. St. Dials Primary School .

 Builder - Mr. Henry Parfitt (Pontnewydd)

 .. If you have a memory you would like to share, it would be great to hear from you ...

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.. St. Dial School  - Class of circa 1934 ..

Betty Lewis, Gwen Jones, Doreen Thomas, Nina Poulton, Mavis ?, Beryl Jones, Roma Prosser, Olive Sly, Edith Eyre, (Miss Powell)

Maureen Jones, N. Harris, Irene Jenkins, Nancy Lawrence, Florence Powell, Faith Mavasces, Veronica Burci , Pearl Thomas, Gladys Jones, Jessica Phillips,

Doreen Williams, Doris Wilson, Megan ? , Irene Jones, Mary Burr, ? Cissy Gilmore, Doreen Harris, Audrey Simmonds, Betty Flyn, Gwen Jones, Ivy Hinwood,

Margaret Woods,  Francis Mills, Hazel Pritchard, Betty Hurley, Nellie Edwards, Ivy Messurer, Rona Beech , Glenys Morgan,

M. Eckley, Jenny Hughes, Rene Davis , Violet Hinwood, Joyce Leighfield.

.. Photo contributed by Andrew Cruickshanks who relates that Verona (Rona) Beech is his mother ..

.. St.Dials School  Class of 1967 ..

Ron Cooke:- This photograph shows my class mates and teachers from 1967; some of the names I remember are :-

Back Row (L-R):  Steven Elliot, Jane Smith, Julie Jones, Edwina (ed) Powell, Michael Davies, Clive Goddard, Maggie West.
Middle Row (L-R): Ron Cooke, David Andrews, Kevin Phillips, Richard Baber, Keith Goode, Steven Boxhall or Vauxhall,
Front Row (L-R): Kay Davies, Maureen Dancy, Adrian Beake, Steven Mayo,Frank Bishop, Tony Lane, Steven Poole.

.. Teachers are Mr. Sedgewick (Head Master) and Miss Smith ..

 .. If you recognize yourself or anyone else it would be great to hear from you ..

.. St. Dial’s Junior Girls School circa 1955 ..

St. Dial's School R. F. T., Cwmbran, 1926-27

.. Winners Ivor Jones Cup (Pontypool & District) ..

Back Row (left to right) :- A. Davies. I Nicholson. A. Spanswick. Mr.W.Scott (Trainer) Mr. F. Dovey. A. Compton. W. Henshaw. P. Harris. Mr. B. G. Tillney. Mr. W. S. Davies.    A. Chapman. A  Williams. R. Williams (Vice-Capt.)  L. Morgan (Capt.) P. Thomas. J. Sly. R. Berrow.   Front Row (left to right) :-  A. Morgan. W. Beale.

.. St. Dials - Class circa 1950`s ..

    This photograph was taken in Cwmbran Park; Garnet Chapman (contributor) is seated in the front row, fourth from the left.

.. if you can name any others please click here ..

.. Class of 1946 ..

.. Do you recognise yourself ? can you name fellow classmates? if so please click here to email me ..

 John Berry responds:- Tony Jenkins is 4th from the left middle row, Terry Jenkins is last on the right front row. I recognize Ken Jayne 7th from the right middle row, I think Ken used to live in one of the semi detached properties between the Salvation Army and Stone Row.

Terry Price relates:

I might be the 1st person on the left hand side, in the second row, perhaps someone could tell me if the `Willis family` were in St. Dials at this time: then I could be sure that it's me in the photo. I can recall Robin Willis who, `ruled the school yard` !`.

My father had a printing business on Coronation Road; it was, I believe before that, near St. Dials School.

The `Price family` were established in Cwmbran; 3 brothers and 3 sisters. I went to St. Dials School for two years leaving when my father died in 1950.

We lived firstly in Pontymoel, then the Blackbirds; Later in life, I went to Abersychan Technical Grammar School , then went on to become a trainee Manager in the Woolworths store in Pontypool.

 I still have some family in Upper Cwmbran, David Cocker; My mother's family are more well known in Pontypool, they were the `Langdons`.

 

My best memories of Cwmbran were the Saturday cinema, and later the Girling dances!!

Great! to have made contact I am 68 now (2007) and live in France.

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Graham Pattimore relates: I went to this school from 1952 / 1958, I have very fond memories of my time at this school, myself and my school mates used to walk along the canal bank from Forgehammer to Old Cwmbran, it was safe to do so in those days.

I vividly remember most of my teachers at the school, especially Reg Smith, who was a great inspiration to most of the children who attended the school; he was very strict but also very fair.

I remember every morning Mr. Smith, would ask all the class to hold out their hands so that he could inspect them to make sure that they were clean, and if they weren't, then he would send you to the toilets to wash them and re-inspect them when you got back to class. He was a great teacher who was liked by all.

I also remember Mr. Bassett and the head master at that time who was known as `spike` Jones, he was a great character, who insisted all pupils would visit his room at least 4 times a year for a spelling test. I recall that he had a very strong welsh accent and insisted that we all pronounced our rrr`s to the extreme.

I can also recall the huge pile of coal next to the head master's office which was used to run the boilers for the school heating, this was wheel barrowed into the boiler house by Mr. Len Brinkworth, who was everyone's friend.

Another lasting memory relates to my pal, Stewart Cameron and myself; we would come out of school on lunch time and hurry across to Old Cwmbran railway station where we would just be in time to get the train to Pontnewydd; (it was steam in those days) the fare was 1 penny. We would get off at Pontnewydd station and run home for our lunch, this was easy for Stewart as he only had to go to Chapel Street, but I had to go to Woodside road, then after a much hurried lunch I would run back up to Pontnewydd and meet up with Stewart for the return journey back to Cwmbran station to get back to school on time.

We did this religiously, five days a week, all this for a trip on a wonderful steam train.

Gerry King recalls: The Cwmbran Youth Band used it as a rehearsal room at one stage.

Stuart Roberts recalls:  A Youth club being held there.

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.. Circa 1969/70 ..

.. Photograph contributed by Ralph Williams (`Ladywell`, Pontnewydd) ..

 .. If you recognize yourself or anyone else it would be great to hear from you ..

Back row (left to right) :- Gillian Morgan, Hayden Powell, Freddy Cross, Malcolm Willis, Michael Trotman, Leslie Jones, Stephen Williams, Jamie Evans, David Williams, 

3rd row (left to right):- Graham Miller,  Ronnie Gray,  Stephen Noakes, Paul Ahern, Alex McGee, Michael Smith, Andrew Dobson, Ian Compton,

2nd row (left to right):- Debra Hurley, Pamela Cottrell, Jackie Bowditch, Marianne Purcell, Sian Morris, Linda Williams, Catherine Jenkins, Heather Jones, Sarah Stevens,

Front row (left to right):- Robert Benjamin, Paul Hendy, Andrew Richards, Richard Wheeler, Julian North, Barry Guy, Trevor Head, Mark Stevens.  

Paul Hendy responds:- I remember when the photo was taken, we were all told by the photographer to shout 'E'. Hence the smiles. Mr smith was such a great teacher, I'll never forget him. He put fear of god into us if we stepped out of line, but most of the time he was full of great stories and would play the clown. Everyone loved his impersonation of Mick Jagger (jick magger) as he'd say, he would pretend to play guitar with his cane and sing 'satisfaction'. He would call Paul Ahern out in front of the class to do his Tom Jones impersonation as well. Some of us were always were always getting up to mischief and most of the time getting caught, [yes i was one]. Then ol'e 'smickers' would deal out the punishment or if he was in a good mood, a lecture. . . .  Happy days.

.. Click here to  email me or send your Photographs ..

.. St. Dial's  Girls School - 1946 - Standard 3 ..

.. Photograph contributed by Joyce Eyre ..

... St. Dials Primary School ...

.. Circa 1968/9 ..

.. Photograph contributed by Ralph Williams (`Ladywell`, Pontnewydd) ..

Top Row on the end was Lyndon Parry.

Middle Row 2nd in was David Williams, 5th one in was Steven Bowen, 8th one in was Rowen Carter.

Front Row was the Malpas twins.

 .. If you recognize yourself or anyone else it would be great to hear from you ..

Angela Cooke responds: I was looking at the pictures and I've spotted my Mam!! in the photo above, she is in the back row, in the middle wearing a blue flowery outfit. Her maiden name was Marion Williams (now Cooke) ... It was a bit of a shock to come across her in the photograph, ha, ha.

.. Click here to  email me or send your Photographs ..

.... St.Dials Primary School ....

.. Class of 1948 ..

Top Row (left to right):- Bryn Draper, A.Diaz,  J.Oleman, Ronald Palmer , Ken Jones , John Chapman,  D.Chaney, Dave Toms,  ? , ? .

Middle Row (left to right):- Dai Day, John Perry, P.Jinks, David Graham , Harold Halford, Peter Worsdell, B.Wheeler Jones, Mike Lewis,  ? , Glyn Compton, Josh Evans.

Front Row (left to right):- Glyn Jones(Pinne) J.Berry, D.Hall, Glyn Cousins, M. Lawaun,  Brian Howard (nipper), J.Beal, Malcolm Sykes, Brian Hill, Rhys Hopkins, Tom Jones. Paul Spreadbury.

 (Photograph kindly contributed by Brian Howard )

 .. If you recognize yourself or anyone else it would be great to hear from you ..

.. Click here to  email me or send your Photographs ..

 

John Berry relates:- it was just great to come across your web site of St Dials school, I am in the class photograph of 1948 and I am surprised that I was recognised and named. I was in this class from about 1944 to 1950 when I left the school to go to Abersychan Tech. a few others in the photograph also went with me.

 

Like many others I have good memories of the school including the cane which I am now glad about, there is no doubt in my mind that this discipline helped shape my future. My cousin Percy Blount (PiP), (a long standing Cwmbran family) was at the school about the same time, he went forward to Abersychan Sec. and is now a resident in Australia.

 

My five brothers followed me through St.Dials, Joe Berry, Don Berry, Robert Berry, Noel Berry & Mike Berry, three of them still live in Cwmbran the other two, no further away than Newport.

I have many memories of my class mates in particular Brian Howard who contributed the photograph, In those days we did play together and he used to live in Abbey Road, I hope he is well. We are all 70 years of age now.

 

I have good recollections of :

 

Bryn Draper, Oak St. on the canal,   Andrew Diaz the tough one in our class,   John Oleman the Bakery Oak St.,  David Chaney & Dave Toms,   Dia Day of Waun Rd.,   Peter Jinks of Pontnewydd who's father lead the youth club both no longer with us,   Glyn Compton of Llantarnam Rd.??   Glyn Jones (Pinne) of Cocker Avenue,   Jeff Beal was a close friend and enjoyed his Cricket,   Malcome Sykes who lived up Hill Top, and Paul Spreadbury playing the Cornet and the shortest of us all.

 

I have just constructed my first web site have a look at the first line www.jberryxgas.co.uk

 

My regards and best wishes to everyone. John B.

 .. If you recognize yourself or anyone else it would be great to hear from you ..

.. Click here to  email me or send your Photographs ..

 ..... St Dials Infants  School ..... 

   .. circa 1950 ..  

Former `Old Cwmbran boy`- John Jenkins, who now resides in South Africa :- this photograph was taken in Cwmbran Park, (Belle Vue Road and Wire Works in background) of my Class. 

.. If my memory serves me right the names are as follows ..

From left to right - Robin Irving * Jenny Smith * John Jenkins *  David Thomas *  Girl? * Colin Guy *  Roger Wheatstone?* Girl? * Malcolm Davies * Kenneth Thurston * Girl (Possibly Beryl) * Boy? *

Front row - Girl? * Alistair Howard *  Girl?

 .. If you recognize yourself or anyone else it would be great to hear from you ..

.. Click here to  email me or send your Photographs ..