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I've just discovered that Google street view is available in the Rhondda and I've been 'walking' along Darran Terrace and its vicinity. The baths wall has gone, replaced by railings and so the children's playground which is where the baths were is visible from the end of the street. At the top end of Darran the slope onto the mountain has been landscaped and trees planted and looks very pleasant. No. 38 Darran has been demolished.
On Dyffryn Street near the former Rhondda pub which it shows for sale most of the businesses have gone - they are now homes. I found No 61 which I was interested in - now a house also. It is the 5th from the end where Harriet's dress shop used to be. Anybody recall which shop it was?

Sheila

just been on there too Sheila - having been born up there and lived there for 15 years I never knew the road from the baths to the main road was called Brook Street!

When I first saw that name I wondered about it too as I'm sure there was no street name sign anywhere along it which said Brook St - but there's Teifi Terrace between Brynhyfyd and Union St which has 4 houses and where Tal's the cobblers was.

Sheila

As near as I can remember the Duffryn St. sequence next to Harriets was Miltons (later Nanw's), then Rossiters electricals, Arthur Evans groceries,
the Maypole dairy and a Chinese laundry ?? - its a long time ago though!

regards

Howard

Hello Howard

I remember all those except Arthur Evans the grocers and I also remember Jeremiah's and Powell's the butcher but they were nearer the bus stop - if you know where that was!! But my mind's a blank about the sequence between Rossiter's and Powell's. So No 61 might have been the Chinese laundry if you are right. Thanks for the help.

Sheila

Sheila
I remember Arthur Evans' grocery shop during WW2 when the Ration Books prevailed. Arthur was also the lay preacher at Temple Chapel and once hit me on the head (deservedly) with a hymnbook when I talked loudly at Sunday School. Passages of Life shows a picture of brewery on the original site of Temple.
The electrical shop was owned by Bert ROSSER. Lewis's Bakery was a little further down, they made superb meat pies. Dr Jones had a surgery next to the Rhondda Hotel. He also dispensed his own medicines. By the way, Dr Rice Rees had his practice in Rhondda Road with rustic furniture in reception. He always waited for the 6 pm news on the radio before he saw patients, who emerged with bottles of red or brown medicine which cured every ailment known to man.

Yes, it was Rosser's. Was there someone called Handel associated with that shop? I think I recall Lewis's the baker across the road from the Workmen's Hall so perhaps they moved? When Dr Jones and Dr Williams were in the surgery they had a little sliding door in the wall between the two surgeries so they could consult. When I was about 7 years old I fell indoors in the evening and cut my head on my eyebrow and I can remember to this day Dr Williams giving me stitches as I sat on a chair in our middle room.He lived in Tudor Street so the timing of him treating me would have beaten any modern day service hands down. I don't remember Dr Rice Rees at all but everyone had red medicine for something.
I went to St Dunstan's Sunday school across the road from Temple. I had to go there as my mother's mother went there even though it was in Welsh and I did not speak it at all. They had good Christmas parties though.

Sheila

Just a few penny worth here while the grey cells work. Can't put any numbers up here but going up Dyfferyn St from the junction Irfon Street, a big Hotel on the rt corner here (The Rhondda?) and across the road on the left corner Bertorelli's the Fish & Chips couple or three houses up on rt a Taylors shop then a big Calfinydd Methodisiadd Chapel couple more house and the laundry. Opposite that chapel on other side, a Doctor's surgery (S.C.Mitra) a super Indian doc. and further up the other sugery which became the combined practice I think later in the 60's a chemist shop all oposite an electrical shop, furniture shop and quite a few others which blurr but certainly when you get to brook Street you've reached the Bazaar (there was never any body in there because the owner invariably "pounced" on you asking what you wanted to buy!) Next door I think the Maypole and a few more doors up Home & Colonial and a little bit further another chapel with monkey puzzle trees in the front and opposite that Plant the Dentist and a small butcher's shop.

Can't seem to get this "street view" up where's the button?

Well there's limited evidence now Sheila showed me how to use the Street view - the big building on the corner (not The Rhondda)is no more a grass patch like the Bazaar site Penuel is there but the other Chapel is gone only the monkey puzzle tree remains! gracing a new library

JohnPitt wrote:... when you get to brook Street you've reached the Bazaar (there was never any body in there because the owner invariably "pounced" on you asking what you wanted to buy!) Next door I think the Maypole and a few more doors up Home & Colonial

No! there was a pet & Pet supplies shop next door to the Bazaar, maybe the Maypole was further down near the laundry. I think that the Bazaar establishment was entirely built of wood. Perhaps that's why it hasn't lasted. I see one of the least changed shops is the Coop.