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brianblaenboy wrote:John, I went to Blaenllechau Infants before going to the Junior School

Now that seems odd, you lived in North Road, but went to Blaen infants school?

by the river, where WE all chansed after the ball when it went over the wall into the river - didn't we??

Speak for yourself, I was pretty useless at sport and disliked it you'd be more likely to find me playing cards with cut out fag box fronts -remember that? Gold leaf, Senior service, Picadilly, Churchmans, Woodbine, Navy cut, Camel, Embassy Regal, Capstan, Weights ... .... & on & on

Hilary Fox lived near me in North Road, her mother taught me Maths in my last year in Grammar, and there were times when she and I tried to get around a maths problem without Hilkary having to ask her mum.
I've now decided that I am not going senile as this site has brought back so many memories - thanks.

Did you do A- levels?

John, until around 1958/9 I lived in Commercial Street (hence the blaenboy bit), when we moved to North Road. No A levels for me, I was 17 when I left at the end of form 5 because I couldn't take the 11+ on two occasions due to sickness so stayed in Junior School for an extra year - I was older than most in my form year when I went to Grammar school, if not all!!
Isn't life wonderful when you look back on it?

I know the feeling, my natural group should have been your year, but 2 11+ exams put me a year behind on O-levels, then having fairly good progress thro' A-levels I had shocking marks at the exam. Melmouth pleaded for me to do another year but I was already 19! I left to do an OND he told me it was a bad move and probably was but I did then get an excellent 8 credits and a place in UNI.

John, being 19 and just leaving Grammar was considered old, which is the reason I didn't stay on, although there were those telling me not to take any notice.
I consider myself very lucky and have enjoyed my life to the full, even with the usual ups and downs that all of us have to cope with.
Next year I'm really going to try to get back home and see what has happened, but as always, time, money and accommodation willrear their ugly heads before the decision is made.
Take care.
Brian

JohnPitt wrote:Top Row from the Left

1/ John Pitt Francis 2/ ? ? 3/David Thomas 4/ Rodger Beard 5/ Bertie Thompson 6/ Barrie Davies 7/ ? ? 8/ Ray Woods 9/ ? ?


Middle Row

1/ ? ? 2/ Elaine White 3/ ? ? 4/ ? ? 5/ Lyn Edwards 6/ Maralyn Phillips 7/ ? ? 8/ ?? 9/ ? ? 10/ ? ? 11/ ? ? 12/ Glen Biddle


Lowest Row

1/ Dennis Jones 2/ Malcolm Hughes 3/ Jennifer Jones 4/ Barbara Wilmore 5/ ? ? 6/ Rita Anstey 7/ ? ?
8/ Kerry Thomas 9/ ? ?

Actually it was Bertie Thomas from Lime Street up by the council depot

brianblaenboy wrote:Hilary Fox lived near me in North Road, .

thought Hilary lived in Brynhyfryd - wasn't her father a Mortician

bouncermk2 wrote:
Actually it was Bertie Thomas from Lime Street up by the council depot

Absolutely right the right names have gone on the Facebook tags Here .
Thing is there was a David Thompson next to me and I had scrambled the surnames.

Yes Brian - definitely Bertie Thomas - he is my cousin.
Last time I saw him he was high up in Post Office Management, working in Cardiff.
He had 2 sisters - also my cousins lol - Marilyn & Shiela. Parents Stanley and Mary Anne Thomas. Shiela married Ozzie (Coombes?)- who used to run the Darren Park Baths after Smiler, who in turn took over from the wonderful Mr Chivers.
Gary

What Infants & Junior schools would you go to if you lived in Frederick Street ?

My family were there until early 1954 when they moved to Maerdy.

Becca54 wrote:What Infants & Junior schools would you go to if you lived in Frederick Street ?
.......

Dunno but they wouldn't have had any further to walk than me (New Street)

I didn't even know there was a Darran infants, or where it was.