West Pontnewydd

Top of the line was Fourbouys, originally managed by Mr and Mrs Halliday, at the latter end of the Fourbouys life it was managed by Mr and Mrs Miller.

Next was Hughes' Bakery where the less fortunate amongst us could but stale cakes for a knock down price the following day.

Next down the ramp was the Co-operative , then there was Spencers drapers, then Chalmers chemist run by Mr Lannigan, after that E,Stanley Jones the butcher, then the Greengrocers run by Mr and Mrs Pickering, lastly the Home and Colonial run by Mr, and Mrs, Cook two lovely people who gave me a Saturday job which included, delivering groceries in that huge heavy bike with the frame at the front to hold the boxes. I also had to clean the weights, sweep up and clean the yard.

Great days, lovely memories.

.. Turf laying - Heol Y Pwca 1954 .. The lorry is possibly a Ford and the car is possibly a Vauxhall 12 ..

.. Carnival & Fete ..

This photograph, from my youth (circa 1958), shows the splendid and magnificent Welsh Dragon ( I remember it was vivid red), created by the hard work and dedication of the helpers from the Community Hall. The dragon was the centre piece on the `float` (flat bed lorry) ,that was West Pontnewydd`s `entry` in the yearly Cwmbran Carnival.

The Yew Tree Public House

(Closed Autumn 2009)

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West Pontnewydd Community Association.

Opened it's doors on May 30th,1964.

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Name:- Gary Evans
Email:- [email protected]

Message

I was a local at the yew tree for many years as I lived at 56 Maendy Wood Rise .(just down the road). This pub was kept for many years by Dixie Deans (ex Everton Fc) son. Dixie would visit regularly and was held in high esteem by the locals.

Date: 10th April 2005
Name:Angela Sampson (nee Quinn)
Email: [email protected]

Message

I used to go to the community centre in West Pontnewydd with some friends. Jane & Cheryl Herbert, Sian Curtis, Joanne Fry & Sharon Pask. The year was about 1969 and I was 9 years old -a lady by the name of Mrs Cadwell used to run it. We used to put on plays and they used to hold talent contest. My family emigrated to Australia in 1971. I am married with two children, and we are coming over for a 10 weeks holiday in May 2005.

The Yew Tree, was one of the "community pubs" designed to create an instant "community spirit". As young-ish children living in the prefabs at Pen y Parc, we would come over sometimes in the evening and buy pop and crisps at the off license counter, feeling very wicked and hoping our mothers would never find out we had "been to a pub"!

Of course, back in the 60s, it still had, as did most pubs then, two bars, the lounge and public bars. Dress standards were enforced for the lounge bar, and beer was a penny more. Don't know if they still have the skittle alley,

In the 1970s my mother worked there, the landlord's father/father-in-law was a former well known professional footballer Dixie Dean.