In the start of what I hope to be a new series, I have made a list of five things….places, occasions, feelings etc. in Merthyr that I remember from my childhood (I have mentioned several other memories such as hot chocolate in Ferrari’s Café in Dowlais – undoubtedly the best memory elsewhere).
- The strange multicoloured polygonal playing frame in the precinct. Whatever happened to that?
- Queuing as far as Burtons to go and see the first Star Wars film at the Scala (Temperance Hall)…..I was only 8 at the time, and I made my aunty take me to see it six times – I don’t think she ever forgave me.
- In connection to the above, collecting the plastic Star Wars figures. I remember buying them from a shop in the High Street called ‘Cards and Gifts’ (or something like that) – if I remember correctly one of the few places you could get them, and then being totally bereft when the building burnt down. My cousin and I would play for hours with the figures, re-arranging all of my parents’ house plants into various jungle ‘scenes’.
- Spending hours playing on the old coal-tips in Abercanaid (by this time grass-covered), and being traumatised when the powers that be took them away (not to mention my grandfather’s garden – a fact he bemoaned until his dying day), to build the extension to the Hoover Factory, and new road into Abercanaid.
- Being told never to use the subway under the road in Caedraw…..but being daring, and doing it anyway with the other local children, and being scared to death.
Now it’s your turn. What do you remember from your childhood?
Let’s try to make this a successful feature – send me an e-mail at merthyr.history@gmail.com and share your five Merthyr-related childhood memories.
My earliest memories date from the time when I lived with my mother and grandparents in Clare Street. I used to like talking to a man known as Mr Francis the Yeast (a baker) who had an allotment in the row between Clare St and Ernest St. He grew lovely beans, and every time I see been flowers, I remember him. My Gran’s friend Auntie Gertie lived in the last house in Clare St. She was so lovely. She had a side step to the back yard as it was higher than the pavement there. I used to sit with her cat Tibby and our dog Sian, one either side of me (they got along fine) then go in and have a biscuit from her wood and silver biscuit barrel. Grand and Grampa’s friends from Market Square, Mr and Mrs Tudor Lloyd, lived in Ernest Street. They had a goldfish in a bowl, and I used to give it food from a little tub – my special job! My friends Pat and Colin Jones lived next door to Auntie Gertie. Their dad worked at Crosswoods. They had electricity and a fridge, so their mum made ice lollies from pear juice. How I loved it. Pat, Colin and I used to pick wild flowers along the tramroad the other side of Plymouth Street then arrange them in jam jars for a flower show in the back yard. What simple, happy days they were. Later we moved to Summerhill, behind Thomastown, so my friendship group changed, although all the people I’ve mentioned were still friends at Caedraw Mission and Market Square Chapel. All now gone. These are just about my earliest memories.
Thank you I enjoyed reading that. You mat know my cousin Gloria Kinnear (was Stephens). Spent a lot of time in that part of Merthyr visiting family in Mardy Terrace.
I recognise your name and Gloria’s from Facebook posts, but that’s as far as it goes! Were you at Twyn School, infants or juniors? I was in Miss Mansell’s class in the Infants, then Mrs Allman and after that Mrs James at the Juniors. I then went to the County in 1962. I left Merthyr for Aber in 1969, then went from there to Northampton. I’ve moved around a fair bit, but came home to Wales – at last – in November last year. It’s good to be back, if a little confined by illness then Covid!
I remember shopping with my mother in law in Dowlais on Saturday mornings. We would do our shopping and then go to the Italian cafe for frothy coffee.on one particular Saturday she took me to Crynogwens ladies dress shop and bought me some hot pants with a matching jacket. I was so pleased as we didn’t have much money at that time so it was really special to me.
I remember going to Schwartz show rooms on Merthyr high street and buying our first three piece suite and Mr Schwartz served us.
I remember Rosie Royals Buying fruit and veg with my mother and seeing all the game hanging outside.
Going to the Castle cinema and having to miss the end of the film every time as we had to catch the last bus home to Pontsticill.
I also remember walking up to Merthyr general hospital to go the night shift and the clock was on fire so I ran and raised the alarm.the fire brigade had to break into matron flat as she was away and this was where the clock was situated. It was replaced with a window soon after.
Lovely memories of familiar places. How lovely it all was before the days of so many of the same shops in every place. My mother sometimes shopped at Crynogwen. My place was Manettes! I used to go to Chic Fashions to look at clothes with my friend, but I never bought anything there.Mr Schwartz was a lovely man. He used my Gran’s former family premises in Plymouth Street (Glantaff) as a storage warehouse . All gone, but our memories last for ever. It’s lovely to share them on this site.