Ferndale - Generally

[JohnPitt]

And little Jimmy FIsher ...

Fishers was my first job delivering the Sunday papers to Dyfferyn St and Oakland Terrace - a doddle for the princely sum of 6 shillings!

Another name came to me last night. Dr Plant the dentist. He had his surgery a couple of doors down from Barclays Bank.
Meesons became the Co-op Mens Outfitters.
Who remembers the old bakery in Maxwell Street? I think it was Barkways.
Anyway, going way - way - way back, when God was still a boy, in the late 1940's the bakery used to cook turkeys every Christmas for their customers. This was because most people didn't have an oven big enough to cook a big bird.
My father - Trevor Lockyer, had the job on Christmas morning of delivering the turkeys for the bakery. He used to use one of the W H Lockyer Garages limousines that were normally used for weddings and funerals. Used to be a very hectic time for him.
I don't remember a great deal of that time, but I was born in 55 Fountain Street and that was where we were living at the time - corner house, directly across the road from the bakery.

I believe the bakery was called Duggans my Father had worked at all the Ferndale and Tylerstown bakeries.

My grandfather Reg Hayes was the head buyer for the Ferndale Collieries and this was his NCB house before he was transferred to run the Aberaman Buying Offices. He and nanna moved over to live in Abernant when he was transferred. Hence my earlier referral about my nanna coming over on the Red & White bus every Wednesday.
Thats enough to be going on with,
G'day from Oz
Gary

[brianblaenboy]

Another part of my history at home is both Ferndale & Blaenllechau Band and The Rhondda Leader as my dad's cousin in Oak Street was the local contributor for Ferndale. His name was Gwilym Evans and I believe he was related in some way to a teacher at the Junior School - they both had club-foot? Any ideas?
The Band went to the International Eisteddford at Llangollen - as did the Imps if I'm right. That was one trip I've always remembered, but can't remember with which one we went.

[brianblaenboy]

Searching amongst the items recovered from my parents house, I've now found four photos of Ferndale which formed part of a strip - one has been put somewhere else,
Darran Lake - with island showing
Duffryn Street with a tram - near Ironmongers and Roberts newsagents
Corner of Strand with Davies Bookshop and North Road School with overhead rails for the trams
I think the 4th is of the pits.
Something else I have to find a home for now. I'm going to try to put these on a CD at my local ASDA, with other Ferndale and Blaenllechau photos.

[JohnPitt]

... Something else I have to find a home for now. I'm going to try to put these on a CD at my local ASDA, with other Ferndale and Blaenllechau photos.

Hey Brian why dont you put them up on photbucket like me --- http://s808.photobucket.com/albums/zz9/ ... 1954-1.jpg ----

All you need to do is paste the files over from your CD on to your personal page then make it public.

[brianblaenboy]

John, my computer knowledge is very limited to doing the basics although I was very efficient doing accounts and spreadsheets when I worked. Copying/pasting etc etc takes me a little time to get my head round - but with luck I'll get there.
In addition to that I'm hoping to do a similar thing with "Ferndale Grammar School Prize Distribution & Speech Day Programme for Monday July 15th 1963". The list of names within it has brought back loads of memories.
Watch this space as they say.

[JohnPitt]

Right on

[brianblaenboy]

Names from advertisers on 2 programmes still in my possession:-
1. J PICKFORD & SON; BUTCHER; 15 HIGH STREET; FERNDALE; TEL 46
2. D W WILLIAMS & SONS; SWEETS; DUFFRYN STREET & HIGH STREET; TEL 40
3. IVOR REES; FOOTWEAR REPAIRER; 3 HIGH STREET
4. STERLING RADIO SERVICES; DUFFRYN STREET;
5. JOHN H. DAVIES; THE STUDIO; DUFFYRN STREET
6. BRYN HUGHES; ART FLORIST AND NURSERYMAN; 23 HIGH STREET & 35 HIGH STREET FOR CONFECTIONARY; TEL 48
7. E.J. EVANS; IRONMONGERS; 77 & 78 DUFFRYN STREET
8. NEWTON & JONES; WINDSOR BAKERY
9. W.R. MATTHEWS; GROCER; HIGH STREET

One programme was in 1956 - the other some time in the late 50's as well, the telephone numbers must give that anyway.

[brianblaenboy]

Hi Folks, I've now sent the programmes for various events held at the Workman's Hall to Alun Clement and am going through the rest of the bits and pieces from my late parents house. I feel very happy to have contributed to his attempts to maintain the history for future generations, after all, The London Symphonia Orchestra played in Ferndale, how many would have known that?
Apart from that, did anyone else partake in an event in the Hall, I played in the Town Band in 1956 at a concert with the Imps Choir?
So next year, I shall really try to get down there and see the changes.
Take care one and all.
Brian

[bouncermk2]

Between them there was a barbers shop - was this one Idris? Hope I have stirred some more memories.
Gary

It was indeed Idris - Idris Williams - his daughter Carolyn was in my class in school.
Anyone remember Melvyn Williams who emigrated to West London and when he returned for holidays he was immediately called "sloughy"

[bouncermk2]

There was another shoe shop called Leonards on the Strand too - next to the bakers where we used to buy babs covered in flour for 1/2d when we got off the doubledecker that we could catch from the lower school to the strand on wet winter days