960s.

Very interesting about the old Gardens pub, my aunty Mary used to tell me stories about the parties and the activities at the Gardens and your old map of the area ,and the info about Clarkville is all news to me. I started drinking in the Gardens at 17. My great friend Ron Hutchinson (Hutchie) was a few months younger than me, but he took me in one day and Mrs Russell said ,"is he 18?" Hutchie said "yes,just" she said "ok but I am not serving him cider". The regulars in those days (1961) were Vern Pennels, Clive and Kim Tunley, old Justin McCarthy they were all great characters!!

I have lived in Pontnewydd all my life (67 years of it),I remember going to school at Pontnewydd Church school Mr. Hill was the Headmaster; Anyone remember old Dai Rees? he was my teacher until I was 11 and went to Llantarnam.

.. Pontnewydd Church School ..

.. Standard IV ..

.. Pontnewydd Guide Group - circa 1925 ..

Some names known are: Back row l-r six across is Joyce Roden (nee Burge)and 4th row down, l-r and five across is my mother Esme Erasmus (nee Reed).

.. Harley Erasmus kindly contributed this photograph

.. Pontnewydd OAP gathering circa 1958 ..

.. Harley Erasmus kindly contributed this photograph .. Possibly photographed - Mount Pleasant Road (Trappa`s Hill )

Some names known are: Mr. Reg Reed, Mrs. Gooding, Mrs. Reg Reed, Mrs. Gladys Reed, Mrs. Greenland, Mr. Hornton, Mr. Harry Greenland, Miss Rene Williams.

.. Pontnewydd Civil Defence ..

Some names known are: Reg Scourse, Gus Davey, Jack Powell, Reg Reed, Aubrey Martin, Miss R. Williams, Mrs. Greenland, Len Williams.

.. Harley Erasmus kindly contributed this photograph - photographed ?

.. Can you help? ..

Hugh Price contributes this photograph: I'm not sure with this one, whether it's Home Guard, ARP or fire watchers and the only one I can name is my Uncle, Bill Jones, who is third from the left in the middle row.

Colin Bowen responds: This photograph shows the PONTNEWYDD AIR RAID WARDENS

From l to r back row:    ? , Mr. George Dixon, Mr. Stan Pool, Mr. Dan Parry, Mr. Charlie Hook

Middle row l to r: Mrs. D. Webb,   ? ,    ?    , Mr. Bill Jones, Mr. B. May, Mr. W. Webb, Mr. Lenin, Mr. Marsh, Ben Pearce, Dorothy Williams

Front row l to r: 1: Mr. Bert Barnaby, Mr. Herbert Williams, Mrs. Cox, Mr. Lyndon Cooper, Mrs. S. Poole, Mr. Edwin Morton Mr. R. Bowen

Can anyone name some of the others? if so click here

.. Pontnewydd Male Voice Choir circa 1945 ..

Some names known are: Glyn Gunning, Mr. Hornton, Jenkyn Lewis, Jim Bowen, Fred Williams, Charlie Lippiat, Fred May, Reg Reed, Gus Davey, Cy Brown, Bert Gunning.

.. Harley Erasmus kindly contributed this photograph - photographed ?

This Pontnewydd view from the 1940/50`s, was taken from the bridge over `Cwmbran Drive - A4051)`( .. previously the Eastern Valley railway line), looking down Station Road behind the photographer is Commercial Street ..

Mel Hillman relates: This is Station Road, Pontnewydd before the `new town` was started. The fence on the right protects the drop to the access road to the railway goods/coal yard. The current entrance to Porth Mawr Road is on the right at the end of the fencing. The Church on the left must have been replaced by a more substantial stone building as this was the local Labour Exchange when I moved to Cwmbran in 1956 and I remember `signing on` there for summer holidays in my university student days. We used the sweet shop next to it quite often.

.. The Well Centre - Station road - Pontnewydd ..

Lawrence Skuse relates:

This is the old Presbyterian Chapel in Station Road Pontnewydd, now the Well Centre, and  well I remember it as the Labour Exchange, once signing on there for "dole" more years ago than I care to remember. Where the housing estate next to it now is, there used to be before the war, so I was told, the local cinema.

    Reverend Mike Endicott relates:

The site freehold belongs to the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Wales. It was originally acquired by them in 1905 to provide an extra place of worship during the Welsh Revival of 1904. At that time the various churches in Pontnewydd were  carrying out 2000 Baptisms per week!

By 1935 the original corrugated iron building had long ago been replaced by a brick church, consisting only of the large room under the main roof. Then were added a single storey extension along the west and north walls.

With the advent of war, the church was taken over by government and became the local Benefit Office for the distribution of such things as food rationing coupons and orange juice for children.

After the war the building remained in use as a benefit office, gradually ceasing its old role and turning itself into a Labour Exchange to help the settling of returning men from the war and the just beginning influx of investment in South Wales.

In the 1950's, when the Cwmbran new town was being constructed, provision was made within it for a Job Centre and thus the building in the village of Pontnewydd became redundant. It was then leased to a church grouping referred to as New Life Fellowship and it remained under their use until the mid 90's.

With the demise of that local church, the building was left empty for some while attracting the usual vandalism and general deterioration that resulted.

So it was in the 90's that we found it in a somewhat dilapidated condition and it has now grown into the headquarters of a flourishing international religious Order, ( Jacob`s Well ) under the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the watchful eye of the Bishop of Monmouth, concerned with bringing healing and wholeness to those who need it through prayer.

It is intended in the Spring 2007, to open its doors to local non-church people who might find their way to us for that reason.

So, in that sense, it is still a benefit office!

.. Station Road ..

.. Ebenezer Evangelical (Congregational) Church ..

.. 1910 ..

.. 2011 ..

.. `Dock` Cottage - 5 Locks .. Adjacent to 5 Locks Moorings ..

`Dock` Cottage - Postcard scene (date unknown)

`Dock` Cottage `extended` 2008

I have been informed that the cottage is also known as `Lock` cottage but it was originally known as `Dock` cottage, due to the coal and limestone that was transported down from the mountain to the `Dock` and loaded into barges for transportation to Newport Docks.

16th November 2008

Ralph Williams relates: Back in the late 1940's I used to do my courting on the bridge just below the Cottage. One of the girls living by the Cross Keys Pub took my school hat off and threw it into the lock by the bridge. I had a `clip across the ear` when I got home. School hats cost a lot of money in those days.

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.


.. 1983 ..	.. 2006 ..	..Tastefully restored .. January 2009

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.