{DOCUMENTING OUR PAST}
Rona Cracknell, Summer 2020 My solitary walks are in the local cemetery. I read as I start walking – there’s a plaque beneath each tree: “Aged 21”, “Killed on the Somme” or he was “Lost at sea” Beyond this avenue of trees commemorating strife Are further texts remembering a loving family life: “Sacred to the memory of a beloved wife” The graveyard’s on a hillside, the…
Near the village of Llangynwyd lies the farm known as Gelli Lenor. This was once owned by Morgan James. One of his daughters Catherine fell in love with a farm labourer, Sion Bivan. This young man was in turn besotted with the fair Catherine. This love was recognised by Catherine’s parents and heartily discouraged. The man that they had chosen for their…
Billy Moore was born in his Grandmother’s sweetshop at Greenmeadow Terrace, Llangeinor on the 17th February 1908. He resided with his parents there, Bertram and Lily Moore. His Grandmother was Fanny Moore, a Widow. Bertram was a Coal Miner, born in Bettws while Mam Lily was a Housewife. The family had previously lived in nearby Tynyrheol. Billy was a…
Having already looked into the population of Blaengarw from the 1841-1911 censuses inclusive, I have attempted to carry out a similar approach for the other Garw mining communities. However, I have restricted my research to the population immediately before housing development, and immediately afterwards. Due to size of the project which I did not fully anticipate, I…
Please read our latest newsletter. Click the link to download and enjoy!