Local Stories

Pontycymer Poltergeist: Woman Attacked by an Apparition

Leave a comment

Original article in the Glamorgan Gazette of 10/1/1908.

A scene of  outrage played out at the home of Mr, and Mrs Hitchings (Manager of Pontycymmer Co-operative Society) At 50. High St, Pontycymmer.

Mrs Hitchings was in the house with her two year old son just after 9pm.  She had just bade goodbye to a visitor, and did not accompany her to the front door immediately. She busied herself in the basement kitchen for some minutes, then went upstairs to latch the front door and then returned to the kitchen. She heard a soft bump upstairs and concluded that something had fallen but did not investigate.  Moments later she heard a a knock and lighted a candle to see who it was? On opening the front door she could see there was no-one there? Continue reading Pontycymer Poltergeist: Woman Attacked by an Apparition →

World War 1

Pte Richard T. Clarke. R.W.F. 1897-1916-2001

Leave a comment

Born in the St Mary’s area of Brecon in 1897.  He was working in Blaengarw in the Garw valley as a collier in 1914 when he enlisted in the 2nd Batt: Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

After his initial training he was sent to France to support his regiment which had been badly depleted because of casualties in the recent battle for Neuve Chappelle.

On the 22nd of July 1916.  German sappers detonated a mine directly under the British forward trenches at Givenchy- la Bass’ee. The mine contained 35,000lbs of explosive and was fired at 2:50 a.m. Killing 52 men instantly and leaving a crater 120 yds long, 70 yds wide and 30 foot deep in the British frontline.

Continue reading Pte Richard T. Clarke. R.W.F. 1897-1916-2001 →

Events

Bryngarw Exhibition & The Mayor

Leave a comment

The first public engagement for the newly-sworn-in Mayor of Bridgend Reg Jenkins, together with Mayoress Teresa Jenkins, was to visit the Garw Valley Heritage Society’s exhibition held over the bank holiday weekend at Bryngarw Park.

The Mayor and Mayoress have always been supportive of the Society in its aims to record and preserve the history of the Valley, and it was a pleasure to show them around the various stands on display.

Exhibits included sections on mining, railways, churches and chapels, as well as many artefacts from World War 1 in the trenches.

The photograph shows the Mayor and Mayoress, together with  members of the Society and Bryngarw Park’s Head Ranger, Keith Douglas.

{DOCUMENTING THE PAST}