Take aways -- So What took you away?

[JohnPitt]

We have a majority of Ferndale 'ex-pats' on this forum I think. People who have left the Rhondda valleys.
How about a mini story of why circumstances took you away from your environment to pastures new.
Was it a wrench or a relief a good/bad short term move good/bad long term etc etc.

[brianblaenboy]

Now this should be an interesting thread, but some of those that reply will probably be on the same theme - work or the lack of it!
When I left the Grammar School, I felt the choices I had were:- 1. Find a job in Cardiff = 1 hour and 3/4 each way on the bus at the time. 2. Find a job locally - including Pontypridd = not very exciting prospect for the future. 3. Join the Forces. Moving away from the valley in those days was a non-starter for me. I chose option 3, mainly because my best friend had joined the Navy. Unlike very many of my fellow comrades in the Battalion, I did not return home at the end of my 9 years, I found a job in London.

However, I always said that we exported teachers from the Rhondda like we did the coal, every rugby side I played against had "A teacher from the Valleys".

[darran]

And here's one retired teacher to prove that point! - and my husband who's from Treherbert.

Sheila

[JohnPitt]

My Sister (Dorita) went into teaching but unusually because of Family circumstances came back to teach in Trehafod and I having got skilled at TV repair readily got work in Llwynipea. It was marriage & prospects that finally took both of us into England never to return.
Its funny but even after all these years houses seem to change hands for 50% of the prices in South of England sometimes a lot less. Yet the views are spectacular in many cases, and in London would command a fortune.

[towcehead124]

Another one of those exported teachers.
But first I had to do National Service (that rather dates me) so when I left the Grammar School in 1953, for a short while I worked at building Maerdy Colliery (yes I built that!). Then from '54 to '56 I was in the RAF serving in Egypt and Aden (mostly Aden).
Demobbed in '56 I spent two years at St Luke's College, Exeter qualifying as a teacher, married Rena in '58 (David Thomas - Union Street - was my best man, later Major D.W. Thomas !!) and we started married life in Essex where I had my first teaching post.
Essex for 12 years (several posts), then on to Kent. 26 years in Kent (20 of them as a Headteacher of a Primary School). Retired in '96 got my golf handicap down to 18 (but it will NOT shift any further), read mountains of books and became a full time carer for Rena.
We visited the Rhondda frequently as long as our parents were alive but since we both became orphans our visits have been very few. However, we have seen the changes that have transformed Ferndale from the vibrant, rather loud, crowded, pretty exciting place it was when we were teenagers,to the more bucolic, greener place it is now. Broad leafed trees just didn't grow in Ferndale when I was a boy (apart from Darran Park).
I'm glad the forum is back on line as I rather enjoyed the last one (your site was pointed out to me by an old school friend who lives in South Africa - the power of the internet !)

[brianblaenboy]

Yes the power of the internet, there are two of us that served in Aden, although my time was 1966/1967, and during 1972-1978, I played rugby (4th Team or social drinking team) at Orpington so travelled around Kent quite a lot, long before the M2, and I'm also a carer. Nice to know I'm not on my own on this site.

Brian

[towcehead124]

brianblaenboy : - I was stationed out at Saltpans on the transmitter station (radio mech.) Got into Steamer Point on days off. Serviced transmitters at Ryan, Salalah and Mazira (flew up on a monthly basis).
Had a R/F - D/F station on the top of the mountain in Crater, once a week up there.
Swam in the Saltpans (salt so thick you just couldn't sink).
Got amazingly drunk for many reasons :- it was a birthday or it was a Wednesday or it was dark or it wasn't dark. There were other reasons too, but all in the same vein. Boredom was difficult to overcome.

[brianblaenboy]

Towcehead124, greetings. I was at Mukeiras most of my time, being seconded to the FRA/SAA (APL in your days) and was the Garrison NCO involved in the training of Arab NCO's in Stores Administration/Stock Control, but personally responsible for flight manifests for RAF Beverley and Aden Airways DC3 and baggage search of all passengers going to Aden, and organising our food and drink. However, your comment reminded me of a time when our Medic decided to buy a lot of drink and when he was asked what the celebration was, his reply was "Well something would have happened today, I can't remember it all but we'll celebrate it whatever it was". My trips to Aden were for a haircut, go to the bank for my wages and back up to 7000 feet above sea-level.

Brian

[RogerWood]

Don't use the take-aways now there is a super restaurant at what used to be the Salisbury.
Ferndale Rugby Club has rebuilt the place and it's highly recommended. Great meals and reasonably priced.
Some people you may know:-
http://ferndalerugbyclub.weebly.com/sir ... llery.html

[brianblaenboy]

Roger, The Glynrhedyn is an absolute magnificent achievement of all those involved in converting the old Salisbury Hotel.
My friends from Pontypool were very impressed with the whole layout and I can only recommend that anyone who is visiting the Rhondda should take the time to go to Ferndale, and call in.

Brian