Merthyr Mawr, Rethatching The Old School c.1955

Photo ref: M212002

My family built and lived at Merthyr Mawr. My grandfather was a younger son, so left there when he grew up and married, to another Nicholl. However he managed the estate and when I was a small child we would regularly visit my grandparents, then living at Laleston, and would always spend time at Merthyr Mawr. At that time the hospital that had occupied the ground floor during the war had gone, leaving it ...see more

Dear Marie, This is Jean Lewis, nee-Howells, calling. It is special finding you on the internet, I have thought about you now and again over the years, thinking how you got on in Australia. I have still got the little leather Girl Guide address book you gave me!! I remember your Mum and what a fantastic age, you must have looked after her very well. My Mum died at 60 years of age. I got married in ...see more

The Punching Tree was in front of the church. I spent alot of time at Merthyr Mawr, camping with the 5th Bridgend Hope Church Girl Guides. I became Captain of them in about 1954. Does anyone remember the Water Mill? I also camped at Wig Fach at Gorwellion. My maiden name was Roberts and I emigrated to West Austalia in 1975. My mother came out to join me and my family in1990, she will be 100 years old on 17.01.2011. She has a million memories of the Bridgend area.

What a 'Swinging Bridge' it was at Merthyr Mawr back in the 1050s! I don't know when it was changed to a 'solid' bridge, but how it ever survived the rough handling that we 'Cottage Homes Boys' gave it every year...Well! Amazing! We would walk down the lanes from the 'Homes', past 'Island Farm' POW Camp, then on past 'Bluebell Woods', and 'Primrose Woods' (if there were girls with us, we'd detour into the ...see more