CHAPEL [Blaenllechau]

[eirwen]

If my memory is still working. Was there a chapel on the lefthand side of the road as you went from Ferndale to Blaenllechau. Think that is where my family attended Chapel If correct can anyone inform me what it was called and where the records might be kept. If incorrrect where would people from Blaenllechau atend chapel about 1900. Thankyou Eirwen.

[JohnPitt]

If my memory is still working. Was there a chapel on the lefthand side of the road as you went from Ferndale to Blaenllechau. Think that is where my family attended Chapel If correct can anyone inform me what it was called and where the records might be kept. If incorrrect where would people from Blaenllechau atend chapel about 1900. Thankyou Eirwen.

Ah Chapels.
There were chapels many and had many denominational names most of which escape me because they were largely Welsh with Welsh names.
Actually I feel certain there was a church on the left as you went down towards the Station and Taff St. It might well have been C of E.
When I looked on street view there are 3 redbrick new dwellings on the site. Church and Chapel attendance fell off a cliff in the 60's and a huge percentage closed - got sold on as warehouses Flats-conversions etc or just derelict or demolished. We belonged to a small christian group that had a first floor hall in Pleasant Hill. In 1957, that one combined with a group in Llewellyn St., Pontygwaith.

I wonder if you mean the big chapel in George Street? that one is on google Street view and also on a 1900 photo of Ferndale and Blaen having a dominating position overlooking Ferndale No 5 pit and it is on the left walking up George street.
I can also see a building (now demolished} between the river and railway bridge on the Taff St side that looks very much like a chapel.

Oh well don't know how you would go about investigating that one Eirwen - no clues in your family paperwork?

[brianblaenboy]

Christ Church was on the left hand side as you went towards Blaenllechau - before you got to the "Old Salisbury Pub". The chapel in George Street was called Nazareth, where my grandmother was a regular - it is rumoured that her "Welsh Bible" was given to the chapel after she died in 1962 - there is no proof of that. In Blaenllechau in Commercial Street, there was Carmel Chapel with the "Thomas's" living next door to it. I think the small street called Albert Street was where St Thomas's was - it was a tin shack.
That is my memory of that part of the history, but there again, I'm only a youngster or "re-cycled teenager"!!!

[eirwen]

Thankyou for the information. My mother Eirwen Davies was born in Commercial street , so maybe the chapel in the same street was where she attended .All I know is that when we came to England I had to attend a Baptist Chapel so am assumming the rest of the family who stayed in Wales followed the same faith.Eirwen

[JohnPitt]

Christ Church was on the left hand side as you went towards Blaenllechau - before you got to the "Old Salisbury Pub".

It was next to the colliery offices and had a bell mounting - surprised it was demolished.

The chapel in George Street was called Nazareth, where my grandmother was a regular - it is rumoured that her "Welsh Bible" was given to the chapel after she died in 1962 - there is no proof of that. In Blaenllechau in Commercial Street, there was Carmel Chapel with the "Thomas's" living next door to it. I think the small street called Albert Street was where St Thomas's was - it was a tin shack.
That is my memory of that part of the history, but there again, I'm only a youngster or "re-cycled teenager"!!!

Some of the chapels here

My mother went to the Fountain Street baptist chapel before becoming Christadelphian, the Ferndale one was English Baptist. I see the Blaen one "Nazareth" George Street is Welsh Baptist and the "Carmel" Commercial St is English Baptist - so there you have it.

[JohnPitt]

Thankyou for the information. My mother Eirwen Davies was born in Commercial street , so maybe the chapel in the same street was where she attended .All I know is that when we came to England I had to attend a Baptist Chapel so am assumming the rest of the family who stayed in Wales followed the same faith.Eirwen

My Mother, Doris was a Davies - a common Welsh name of course, but wonder whether there is any connection? She had two unmarried brothers Jobie Davies and Morgan Davies who lived in Long Row Blaen - My grandfather's name was Mordechai Davies and they lived in Albany Street

[eirwen]

My mothers parents were Howell and Margeret [Williams] Howell from Trelech and Margaret from Solva. Children were Evan , Mary Ann, Sarah, May,Ivor and Eirwen. Plus two more which I have so far been unable to trace believed they might have died young . Either Swansea or Blaenllechau.

[JohnPitt]

My mothers parents were Howell and Margeret [Williams] Howell from Trelech and Margaret from Solva. Children were Evan , Mary Ann, Sarah, May,Ivor and Eirwen. Plus two more which I have so far been unable to trace believed they might have died young . Either Swansea or Blaenllechau.

Ah probably not then. Our Davies side migrated from Llandrindod Wells

[bouncermk2]

Christ Church was on the left hand side as you went towards Blaenllechau - before you got to the "Old Salisbury Pub".

It was next to the colliery offices and had a bell mounting - surprised it was demolished.

The chapel in George Street was called Nazareth, where my grandmother was a regular - it is rumoured that her "Welsh Bible" was given to the chapel after she died in 1962 - there is no proof of that. In Blaenllechau in Commercial Street, there was Carmel Chapel with the "Thomas's" living next door to it. I think the small street called Albert Street was where St Thomas's was - it was a tin shack.
That is my memory of that part of the history, but there again, I'm only a youngster or "re-cycled teenager"!!!

Some of the chapels here

My mother went to the Fountain Street baptist chapel before becoming Christadelphian, the Ferndale one was English Baptist. I see the Blaen one "Nazareth" George Street is Welsh Baptist and the "Carmel" Commercial St is English Baptist - so there you have it.

I was a member of Christ Church - it was demolished as it was riddled with dry rot. Anyone remember the "Mission" in Blaen? Green Corrogated Shed - My sister used to play the organ there on Sundays!

[brianblaenboy]

"The Mission" was still standing prior to 1997 - how could any blaen boy forget that place - there used to be dances there as well. I was part of Cymru'r Groes at Christ Church Hall.
Brian