Photo Ferndale Grammar School sports Team 1947

[TomPritch]

Hi
I am a new member. I registered because when I was browsing a came across a photo of a athletic team of Ferndale grammar school .There was a suggestion that Stanley Baker was a member of the Team.
I have a copy of the photo in my possession and I was a member of the team.The photo was taken in 1947. There are three of my class mates in the photo Ron Ninnis, John Jones and Griff Thomas. I attended the school from 1942 to 1947.

[brianblaenboy]

Hi Tom, The late Sir Stanley Baker did not go to Grammar School and as far as I can recall, he was already into acting by 1947. Rhondda Life which is a combined Ferndale RFC, Morlais Choir and Blaenllechau re-generation Group, have a new building (it was the old Salisbury Pub) in which the lounge is dedicated to Stanley Baker.
I am somewhat younger than you as I didn't get to the Grammar School until 1957.

Best Wishes

Brian

[howard]

Brian is right Tom, Stanley Baker went to North Rd secondary modern where Glyn Morse, who was producer for the Ferndale Arts
Drama group, taught and encouraged his career. If I remember rightly from its previous airing I'm in the 1947 photo middle row,
along from my cousin Ray Taylor who was much the better athlete!

regards

Howard Lloyd

[brianblaenboy]

I should have also mentioned that on Friday 10th June, the 'Sir Stanley Baker Lounge' was opened by Lady Ellen Baker with her oldest son, Glyn (named after Glyn Morse) and Stanley's sister in attendance. The lounge did exist in the old building, but I went down for this event, primarily because I was one of the soldiers that formed the Guard of Honour at the Odeon Cinema in March 1964 for the Welsh Premiere of the film 'ZULU'. The new building is a remarkable legacy to Stanley Baker and in the Sports Bar, there is a montage of all Rhondda people who achieved something in sport including Ivor Sutton, who was a remarkable swimmer with only one leg - I remembered him in Ferndale Baths.

Brian

[daveporthcawl]

Brian
I also attended the opening of the "Sir Stanley Baker Lounge" on 10 June although I had dropped in a week before to have a peep and speak to Alun Clement. Pity we did not meet but it was well attended. I presume you were not the guy in the colourful uniform circa Rorkes Drift.
I spoke to Lady Baker and had a longer chat with Glyn because of the Gareth Morse connection. I am in touch with Gareth (Glynne's son) in OZ as he was in my class throughout school........North Rd Infants, Junior and Grammar schools. A written tribute to Glynne from Gareth was read out during the proceedings. I remember Stanley (aka SPUD) growing up in Ferndale but he was four years older. His first cousins, the Locke family, were also my first cousins. If Stanley had been born a day later he would have been a leap year baby on 29 Feb 1928. Stanley was very likeable and intelligent. He could have sailed into Grammar School had he wished, but then he would not have been taught and mentored as an actor by Glynne Morse. All for the best!
Have you read "GREEN TO BLACK AND BACK".............history of Blaen?
Best regards Dave

[brianblaenboy]

Dave, firstly no I wasn't the guy by the door. I was with my friends from Pontypool sitting in the very corner - we both had 'Welch Regiment' Badges on our Blazers - I was the taller of the two. It was a fantastic day, I have been sending Alun Clement items of memorabilia - programmes of events at the Workmen's Hall from the 50's - my late mother kept loads of stuff like that. For me it was great to meet Doug Nash, Annette Davies, Meredith Jones, Alwyn Davies and some others that I had not seen for over 10 years and even since leaving in 1963 to join the army. Alwyn was choked reading that letter but a remarkable tribute. I have been sent photos of the day, including one which has me, the lady I was with taling to Lady Ellen Baker as I had just watched "How Green was my Valley" on Sky. In the Green, Black and Back Book, you will find my grandmother on the steps of Nazareth (Emma Hannah Evans) and the other photo is the group in the carnival fancy dress - you won't spot me easy and I no longer have the photo. I actually gave Alun copies of the book as I thought some-one would like them. Alwyn Davies lives in North Road near to where my parents lived - Alwyn and Claire Evans?

Take care

Brian

[mamgu01]

Which lady is your grandmother Brian, I have a copy of the book Green or Black & Back, very good reading. I met with Alwyn when I was home in 2006, he is a very good friend of my Uncle Alun (now no longer with us).

[brianblaenboy]

I think I may still have one of the books - so I shall have to find out where I've put it - somewhere safe as they say.
The photos were not in the house when I emptied it. However, if you look at the carnival one, my mother is the one in the top hat.

Brian

[brianblaenboy]

mamgu01,
Found my copy of 'Green, Black and Back'. My grandmother is the one wearing the lighter coloured hat, standing nearer to the building. My grandfather Evan John, was fireman in Nos 2 & 5 pits, and I remember he was attributed to saying:- "Emma Hannah is a staunch member of Nazareth, and I go to the chapel where the prayer books have glass handles???" (The Radical Club a short walk from their house in Commercial Street).

Brian

[daveporthcawl]

Brian
The Green to Black book is a mine of information. One photo (circa 1933) shows six of the men who helped to build the bridge which links Baptist Row to Baptist Square. They are Morgan Williams aka Mwcyn Boddi, Sandy Jones, Mr Philpot, William Thomas, Albert Russell and Robert Lewis. I remember Sandy Jones because his daughter Averina married Will Davies (my mother's brother) and I visited them ( walked via the old Cambrian Wagon Works) in Baptist Row in the 30's. Averina appears, aged 11, in the Nazareth Cantata photo on page 93. She died in May at the grand age of 101. Her older brother Abe was a staunch member of the Radical Club where I played some snooker and sipped rough cider in the 40's.
Blaen went wild when Johnnie King was capped as a goalie for Wales. He played for Swansea at the time.........very modest and likeable lad.................we were at the Junior School in the early 40's. The only flat bits of ground available to Blaen boys for soccer were those by the Salisbury and the strip by the railway line below the allotments. What we lacked in facilities and equipment we made up for with unbounded enthusiasm.
Dave