Charity No. 1187117
A farmhouse stands high above the Garw Valley, right on the edge of the steep hillside – with thick walls and comfortable low built rooms. In front of the house a clump of fir trees stand, as a bold landmark for the neighbourhood. It has been the home of many generations of yeoman farmers,…
One hundred years ago this month a tragic set of events unfolded at the Duchy Colliery, Pontyrhyl. March 2nd 1917 It started with what was to be a quarterly training exercise for the men of the Duchy Colliery Mines Rescue Team, at the colliery a request had been made to the colliery manager, Mr. Eli…
In January 1972, the N.U.M. Declared a national strike, over pay and pit closures. This strike led the way to an entirely new way of picketing. Up until then picketing of other workplaces to get support for a strike had been localised, standing outside the main gates of the nearest Power Station or Colliery asking…
Llewellyn Jones was not originally from the Garw Valley he was actually born in Llantwit Fadre in 1868. His parents Elias and Mary moved to Pontycymer when he was 12 years old. Elias Jones was following his trade as a coal miner/shaft sinker and this was the period of the Garw’s history when coal mining…
Glamorgan Gazette 15/12/1916 Seven small boys hailing from Pontycymmer and Blaengarw, viz., Francis J. Healey (9), Arthur G. Pullen (16), William Williams (14), Thomas Williams (15), Clifford Williams (12), Arthur Williams (12), and Bertie Williams (10), were summoned for “Noisily shouting out the newspapers on the Sabbath Day.” Police Sergeant Watts, in proving the case,…