Website Archives

2024
Oct
Sep
Jun
May
23
EVAN GRIFFITHS (Ieuan Ebblig)
“ MINISTER of the Independent Church, TRANSLATOR, AND PRINTER. Evan was born on the 18th of January ...”
Apr
Mar
2023
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2022
Dec
22
The Wizards Of Wood Street
“ By Don Macivor During the 1930s the Pontycymmer Refuse Dump, was more commonly known as 'The ...”
05
Sep
15
03
Cadw Open Doors Event
“ The Garw Valley Heritage Society, in conjunction with Calon y Cwm, will be holding a ...”
Aug
Jul
May
Mar
2021
Dec
Jun
03
We need your help!
“ We love to read your stories, so we have made a new webpage for you ...”
Feb
16
Sheep of the Garw
“From earliest times sheep have been a prominent feature of the landscape of the Garw Valley. ...”
Taffy
“ by Alun Rees Taffy is a Welshman,Taffy is no thief.Someone came to Taffy's house,And stole ...”
14
Outdoor Pursuits
“ Years ago an elderly Betws gentleman, sadly no longer here, was well-known for his wealth ...”
13
Rag, Tag and Bone Tales
“ This particular story does not relate to the Garw valley, but to an earlier childhood ...”
2020
Dec
Sep
27
Lockdown Walks- a poem
“ Rona Cracknell, Summer 2020 My solitary walks are in the local cemetery. I read as I start walking - there’s ...”
Love and Betrayal at Gelli Lenor
“ Near the village of Llangynwyd lies the farm known as Gelli Lenor. This was once owned by ...”
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Jan
2019
Nov
Oct
Sep
Jun
29
23
Resurrection Cheese
“About the years 1860-64, a Mr. Plowden, of Trefenty. Nr Llanfihangel, permitted a local shepherd ...”
13
Mar
23
15
Spring Newsletter
“Here's our spring newsletter. You can find it up and down the Garw Valley at ...”
Feb
25
07
04
Entombed in a drift: exciting rescue attempt.
“All day Wednesday, and througout Tuesday, a band of miners made heroic efforts to extricate ...”
Jan
2018
Dec
08
Winter Newsletter
“Here is our Winter newsletter - we hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas to you ...”
07
Place Names
“http://www.Cymdeithasenwaulleoeddcymru.org.uk would be interested in any place-name collecting that anyone is collecting. Local knowledge can ...”
03
Taking Care
“The following instructions were found within a book of carbon copy business letters dated between ...”
Oct
Sep
Jul
14
09
Summer Newsletter 2018
“We have distributed our most recent newsletter throughout the valley. You can find it in ...”
Jun
18
04
Isaac
“By Roy Davies There was a quietness that sat in the streets of the valley in ...”
May
Apr
18
Billy's Bands 1940-1998
“By William T Parker Copyright Applied For "Tongue it, tongue it you flamers.”  These were the first ...”
Mar
27
Spring Newsletter 2018
“We have just published our Spring 2018 newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw ...”
02
Jan
20
19
Fireflies
“by Ron Davies The big difference between now and then – the war years and just ...”
2017
Dec
03
Winter Newsletter 2017
“Here is our Winter newsletter. It is distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can find ...”
Oct
27
20
10
Our Autumn Newsletter 2017
“Here is our  Autumn newsletter. It is distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can find ...”
07
Sep
30
19
12
Bonfire Night by Roy Davies
“The Garw Valley Heritage Society are proud to present a story by Roy Davies, remembering ...”
Aug
Jul
Jun
05
Summer Newsletter 2017
“https://issuu.com/garwheritage/docs/newsletter_summer_2017_draft2  ”
Pontyrhyl Police Station 
“By David JK Jones How many people even knew that there was such a place? Not ...”
May
Apr
10
Poisoned by Wild Carrots
“Poisoned by Wild Carrots Seven Garw Children Affected All the children were poisoned by eating 'Wild Carrots' ...”
The Story of Brynmor
“ Submitted by Roy Davies Brynmor wiped a thin smear of dust from his mother's photograph with his ...”
Mar
Feb
28
21
11
Beryl's Brush
“ As a reminder that Spring-cleaning may soon be necessary, one of the Garw’s older residents, ...”
10
06
05
Pontycymer Child's Fall
“On Thursday of last week little Willie Clifford Hawkins, aged five,son of Mr. and Mrs. ...”
Jan
17
The Old Mill, Llangeinor
“The Garw Valley is divided into the upper and lower sections by a geological feature ...”
11
2016
Dec
22
Llewellyn Jones
“Llewellyn Jones was not originally from the Garw Valley he was actually born in Llantwit ...”
Shouting On The Sabbath
“Glamorgan Gazette 15/12/1916 Seven small boys hailing from Pontycymmer and Blaengarw, viz., Francis J. Healey (9), ...”
13
Winter Newsletter 2016
“https://issuu.com/garwheritage/docs/newsletter_winter_2016_final_”
10
01
Nov
Oct
27
15
The Flying F.R.O.G. or Flight of the Phoenix
“When I was about 13 years old I remember getting for Christmas what I considered the ...”
The Betws Pioneers
“ It was in September, 1949, when Betws saw the beginning of an influx of new ...”
14
Memoirs Of A Garw Delivery Boy
“ Home delivery is not a new-fangled idea at all. Back in the 60s I was ...”
11
Unruly Language in a Public Place
“ FROM A 1914 EDITION OF THE GAZETTE. A woman was out shopping in the town recently ...”
10
03
Sep
27
Pontycymer Poltergeist: Woman Attacked by an Apparition
“Original article in the Glamorgan Gazette of 10/1/1908. A scene of  outrage played out at the ...”
Aug
Jul
01
Summer 2016 Newsletter
“We have published our Summer 2016 newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw Valley. ...”
Jun
May
22
G.V.H.S. Exhibition at Bettws Social/Community Club
“Gerard's Diary Notes from the Exhibition DAY 1 The set-up for this 3-day event went very well ...”
21
Football Fines
“A serious crime in April 1915.... FOOTBALL FINES Ernest Watts (15), 57 Victoria St, Pontycymmer. David Morgan (16) ...”
20
Apr
Feb
25
Sapper Howard H. Rees (542)
“Sapper Howard H. Rees (542) and his letter to his brother D. J. Rees, Pontycymmer ...”
24
Spring Newsletter 2016
“Here is our Spring newsletter. It is distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can find it ...”
20
2015
Dec
31
Honoured aged 96 - Lena Charles, from Blaengarw.
“New Year Honours: Volunteer, 96, delighted with BEM Among the New Year Honours in Wales is ...”
Nov
30
Lest We Forget: World War I
“ Here is a poignant reminder of how the young boys of a hundred years ago ...”
27
Not One for the Derby
“ Tom Kinsey had driven a horse and cart for the Coop for quite some time ...”
26
Our Winter Newsletter 2015
“Here is our Winter newsletter. It is distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can find ...”
16
11
Pontycymer Memories.
“Bob in Pontycymer Bob and his fascination with Pontycymer. This was shared with us via our ...”
07
06
Cyril “BUNNY” Eddington
“ Bunny was a well-known sportsman in the Garw Valley in the 1930s and 40s. He ...”
Oct
12
Cynefin Project
“Discover what your farm's fieldnames were in the 1840s on this website. We can see Betws and ...”
Sep
20
17
Autumn 2015 Newsletter
“Here is our  Autumn newsletter. It is distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can find ...”
Jun
15
Summer Newsletter 2015
“We have published our Summer newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can ...”
May
08
Pte Moses Phipps.
“ Pte Moses Phipps: Well Known Pontycymmer Footballer Killed In Action. 'Much sympathy is felt throughout ...”
Apr
23
The Garw Valley Now and Then
“Our member Colin Simper has been working on a set of photos to show Garw ...”
21
Spring Newsletter 2015
“We have published our Spring newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw Valley. You can ...”
15
12
Noisy Newspaper Seller
“From the Glamorgan Gazette, 4th Dec 1914. William. H. Radcliffe, Schoolboy, Pontycymmer, was summoned to court for ...”
04
Mar
29
On this day in 1915 we are mostly reminded that.....
“Mr and Mrs John Wile of 1 the Avenue, Pontycymmer have 5 sons, all of ...”
24
Luther Stephens: Lloffwr Arall
“Luther Stephens was born in 1888 in Llanelli. His father was a Brewery Dray man. Luther ...”
18
13
 A letter from Pte Emmanuel Goss, Somerset Light Infantry
“Written in 'Buzzer' dug-out, Somewhere in France. Feb 1916. " We have been getting that sort ...”
SAD RETURN OF WOUNDED BLAENGARW SOLDIER
“12/3/1914. On Wednesday of last week the second son of Mr. Bailey, of 7, Greenfield Terrace. ...”
10
"Parrot Swore at Police": Blaengarw Club Raid Incident
“ The following story comes from the South Wales Echo of  7/4/1937 A parrot, which was alleged ...”
05
Feb
28
24
14
Pte Frank Shaylor and The Retreat from Mons
“ The following letter was received by Mr. and Mrs. Shaylor, Pontycymmer, from their son. Pte F. ...”
Jan
03
01
Happy New Year! Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!
“ Traditional black and white film of men in the village of Llangynwyd carrying out the ...”
2014
Dec
30
Our Year Online
“Half way through 2014 we switched to Jetpack, an application that tracks activity on our ...”
16
Glamorgan Gazette Article
“Readers may like to know that we had reason to make a correction to a ...”
12
Winter Newsletter 2014
“We have published our Winter 2014 newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw Valley. ...”
Nov
21
Christmas Gifts and Cards
“CHRISTMAS CARDS of LOCAL VIEWS 4 to choose fromBlaengarw, Pontycymer, Llangeinor, the Lakes65 pence each, or ...”
Oct
18
Isaac and Priscilla Thomas: their story.
“Written and researched by Maureen Browning & Sandra Hayes (nee Heycock) Isaac Thomas was born in1851, ...”
Sep
26
Exhibition in Blaengarw
“The Garw Valley Heritage Society will be holding its last WW1 exhibition for this year ...”
11
WW1 Exhibition in Llangeinor
“The Garw Valley Heritage Society will be holding their fifth exhibition of 2014 in the ...”
01
The Beginning of a Mining Community
“Submitted by Colin Davies As far as the history of mining communities in the Garw is ...”
Aug
05
Our Summer Newsletter 2014
“We have published our Summer 2014 newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw Valley. ...”
01
Digital Bridgend, and what it means for Bridgend’s Heritage
“With more and more people owning smartphones and tablets, and being able to use these ...”
Jul
19
03
2014 A.G.M. News
“2/7/2014 saw the 6th A.G.M. of our society, and as our membersare often asked what ...”
Jun
May
14
Help Request!
“Has anybody seen our gunboat plaque? In 1942-3, during War Savings Week, the people of the ...”
Apr
25
World War 1 Booklet Published!
“We have great pleasure in presenting our World War 1 Booklet. The booklet has been ...”
13
Exhibitions News
“To mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War1 the Garw Valley Heritage Society ...”
10
The Flat Rat of Brunel's Waiting Room
“Submitted by David Dimmick This is the true tale of the discovery of a mummified ...”
Feb
27
1927 School Pupil's Poem, "River"
“Here is a poem by Ffaldau School pupil written in 1927 about the Garw River. Edna ...”
2013
Dec
11
WW1 Requests!
“We are looking for household items that would have been used in the Garw Valley ...”
Nov
21
Request!
“The Garw Valley Heritage Society is looking to expand its website (www.garwheritage.co.uk) and urgently needs ...”
Oct
14
All Mod Cons
“Submitted by Colin T Davies Although I was born in Bridgend my parents moved away ...”
07
A PIT ACCIDENT 26/11/1961
“Submitted by Keith Brocklebank I went to work on the afternoon shift on this day, my ...”
01
The Stormy Flight of' 'Taffy' Jones, by David Dimmick
“Submitted by David Dimmick During the late 1970s I worked as a foreman renovating a WW2 ...”
Sep
15
Autumn 2013 Newsletter
“The Garw Valley Heritage Society has produced its 4th newsletter, for Autumn 2013, and includes ...”
Aug
Jul
02
World War One Help Needed
“In 2014, the Heritage Society is proposing to develop an exhibition and display of articles ...”
May
04
“The Welsh School” Bridgend Road, Pontycymmer
“Submitted by David JK Jones Having lived in Upper Adare Street for a few years ...”
01
Jack's Station Cafe Memory
“When Italy won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964, I was a 15-year-old boy growing ...”
Apr
17
With Beards Frozen to our Coats
“My father was John James Dimmick, and he enlisted in the South Wales Borderers in ...”
Mar
25
Spring Newsletter 2013
“We have just published our Spring 2013 newsletter, which will be distributed throughout the Garw ...”
15
Christopher Carlyon: Pontycymmer's unsung aviation pioneer
“An interesting article from the BBC website here on Christopher Carlyon: Pontycymmer's unsung aviation pioneer.”
08
From the archives: a more recent memory....
“Demolished during the 1990s on the demise of the railway line and the diversion of ...”
Feb
Jan
20
Griffith J Griffiths: Betws twinned with Hollywood
“Griffith Jenkin Griffths was born on the 4/1/1850 at Penybryn farm, Bettws to Morgan and Margaret ...”
14
Our First Newsletter 2013
“We recently printed our first newsletter, and distributed it throughout the Garw Valley. You can ...”
01
Pontycymer to Blaengarw - On the train in 1966
“Kindly submitted by By David J K Jones On the 11th September 1966 aged ten ...”
2012
Nov
22
Heroes and Legends: Richard Price
“Here is our society member Gerald Jarvis telling the story of Ricahrd Price, an audio ...”
Oct
31
Heroes and Legends: Samuel Pitt
“Here is our society member Jean Fowlds telling the story of Samuel Pitt, an audio ...”
11
Overview of the Year
“Well what a busy year this has been for our Society. As well as attending ...”
Jul
01
Daniel James (Gwyrosydd)
“Daniel James was born on the 23rd of January 1848 in a cottage in Llangyfelach ...”
Jun
25
21
Treboeth Heritage Society's Calon Lan walk
“On Wednesday June 20th, the G.V.H.S. played hosts to the Treboeth Heritage Society (Swansea). A ...”
17
Choral Singing, Blaengarw & Llangeinor
“Kindly submitted by C Davies, written by his father, T.H. Davies Choral singing has a long and ...”
14
05
G.V.H.S. at Braichycymer / Pontyrhyl Jubilee Fete
“On Monday the 4th of June, G.V.H.S. were invited to set up a stall outdors ...”
01
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
19
13
Garw Heritage Society News
“The Society was represented at the Community Transport Forum, held in Cefn Cribwr on 21 ...”
2011
Oct
09
William James Stennings
“Information kindly supplied by Mrs D.Stanley (neé Hayes) William James was the only son of the ...”
07
The Betws Show
“The Society would like to thank everyone who came to see us at Betws Show, ...”
Sep
15
14
Dilwyn FRANCIS, 1922
“The society has been asked by Robert Lapes to help trace friends and family of ...”
05
Aug
31
Calon Lan Guided Walk
“A free guided walk will be taking place in Blaengarw on Saturday 17th September. The theme ...”
22
May
Apr
22
21
14
A Child of the Valley, Part 3
“Part Three, by Ann Leitch In September 1943 I set off down The Avenue to begin ...”
Mar
30
Garw Valley, A Short History
“Garw Valley, A Short History, 1850 - 1950 Submitted by Colin Williams, with this introduction...... In 1987 my ...”
16
Richard Price of Llangeinor
“By Gerald Jarvis Richard Price was born at Tyn Ton farm on February 23rd in 1723.His ...”
11
Newsletter March 2011
“Continuing our aims of gathering materials to archive, we have made considerable progress on ...”
04
Feb
Jan
06
05
Changes to archived photos
“Please note we are updating our archive system and so some photo numbers may not ...”
2010
Sep
09
New Photos
“We have added new photos to our gallery. There is a new set devoted to ...”
Jul
20
Llangeinor Show Success
“The Heritage Society showed off the new banners we have purchased and these proved useful ...”
Jun
29
19
Index of Archived Photographs
“The society is busy cataloging and indexing all the photos it receives. Here is the ...”
14
May
17
Forthcoming Events
“Have now put a list of events the society will be attending. Stop by and ...”
Apr
14
Community Consultation
“Llangeinor Arms, 27th April, 6-8pm. Groundwork Bridgend are holding a community consultation for the St. Cein's Rural ...”
02
Mar