Local Stories – Page 4 – Garw Valley Heritage Society

Bonfire Night – Part 2

ChildhoodadminSeptember 19, 20170

Part 2, The Collection

There weren’t many articles and materials that could be burnt which remained inside people’s homes and gardens in the weeks leading up to bonfire night. Up and down the valley groups of boys – and some girls – scoured the mountainside tips for anything which would burn and which could be manhandled to the open space at the top of their street. In the weeks since they had been back at school they had knocked all the doors in that area of the valley begging ‘anything for the bomfire?’ and like some army of ants they had carried off in sacks or on their backs the materials people had decided could finally be disposed of.

Bonfire Night by Roy Davies

ChildhoodadminSeptember 12, 20170

The Garw Valley Heritage Society are proud to present a story by Roy Davies, remembering his early days in the Garw.

In the weeks leading up to Bonfire Night, we are printing one part per week.

The following is an account of the author’s boyhood in the Garw Valley when gangs of boys collected anything and everything months in advance to build their bonfires for November 5th.

Part 1 The Boys

“Sshh……” the voice hissed in the darkness.

Chum – a short story

Local StoriesadminJuly 22, 20170

Chum Short Story by Roy Davies, former Garw resident He could always smell the dogs’ pond a long way before he got to it and in the long hot stretches of summer it was always worse. “Pooh”, the groups of children walking on that side of the valley would say to each other. “What a…

Poisoned by Wild Carrots

Local StoriesGeraldApril 10, 20170

Poisoned by Wild Carrots Seven Garw Children Affected All the children were poisoned by eating ‘Wild Carrots’ (Daucus Carota,Queen Ann’s Lace.) which they found on the mountainside whilst playing. Four of the children, two boys and two girls belonging to Mr.William Griffiths. The elder boy partook lavishly of the roots, eating between eight or nine…

Memories of a Pontycymer Policeman

FeaturedadminMarch 26, 20174

Bernard Evans was brought up in Gilfach Goch. After completing his National Service he joined the South Wales Police. His first six months in the force was spent training in Bridgend before he was sent in 1961 to Pontycymer Police Station in Victoria Street as a probationer. There was a sergeant and four constables based…