Welsh Journals

could get a return to Newport for l/8d. We used to go to the station, now we expect the station to come to us. Coxe the historian tells us when he visited Abertillery there were about 150 houses in the valley down to Aberbeeg. He approached it from Abersychan to Cwmtillery. He says: 'I was surprised with the view, well wooded and highly cultivated, almost rivalling the fertile "Counties of England" I myself can well appreciate his remarks. Anyone looking from the highest point of Twynpentre must be thrilled. In his day the population was about 300, in 1901 to 1911 when the town was at its zenith, it increased from 21,945 to 35,425. There was a Gas & Water Co. in the old days which was taken over by the Local Board. Water was chiefly taken from what we called spouts, taken from surface water. The first water shed I rememoer was half way up the Arael Mountain prior to the Cwmtillery Water Works in 1894. I think there are still some houses which gives a trace of the old M.R. & Canal Company who owned the first Railway line (Oak Street). I can remember having goods by canal to Crumlin. Until about 1870 there were only two schools, the British and the Church Schools; then came Cwmtillery, built to take Blaenau Gwent, Cwmtillery, and Penybont, hence the reason for its situation, Queen Street was next, others followed. During 1890 shops, houses and pubs were built and re-built. During the Welsh Revival of 1905-6 churches and chapels were built and enlarged. The first Foundry bridge was built in 1898, and later re-built. The two level crossings were done away with about 1891 when the new station was built. Abertillery had a wonderful Cricket team and won the cup about 1893, as I remember some of the team bringing the Cup around the town, some names of that team I still remember: S. Winmill, D. Boswell, Mark Robbins and D. Brown. Brass Bands were a big feature, Johny Bachs, and Temperance were the competitive ones, but there were also others, Kettle drum, Cock and Chick, Wrights, Salvation Army, etc., who kept the town alive. There was a good Choral Union about 70 years ago whose joint Conductors were Mr. Tom Stephens and Mr. E. J. Williams with the help of Mr. Dan Evans, Merthyr. What about the days of the Y.M.C.A.? started about 1890, finished about 1900, when fine young men belonged to it whose friendship I value today. Our Parade walks on Sunday evenings were Aberbeeg and old Blaina road and what we called Farm field for Cwmtillery Whit Monday was the great day of the year for the Sunday School Parade, Sunday Schools were very strong up to 1914. There was also a big Feast day with the Clubs, who turned out in their Regalia, the Rachabites, the Shepherds, the Foresters, Oddfellows and Hearts of Oak, etc.