Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

quite separate from Abertillery, then the only way to get there by road was down the old Aberbeeg road. Other places like Duffryn, Cwmnanty, Coblers Tump, Coed-cae-du, Pantypuddin were places like the suburbs to Abertillery. Non-conformity seemed quite strong from Abertillery's earliest days. Blaenau Gwent being the oldest cause, started in 1662, the first Chapel was built in 1715. There was Primitive Methodist, Wesleyans, Calvinist Methodist, Roman Catholic, and later came the Salvation Army, etc. The Church of England was not so flourishing in the district at that period. I raise my hat to the good men and women who came from different places to Abertillery, who brought their religion with them. The natives were Welsh-speaking but soon were overpowered by the influx of English. We were governed locally by the Local Board, Board of Guardians, School Board, and the rates were called the Road rate, the Poor rate, and we had to pay pence for School Board rate. Quite an exciting Election took place about 1888 when the County Council was formed. I think the first County Council Election was between Henry J. Phillips and S. N. Jones and Mr. Phillips was elected. District Councils later took the place of the old Local Board. There was no Police Court the nearest was Blaina or Blackwood. The Police Station then was in Tillery Street next to what we called the Reading Room which was built for the Tillery Colliery Workmen. The present Police Station was built about 1902. (This was the year Bedwellty Show was held at Abertillery). Crawshay Bailey and Squire Leigh had connections in Abertillery. There were different little estates being owned in Abertillery such as Abertylerry by Alexander James, Greenmeadow by the Samuels, Gelli Crug by the Rogers, Neaudd by the Lewis's, etc. I remember the names of noted men: P. A. Williams, J. Ward-Williams, Lewis Richards, G. Hiley, Lewis Harry, Dr. H. E. Williams, Dr. Hale, Titus Phillips, and some of the different characters such as: Rees the Gaffer, Harry the Cart, Phil the Mules, and Billy the Flue. To give a picture and birds eye view of the Town one would want to be on the spot to explain and visualize. It is a long time since I left the Town but as a boy I knew every nook and corner of the old Abertillery and if some of the elder people could have a kind of reunion and go over some of the past events. It may be useful historically for future generations. Is there a man with a soul so dead, who never to himself hath said: this is my own, my native land. Some few years ago I travelled by train up the valley and to my great surprise I was the only passenger alighting from the train at Abertillery. I was greatly shocked to think of such a trans- formation from say the 90's when the place was thronged and we