MEMORIES
We have been interviewing people for a book on school memories and photographs and these are the results of that so far. The book, which will be produced in time for the 28th June 2008 celebration, will have a selection of these in it, if not all. Some of the photos in the Galleries are also going to be used (and labelled).
The following list is of those whose memories are here so far and below the list the memories appear in the same order.
Dorothy Hughes John Jones M E Roberts Margaret Hughes George Jones Edith Owen Old Mrs Owen Bessie Hughes | Margaret Humphreys Llinos Morris Arwel Roberts Mair Williams Anne Oakford Gayle Watkin Richard Wilson Tecgwyn Evans | Ron and Win Pierpoint Llinos Jones David Phillip Williams Heather Vaughan Jones Doris Stanshire (nee Edwards): Jessie Jones Will Anderson Les Davies |
Pontfadog school in the 1940’s by Dorothy Hughes
When my family came from Ffestiniog to live at Llwydiarth Farm, high above Dolywern, in March 1942, Britain was at war with Germany. We became aware of aeroplanes droning overhead at night and searchlights from the army base on the side of Ysgol Cynddelw, Glyn Ceiriog, lighting up the sky.
My journey to school was about a mile, accompanied by other children from Erwallo Cottage and Erwallo Isaf. We walked to and fro in all weathers, and in the afternoons, some children from Llywnmawr joined us for part of the journey. Some of these were evacuees and I recall that as well as children based with local families there was a group at Llywnmawr farm some of who stayed in the parish after the war. Although our languages were different we all became very good friends, my best being Josephine Liddel who lived at Brongyll Cottage. But we never spoke of her family.
During our long walks we loved to collect wild flowers and one summer we were all asked to collect rosehips which we weighed before taking them to school, to be sent away to be made into syrup for babies. On another occasion we were given a food parcel, containing peaches to take home. I believe it had been sent by the Queen of Tonga.
During the summers we would sometimes go picking bluebells near the vicarage or to play fox and hounds in Tyn y Graig woods. During our dinner hours we would sit on the yard knitting, doing cork or raffia work. I remember pleading with Mrs Hogben to teach me how to turn the heel when making socks.
Our more active games including hopscotch, skipping, playing with iron hoops made by the local blacksmith and mastering the art of playing with 3 balls against the red brick walls.
Our school canteen was in the Old School building opposite the church and we had delicious meals cooked by Mrs Edith Owen who is now 103, Mrs Porey and many volunteer helpers.
It was here that we also took part in concerts and plays, in English and in Welsh. One that comes to mind is ‘Caller Herring’ and Hen Fenyw fach Cydweli’. We learnt several songs and verses written by the local poet, Ceiriog and English songs such as D’ye ken John Peel, Where’ere you walk and when the Headmaster’s daughter who was a music teacher came home we enjoyed many musical afternoons.
David, his son, on leave from the navy, enthralled us with his tales of foreign lands. With him in mind, singing ‘Eternal Father Strong to Save’ was often sung in our school services.
Another enjoyable lesson was needlework with the infants teacher. I can remember making a cotton slip with a scalloped hemline.
The school building was divided into 3 parts, infant dept., juniors 7-9 and senior dept for children up to 14 years. The seniors room was divided from the ‘middle room’ by a wooden partition with glass windows. On this was hung a board with names of children who had successfully passed examinations to Grammer and technical schools in Llangollen and Wrexham. I recall having to go to Glyn Ceiriog Council to sit the ‘Scholarship’ as we then called the 11+ in May 1945. but the highlight of that day was returning to Pontfadog as soon as possible to a party and sports to celebrate the end of the War in Europe.
Discipline was strict with the cane being used on several days in the Headmasters class. We sat in long desks, complete with inkwells and handwriting lessons were very important. ‘Up light / down heavy’ were the strokes we were taught with our black ink.
We often learnt to read aloud, in rotation. One of the books I remember being Treasure Island. Which is Not one of my favourite books even today.
Our lessons were conducted in English although our first language was Welsh. The County Library Service brought us boxes of books every month so my choice being Welsh books every time.
My friend Margaret Humphrys and I were given a book called Glain y Glyn by Sir Alfred T Davies before leaving Pontfadog School in July 1945.
John Jones’ memories
My father worked at the garage during the day and the bakehouse until late at night.
Dolywern
Searchlight at Glyn School battery to seek out German Aircraft
An American convoy of left hand drive vehicles
Walking to school picking up anti radar foil strips
British Spitfires flying over
The Army camped in the field opposite the school and the radio station
Air raid wardens Mr Aubrey, Mr Clark and Bob Davies. Everyone had blackout blinds which had to block all light or the air raid wardens would call and tell the householder to put out the light.
The school garden grew potatoes and beans.
Evacuees from Liverpool stayed with us and a big bomb shell was on display outside the old garage – I think it fell on Bronygarth.
The Ammunition factory in Oswestry was where Woolworths now is in Bailey Head.
Bob Davies made an Air Raid shelter between Glan y Wern Cottages and the rock at the back, out of planks and tin sheets. The other shelter was at Ty Isa. We went down steps underground.
We all had gas masks, my sister had one she could be put inside with a pump operating it. I think a bomb fell abve Wynlle and left a crater.
I recall some conversations about a clandestine operation going on from an old railway carriage on Barnswood: signals to German Bombers
From school we used to run up around the Graig at lunch times spinning iron hoops made by the blacksmith.
I was caned for lining my inkwell with plasticine then sealing it and putting the plasticine back with the rest so that some child picked it up and got covered with ink. I was also caned for allowing the books in the cupboard to lean so that when the doors were opened they all fell out.
ME Roberts Memories
Was inspired by MT Williams. She had to know her tables up to 15 inside out and back to front. He read them the classics and was an actor and she was spellbound. She never remembered getting caned by him.
Margaret Hughes’ Memories
Lived at the old Smithy and her dad was a miner. She left in 1943 when the canteen started. She had taken sandwiches. There was no sport in class but there was a netball hoop for play. There was a sewing class
George Jones’ Memories
Lived at Plas Mynfford.
You started school when you were 6 and stayed until you were 14
When he left he missed Miss Parry most, there was aso Miss Jones and MT Williams who had a smokers cough.
The Canteen started in 1943 and lunches were tuppence ha’penny a week. For a ha’penny a day milk was delivered from Chirk in little bottles. If you could affor 3 pennies a week you also could have Horlicks every day. At Christmas for a treat the Co-op sent apples and oranges and trinkets.
We played football with a tennis ball and children had bowling hoops with hooks.
Girls from an Essex school stayed in Tan-y-garth Hall which was owned by Lady Brooks who was married to the White Rajah of Sarawak, James Brooks. They all had bikes which we were very jealous of. They brought all their books and things to Bryn Onnen.
When you were caned you were sent across the river to cut a new thin stick.
When you wrote you went ‘up fine, down bold’ and if you daydreamed in class MT Williams would say are you Wool gathering, girl??
In the playground we did skipping, hopscotch and played with spinning tops.
During the war there was an emergency evacuation policy in case the school needed to be cleared quickly. /Each child living close by had to take 2 or 3 other children who lived in outlying houses and farms home with them.
Edith Owen’s memories
After dinner someone had to help with the washing up.
Puddings were chocolate sponge and chocolate sauce, patry and jam, semolina. The egg used was dried egg.
Each child had their own flower plat and there was competition for the best.
At Play we used skipping ropes, played rounders, there was no football. I had a row with my father over ropes. We played hide and seek and ring a roses.
Horses were used for ploughing in those days
In school we used paper and a pen.
Thomas German was the headmaster, his daughter had a child before she was married and the children suffered for it!
Edith Roberts ? won the Woman’s Own prize for an apple pie.
The crash of a bomb up on Nantyr forced open the back door of my house and we had to live in the cellar
Old Mrs Owen’s memories
Moses T. Williams lived next to the school and kept bees. If the football went over and hit the hives they all got stung. Mrs Owen wouldn’t let the children go and get the ball if it went over the hedge, because of this.
I remember sitting in the porch after the school dentist had been having had some of my teeth taken out.
There used to be scholarship boards up in the big classroom which were big and brown with gold lettering.
In geography we watched cine films of Africa on a projector. We made clay models of African Villages with coconuts for huts. We made Middle Eastern houses with flat roofs out of plaster of paris and papier mache.
There were separate porches for boys and girls with coat hooks and W.H.B.s (?) In the PE sheds were boys and girls bags and PE equipment. Between the porches was the stockroom with chalks etc.
There was a school trip to deHavilland to see the planes being made.
She didn’t like the sago they had at school but they had to eat everything and it was a real treat to have chips. They had a lot of mashed potato.
1947 was a bad winter with such deep snow they couldn’t get to school until the council cut a channel through. You couldn’t see the hedges and went sledging at the back of the field at dinner time. Tjhe boys had to have caps with the Pontfadog badge and had to touch their caps to be respectful. Children were never allowed to say ‘Hello’ it always had to be ‘Good Morning’.
She started work at the school in 1941 in the canteen opened that year which was located then in the old school, but had been at Pontfadog school as a child. She remembered an American Plane coming down on the top road to Nantyr but had to keep well away.
She was 12 at the end of the First World War and remembers the excitement of all the valley children marching and banging pots and pans and tins walking up to Dolywern and back. During the second world war she was a mother . Her second husband, in the home guard, died.
Opening of the school
Her Mother and father came down for the big tea at the opening.
Old School
The children we fed during the war. Mrs Owen worked in the canteen for 26 years. The meat was terrible and she had to send it back sometimes. She refused to give the children anything she would not eat herself. There was a paraffin fridge and always big tins of corned beef to fall back on in an emergency. The coal stove wouldn’t work
Fill over night, open flues??
Miss Anna Jones came over one morning to show her how to make hotpot in big iron pans. Old Mrs Owen actually thought it a complete waste of time as she was a better cook than Miss Jones anyway and Mrs Owen knew perfectly well that the hotpot would not be ready in time for dinner and it wasn’t.There were 80 kids, numbers swelled by evacuees from Liverpool. If the wind was in a certain direction the stove would not work and the hot pot would not be ready in time for dinner. The evacuees ate with their fingers and didn’t know how to use a knife and fork and had to learn. There was no pepper and salt. The evacuees hid under the tables when they heard the planes coming over.
One day they had some suspicious looking meat which she didn’t recognise meat which had grey fat. They boiled it next day and it smelt fishy! She boiled it and boiled it and boiled it and thick grey fat rose to the surface of the pot. It smelt terrible. She decided it wasn’t fit to eat and suspected it was whale meat.
The farmers left half aton on potatoes in the old porch, and Swedes and carrots. There were rats and we complained to the council who sent the rat man out with poison to put down.
Widows had no pension. Mrs Owen became the oldest tenant in Wrexham council.
Info from Bessie Hughes
Bessie started teaching in the late 50’s with the middle juniors (ages 7-9) in the partitioned off classroom which is now the near end of the infants classroom. It was a very small space in which to teach 15 – 20 children especially when they stood up r had to move around! The children sat at double desks with the girls on one side and the boys on the other. There was a fireplace which was the heating system in the winter.
She wrote on the blackboard that stood on an easel and mainly studied the 3 ‘r’s but particularly remembers doing lots of nature study and walks up Brown Billy. She used to take the children right up to the top and dip in the pond.
There were 2 houses that the children were put into, the red house and the blue. Each had it’s own nature table and children would bring things to put on their table and then get points. She especially recalled some children bringing in nettles with black spots on the backs of the leaves which they put in a cardboard box with holes stabbed in it. The eggs hatched into caterpillars and then into butterflies and the children were amazed and thrilled.
Tommy Ty Mawr used to let the children sledge on his field in the winter.
Dinner was eaten up at the canteen in the old school so the children had to be walked up the side of the road. Mrs Owen was a smashing cook and cooked really good meals.
She travelled from Glyn Ceiriog where she lived, down to Pontfadog by bicycle, even in the snow.
Margaret Humphreys memories
She lived at 1, the Hollies in the Graig and her dad was a postman who worked in the the council offices in Chirk.
The Babies Class
Taught by Miss Parry from Felin Llyn. They sat at individual desks and wrote with pencil and paper.
!st Juniors
Were taught by Myra Williams who wore her striped college blazer and was very nice and gentle.
The big Room
There was a fireplace and she was very nervous and terrified of the headmaster MT Williams who lived in the house next door. He used to send someone in to ring the bell in the infants classroom.
For the Harvest Thanksgiving Service she was sent to school with 3 eggs from her mum in a Tate and Lyle Box and dropped them. She was very upset and Auntie Flossy got her 3 more. She will never forget a mouse getting caught in a trap and the headmaster giving her the dead mouse to get rid of. She was horrified but went and put it in the hedge.
At 11 years old she sat the 11plus at Glyn School. She was very, very scared. A bus came to pick them up. Her mother made her a special red dress with tiny white spots and bias binding. Sports and tea followed the scholarship and she went to Llangollen Grammar above the canal. Approximately a quarter of Ysgol Pontfadog pupils went to Llangollen Grammar. The boys and girls who stayed at school did a lot of gardening . When the evacuees came there were so many children that they brought their own teacher. They did half a day with their teacher and the Pontfadog kids did half a day with theirs.
She remembers practising with gas masks in school.
M T Williams’ daughter was a pianist so she came into school to do singing. Other than percussion, they didn’t play instruments.
PC Roberts, the local bobby came to school with his stick with a silver handle to talk to them about behaving nicely.
From 1959 – 63 she taught at the school.
Major Morgan of Tan – y- Garth was chair of the governors. She taught the infants from 1958 – 63. There were skittles, hoops and bean bags and the best school dinners.
Arwel Roberts (next door to school)
I started at the school in 1944 at the age of 5 years and left at the age of 15 years in 1954. The headmaster at that time was Mr M.T.Williams. The differences were that we had less room for play, the canteen was not there, the boiler House was not there. In my time at school there were garden plots up both sides of the two hedges. As you got older you got a plot. There were 2 groups, Red and Blue and if I remember rightly, Red were the Glyn side and Blues were the other side. I can remember the two captains at my time were Hel Roberts and Vera Griffiths (nee Davies). There has been a big change around the school since my days, the playing field, the mobile classroom, the climbing frame, and slide, the fencing between the school and the P.E. shed (around the infants door) was not there in my time and there were wooden sleepers out from the school for about the length of 10 ft and a height of 4ft that was for coke for the fires in school for heating. There was no central heating, only grates. Teachers had no cars, the headmaster lived in the village, the house we live in now was the headmaster’s home (Mr and Mrs M.T.Williams) his wife also taught at the school and there was Miss Parry, Mrs Williams’ sister who lived at the Mill House, Pontfadog. Miss Parry had a dog with her most times in school. In cold weather she would stand by the open fire with her back to the fire, that always stands out in my mind. The person I remember mostly was Mr Emlyn Davies, a great favourite with everyone. He lived at No. 8 Wernfadog, Pontfadog. There was Miss Jones then (Now Bessie Hughes), another favourite, I am sure she used a bicycle to school, she lived at Glyn Ceiriog. The toilets were at each side of the P.E. shed. The P.E. shed in my time was for broken desks and chairs, the toilets inside the school were our cloakrooms then.
In the days of my schooling we would have different seasons of playing games. We would have Bowlers – they would be made by the blacksmith at Pontfadog. The name of the blacksmith was Absolm Evans (Uncle Ap). The blacksmith was bottom side of the garage owned by Mr Bert Jones. Now it’s a house built by Mr Tom Griffiths in front of the outhouse there is a square of concrete and on that square we would have boxing. The older children would push you into the square with anybody your age. Nobody would get hurt as it was only a bit of fun. At another time of year we would have conker games, we would play each other trying to knock and smash our opponents ‘conker. As you got older you would get to know that to get tehm very hard you would put them in a coal fire oven at night to take to school the next morning and you would score every time. The nearest conker tree to school was Lliwderth Farm where there were about 6 or 7 trees. They are still there to this day. Another game was jumping the rope to see who jumped the highest. The girls would play skipping, some of the children do this now at school. Another time we would go to Selattyn Road by Tan y Mynydd. There was a pond there and that was called Nature Study Walk. The pond is still there but is overgrown with chickweed and grass. In the Summer holiday there would be a Rose Queen and flower show. The Queen was picked from the school, all the children would vote for their favourite girl and there would be about 8 or 10 girls and 2 page boys to be her attendants. On the morning of the show the parents of the children would come to school and decorate the lorry which was owned by Mr George Edwards. He did this free of charge for many years. He would always have a dog with him, the dog’s name was Goldy. The procession would start from the school, go up to Dolywern into the field where the Oliver Jones Hall is now and there would be a VIP to crown the queen. There was Major Morgan from Tan y Garth Hall, Pontfadog, Mr R.W. Ellis of Pontfadog P.O. (he was a JP), Mr Geraint Morgan M.P. for Denbighshire (Con).
Major Morgan would come to the school before Christmas, he would pick up some children and invite them to a party at Tan-y-Garth Hall. The next year he would invite different children. Mr R.W.Ellis would take children fro the school in turn to go and see Wrexham Football team on night or day matches. I have great memories of going with him in 1948 to see my first match. He was a well respected gentleman and I still support the team now. R.W.Ellis was a school governor for many years, also Mrs M.T.Williams was as well. Mr M.T.Williams was a very strict teacher. I can remember he had a saying ‘Are you catching flies Block’ he would use the cane most days. I have been told he would go into the wood by the Graig and get a stick that he would use as a cane. People I know have told me they suffer with their hands now because of the canings they had. Children would be walking out of school hours and if they saw him walking down the road they would go up to the Graig to get away from him.
The shrubbery part of the school was dug over and planted and the biggest tree there was planted in 1908, the same time as County Wood was planted.
The Village Around the school My mother was Olive Roberts and she started in school in 1922. She would walk from Ty Issa farm to school. She told me that Tan-y-Bryn was started building around 1924 and the builder went bankrupt. Some other builder took over and they were finished in 1926. There was no footpath at the side of the carriageway and we had to walk to the old church house which was the school canteen. The cook was Mrs Edith Owen, she was a very good cook, she lived at No 1 Wernfadog for many years adn lived to the grand old age of 103 years. Her assistant was Mrs Ethel Lee. The church house was well used for concerts, also in the 1960’s Pontfadog football team used it for training. At night we were trained by an ex-Manchester City player by name of Mr Roberts (I cannot remember his first name). The new Cemetery at St John’s is not on the old picture and this ground was given to St John’s by Mrs Williams of Pandy Bach in the 1980’s. There were very little cars on the roads then and children had to walk to school in those days as there was no taxi. The white lines were done in the late 1950’s, the layby opposite the school was made in the 1970’s.
My remembrance of school days As children we would go into the woods opposite the school – Brown Billy Wood- playing cowboys and Indians in our dinner break. We would hear the dinner bell going and we would be 10 minutes away and we would stroll into school knowing very well what to expect. The headmaster would line us up. Sometimes you would have to put a book down your trousers before the cane on the backside. We would do the same thing again a few days after. At another time there was a farm sale at Pen brongll. About 12 – 15 boys made a decision to go to the sale. The next day we came to school and the headmaster wasn’t very happy with us. In the afternoon the attendance officer arrived, he called those who did not attend school the day before. The officer had a very dry snse of humour he told us that we should not have gone to the sale. He came out with the words ‘You are all black sheep’. We just looked at each other and laughed. The officer was Mr Hubert Hughes (Bryn’s father). We had a telling off by the headmaster for laughing. Another time I hit another lad in the face he went home to tell his father and in the afternoon his father came looking for me. The headmaster came out of school to see what was going on and the next thing that happened was the two of them were on the floor fighting or something.
Mr Emlyn Davies had a new post at Tan y Fron school, Wrexham. It was a great loss to the school and village, I still kept in touch with the Davies family and he was at our wedding in 1963. He made a speech at our wedding and did bring up what happened in school 13 years before. I left the village for 8 years and we came back in 1971. Our son went to the school from 1971 until 1977. The headmaster was Mr Towyn Owns who lived in Wrexham. In 1974 Arwyn Roberts and Rhys Richards were picked to do a sponsored walk at Pontins Holiday Camp, Prestatyn in aid of the Heart Foundation. The both of them did very well. Rhys’ and our family had a very good day out. In 1976 the school football team were invited to take part in training and coaching by Wrexham F.C. players Arfon Griffiths was a Welsh International at that time and Mickey Evans who is still involved with football . Their job was to pick a team to play. The name then was Wrexham Boys schools Team. Arwyn was picked to represent Pontfadog School, all schools in Wrexham took part and this was a tournament amongst other Counties. They did very well, finishing second to a good county team. In 1976 until 1998 my wife Marion took over as school caretaker from Mrs Lil Morris who had been there for many years and ahd been there in my later years at school. My wife worked under 3 different headmasters, Mr Tony Owens, Mr Graham Jones and the present Mr David Davies. She worked in the Canteen and did yard duties when someone was off work. In her time at school there was Mrs Earlys Evans, the cook and Mrs Hilda Edwards assistant. She was there for 21 years. In the 1980’s I was involved with the school Governors. I had five years, two as Chairman when Mr Graham Jones was headmaster. This is the school we will always support in one way or another, listening to the children over the hedge is a tonic to us and we miss them when they are on holiday from school.
Some memories of Pontfadog School
From Mair M Jones nee Williams
Pandy Bach
I started school in 1935 walking from Tynymynydd. It was a lonely journey and there were times when I was unable to attend school because of deep snow. Some things scared me – Ty mawr bull and the geese and turkeys which made such a noise! All the pupils walked in those days, some had the company of siblings, or of children from neighbouring farms. We often picked wild flowers on the way to school.
There were three classrooms and Miss S.J.F. Parry taught the infants in a pleasant room with an open coke fire in the winter. Miss Parry also taught sewing to the older girls on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon while the boys had drawing or gardening in the summer. Miss P. Jones taught the juniors (7-9 years) in a small narrow classroom while the other side of the partition Mr M. T. Williams the headmaster taught the older pupils 10 – 14 years. If pupils passed the dreaded 11+ exam they gained access to secondary education at Llangollen County School, as it was at the time.
Discipline was strict and the cane was used frequently if pupils transgressed.
Many children came from farms, others from the Herber area where the fathers were emplyed by Chirk Castle Estate. Some worked as coal miners and cycled to and from work in all weathers.
The three R’s were the main subjects, reading and grammer taking up much of the curriculum, essays and mental arithmetic were given much attention. We were taught to memorise passages of Scripture, English poetry and Welsh poems especially the work of Ceiriog our local poet. Mr Williams was a competent pianist and we learnt to sing English and Welsh songs.
Much emphasis was put on handwriting. Infants wrote with chalk on a slate and progressed to a pencil and then inkpens with an inkwell oneach desk kept permanently filled and there was Always ink n your fingers.
School finished at 4pm.
I recall performing at a school concert in the old school where there was a small stage.
There were no school dinners, children bought a packed lunch, others were able to go home for dinner – mothers were always at home and children often visited each others’ homes at lunchtime. To allow for this we had one and a half hours dinner break which allowed plenty of time to play and roam around at will outside the school gates. I wandered far and wide and played coach and horses. The shop was attractive if one was fortunate enough to have a few pennies for sweets. The smithy was also an attraction – Mr Absalom Evans spent some days every week shoeing horses at Pontfadog and the other days at Llwynmawr. At certain times of the year playing with a hoop was popular and Mr Evans would make hoops. Other games came round in season – marbles, skipping, conkers, hopscotch etc. One place out of bounds was the Shrubbery! The toilets were outside and would freeze in the winter.
When War broke out in 1939 many families were evacuated from Liverpool to the Ceiriog Valley and for atime the school building was shared by the children – mornings for local children and afternoons for the evacuees and vice-versa the following week. I don’t think these arrangements lasted very long, it must have been very difficult for the staff. Some families returned to Liverpool quite soon, they were unable to cope with life in the country and they missed their families back home. The war brought rationing and many problems for adults which we were unaware of. But I recall being issued with gas masks and a bomb shelter was built in the school yard. Blackout was issued and tape was fixed to the windows to prevent glass shattering. I recall sitting the 11+ exam. Mr Williams took us in his car to Glyn Ceiriog School where the exam was held. The environment was strange to us and a bit intimidating. It must have been a fine day, I remember walking home with my friends down the old road comparing our answers to the various arithmetical problems! It must have been worthwhile for before long we were informed that we had passed and it was time to face a new beginning. School uniform had to be purchased – not easy at a time of rationing, and we had to catch the bus at 8am for Llangollen – the ever faithful Bryn Melyn, and we were not back in the village until 4.50pm, a long day.
As soon as we left Pontfadog School a school meals service was set up and pupils walked to the canteen which was at the old School. Mrs Edith Owen (who died recently aged 103) was the cook and with her helpers provided excellent dinners – we who had left were sorry to have missed out on the service – it was not nearly so good at Llangollen.
We made many friends at school and have remained good friends all our lives. We look back fondly on those days and the freedom we had to play – there was far less traffic. Lorries passed daily carrying stones from the granite quarry. I also remember lining the Will road while the horse drawn hearse passed carrying Miss Parry’s mother to her funeral service.
Anne Oakford, Perth, Western Australia
In the early years of WW2, I was evacuated to a school, housed at Tan-y-Garth, Pontfadog. The school, as I remember, was run by Ralph Bowes-Lyon, a relative of the late Queen Mother, and his wife (I understand that he was once a tutor to the ill-fated Prince John). Although unhappy to be separated from my parents, the manner in which the school was run made it quite a pleasant place to be. It was idyllic in summer weather, when we would be taken down to the river to splash about in the stony pools, but the winters, when we were snowed in, were pretty tough. I particularly remember being taken for walks up the slopes above the school. On top of the "mountain", always known to us as Brown Billy, the wind was often so strong that I could lean into it as if flying. There was also a farm where they raised turkeys, and the birds used to scare us by coming 'gobble gobbling' up to the gates as we passed by. The slate quarry was a place of danger, due to its sheer sides and depth. I remember the Ceiriog valley with great affection - it was a lovely place.
When I was in Pontfadog School (late 70’s) there were three classrooms 1. Infants Mrs Edwards’ class next to the kitchen. 2. Miss Lloyds small juniors, 3. Headmaster Mr Owen’s big juniors. Mr Owen’s classroom had an old fashioned black board and easel. He also had a cane for when we were naughty. The desks were flip top ones with ink wells and a pot for pens and pencils and pink blotting paper. Our pens were ink pens, not biros. The school had no computers at all and no climbing frame, only three metal goal posts joined together and this was in the late 70’s. Francesca and Alicia are the 4th generation of our family to go to Ysgol Pontfadog; Great Grannie, Taid, me and the twins.
The only fundraising events were the school Christmas sale, Christmas Carol concert at church and a summer sale. I don’t remember the school having a pet. We ate our dinner in the old infants’ room, like now, but the juniors had to eat in the Hall (now the office. When Francesca and Alicia’s Taid and Great Grannie went to school they had to walk up to the potteries to eat their dinner and the toilets were in the OPE shed. When the twins’ Taid was at school the kids had to grow vegetables for their dinner too. The school had two cooks when I was here. Mrs Evans – (Cookie) and Mrs Hilda Edwards who lives next door to us now. Years ago Mrs Owen who lived in Lewis’s house was the cook.
We used to have a tuck shop selling bags of crisps and they cost 5p (rings and chipstix). On the field there was and old horse cart with a slide on it. We used to hang upside down by our knees underneath it on the wheel braces. To climb onto the cart we had to use the wheels as a ladder (approx 4.5 feet high). We used to spin on the metal bars by wrapping our coats around the metal and one leg over the bar and one leg under the bar to spin over and over. Katy Parnell had the record – it was about 20 consecutive spins.
There were two entrances when the twins' Taid was there, girls and infants went in one door and the boys went in another. The boys and girls weren’t allowed to play together at playtime either. There was a big fence between the PE shed and the school to keep them apart. On the boys side the coke for the stoves which heated the school was piled up and the boys had to carry it into the school in scuttles.
Its hard to start with Ysgol Pontfadog. (1980’s) There’s no institution where I’ve spent so much time, or done so much. Where else could you drive a car down the sports field and eat purple chips all in one day. Where else could you hide for fear of your life in the alley, then the next moment run possessed at your fellow man as if at war?
We learnt stuff too. Like how to write, count, paint, speak properly, kiss, swear, sing and play the trombone very, very badly. We were punished by standing on chairs and facing the wall. A place I visited when my magic tricks weren’t appreciated; or when no one saw the funny side of sending valentine cards on behalf of others.
Where else could you build a tree, be captured in the strictly off limits shrubbery or lose 10 – nil to the Glyners.
Where else could you be surrounded by people who cared about you, people all different but neighbours, people who support you no matter what, people who make you what you are who today I’m so very glad are happy to be my friends.
His mother worked in the Queen’s Head Hotel at Dolywern (Now the Cheshire Home so he was often sent during school hours to walk up to Dolywern and buy M.T.Williams Gold Leaf tobacco. He remembers being only too happy to do this because it got him out of school. M.T.Williams also asked him to mend punctures on his bike for him.
He remembers on a Friday morning once a month, M.T. Williams would bicycle up to the bank in Glyn to collect the school staff wages, then bring them back to school.
M.T.Williams had a black and a red inkwell on his desk. Red for marking and M.T. frequently had red streaks in his hair from running his fingers through it.
There was very little Welsh spoken at school. The Dolywern Institute (New in the 1920’s) was a tin building that stood where Valley View is now and was used for concerts and plays.
Ron and his brother came from Liverpool in 1941. Ron Pierpoint was 2 and a half. He remembers waiting with his brother at Gwesallt and being given a cuddly toy before being allocated to a district and family. Ron stayed with his brother at Tyn y Graig for a few months at first and then because his mother was ill they were fostered by Gayle's Dad (Clive's) family. After his mum came out of hospital, the brothers went back home - then returned to the valley after the war in 1947 when their father was working in the coal mining industry. Ron was then 9 and went to Pontfadog School. at lunch times there would be two bells for the end of lunch. One at 10 to 1 which warned you to get back to school and you used to run down from wherever you were - often playing cowboys and indians up on Brown Billy and get back in line for the 1pm bell. If you missed that you would get into real trouble. Hockey was a popular game
I was in the middle room with 2 to a desk, three rows of desks and a coke stove with a pipe. There were pens and inkwells and pencils.
We learnt the three Rs with Miss Jones (Bessie Hughes) who was a very good teacher and Miss Williams.
Big Emlyn Davies was always getting the cane, there was a pond for dipping and we planted beans in jars with blotting paper and cress on blotting paper.
We walked to the canteen in orderly fashion, 2 by 2. At lunchtime play we played Fox and Hounds, two or three would run off and we had to find them. Other times we would play with bowlers – a circle of steel with a hook. We played with tops and played hockey with hazel sticks and hopscotch.
If you helped out at the smithy you could earn 2 shillings and you could earn a little cob for helping at the bakery.
On the back of the loo door it said please adjust your dress.
We did lots of sports, running around Dolywern in vest and shorts, the teachers ran with us, even in winter and then we had to towel off when we got back.
Football was always Farmers vs. Council houses.
The boys grew beetroot and potatoes , two children to a garden plot. There was a big pile of coke on the boys side and it was someone’s job to fill the scuttles every day.
I started at Pontfadog school in 1980. I have lots of fond memories. It was great having three year groups in the infants because it meant that when I started in the red group my elder brother Brython was in the blue group and he used to look after me. We used to go to Glyn Ceiriog school once a week to do gymnastics in the hall and once a week for Welsh lessons.
One of my memories is of going for an adventure weekend to Pentre Llyn Cymer. Mr Jones, our headmaster, had planned a treasure hunt for us. I remember that a few of us weren’t taking the task seriously and at the last minute there was a bit of a panic because we hadn’t got any answers. We then set about to ask some of the younger children for answers. We handed in our papers and I had won! I remember receiving a small trophy when we got back to school and feeling slightly guilty.
Sadly my mother passed away when I was eight years old. I remember returning to school in the September and starting in Branwen Thomas’ class. As well as being a fantastic teacher I remember her for the care she showed towards me. I remember her persuading my dad to come on a school trip with us. (I don’t think he had been on one before). We went to Ironbridge and to begin with we went into a small room to watch a film. Everyone started to laugh halfway through the film, imagine my embarrassment when I realised it was because my Dad had fallen asleep and was snoring loudly!
I moved on from Pontfadog School to Ysgol Morgan Llwd, Wrexham and then went to do an N.N.E>B. Course. Then it was time to find a job. I remember receiving a job vacancy list from Wrexham C.C. and seeing that there was a job vacancy at Pontfadog. I applied and was thrilled to be given the job. I started work in September 1994, I had six months off in 2006 when I had my little girl Anna, then returned. The years have flown by. I thoroughly enjoy working at Pontfadog School. I am fortunate to have both memories of being a pupil and a member of staff.
Whilst not exactly an alumnus, I did learn to print the alphabet in my grandmother’s classroom at Pontfadog (during a family visit to my Grandparents). She was Frances Williams and my grandfather was M.T. Williams. My father was David Parry Williams who moved to Canada and died when I was 6.
I went to school in Pontfadog from when I was 7 years old until I went to what was in them days called Denbighshire technical College – now NEWI.
I loved Pontfadog School and all the children that went there with me at the time. Looking back now it seems we had a good time.
The teachers I remember was Emlyn Davies who was very keen on PT and had a big bar put in the school yard for us to do our exercises each morning, freezing or not out we would go. Well, it definitely made us fit and determined to do anything.
Then came Mr Thomas who loved his singing, hence the programme for St David's Day 1954 which had 26 songs, dances and recitations. I sang Cwm Pennant with Gaynor. We would all walk up the road to the house on the right past the church holding hands. This was the canteen in those days, me being Head Girl, had to make sure they all kept safe on the side of the road because of the traffic. In the building they also had a stage and this is where the people of the Valley would come and hear us sing, dance and recite our little poems.
There was months of practise at school and at home to learn the songs and poems. On the day this was great!
We also had a rose queen each year. We had a field off Major Morgan we also went to tea to his Hall on that day. In the field was a big tent full of flowers and vegetables that my dad and other people had grown hoping for a prize. They also had the Quinta Boys singing (That was a school in those days for boys) it was brilliant.
I have photos of what happened to me from all the hard work that them people gave to our education, not forgetting a Miss Parry and a Miss Jones that always took us on a nature study walk up the mountains.
Doris Stanshire (nee Edwards): Schools and the Tramway -
We had lots of evacuees to stay with us over the war years. I remember we didn't always like having them and used to play tricks on them. One awful time a brother and sister stayed with us and the bother (Alex) caught diptheria and died. My sister caught it too and was away a long time. Joyce the older sister of the boy who died was about 16 or more and had joined the land girls. When the Americans were in the valley she always had them coming up to see her and it made my dad cross but we used to run after them and ask for gum
I liked school because it wasn't such hard work as at home! I decided to walk down the river in stilts one day and fell over and cut my foot - I didn't dare tell mum so I got Mrs Owen to bandage it up and I limped for days afterwards. We used to go down to the old wooden bridge made of fencing, below Pontfadog. My best friend there was Vera
When my brother Brian was working in the butchers van I sometimes used to get to the end of our track on the way to school, thenI would meet him and he'd ask if I wanted to come out on the van for the day - well, of course I did, but eventually Bobby Green the attendance officer caught up with me and told my parents.
After dinners at school we used to help wash up and then you would get another pudding, after washing up and pudding we skip off and play hare and hounds or something and not get back to school until 3. Then I got whacked on the hands and couldn't write my fingers were so sore - but it didn't stop me. school finished at 4 then. Miss Jones from Glyn taught the middle classes, she came from Glyn. Miss Parry was strict and I used to go down to the shop to get her groceries for her. Always in school time, then carry them back to school. The bakers was open then and Mr Ellis there.. some lunchtimes I used to watch the bread being made and ask 'Can I make a roll?'. Then he would tear off a piece of dough and I would shape it and give it back and I would go back after school to pick it up and I would eat it all to myself on the way home.
I was Captain of the Blues and remember thumping John Pentre because he was a naughty boy and would lose points for the Blues. We had seasons for games - like the hopscotch season and we played netball - we had hoops at school. I got stung by M.T. Williams' bees very often because they were over the hedge next to the school. We worked on the garden and I have always loved gardening, perhaps because of that, I used to potter in the garden at home, too.
Jesse was at Pontfadog in the 1930's and was brought up speaking Welsh and learnt English at school. She and her brothers ad sisters took their own sandwiches to school and you could make Horlicks in the kitchen at lunchtime but she doesn't remember doing that. They took Gas Masks to school during the War. There were Sunday School outings which they went on that are referred to in the Log Books and they would go to the Wesleyan Chapel in Pontfadog for Sunday School. They walked down from Pennant Farm on the top every day. The family had evacuees to stay during the war and she remembers the mother coming to stay with them for a while.
There were concerts to raise money for things - held in the old school. she remembers M.T.Williams as a good teacher but a bit naggy and fiercer with the boys. When she was in Standards 1 and 2 she had Miss Parry and Miss Parry took the sewing classes throughout school. Miss Parry lived at the Mill.
My memories at Pont School
I remember setting the cows in the field next to us in to the school field. I didn’t know I had done it until the next day when there were loads of cow pats in the field and an angry farmer at the gate. Mr Davies got really angry in assembly and I didn’t tell him so I told him later
There was a new climbing wall put up in school and on its first day up me and my friend Callum climbed up to the top and up on to the roof of the canteen. The lunch time teacher sent us straight to the heads office.
Pont School was where I first learnt how to play football well. My first match was against Pentre where we won 2-1. I scored the winning goal. When we played the Glyners we almost always drew either 4-4, 2-2- or 0-0 but on our last game we beat them 3-0 and I scored a hat trick!
On my last day at school in Pont me and my friends decided to have massive football match on the field. Me, Will, Dan, John, Jack and Arm versus the rest. We beat them 20-13.
Les Davies
I started Pontfadog school in 1948 the teachers at that time were Miss Parry infants, Miss. Jones taught the juniors, and Mr. Emlyn Davies taught the seniors he was also headmaster. Does anyone remember Miss Parry with her feet on the desk ,sucking mints and reading The Daily Post newspaper, while we worked off the black board. I also remember some children being made to lie on mats on the floor while Miss. Parry caned them in one go with a very long cane. We also went on a biology lesson with Miss. Jones on Brown Billy to look for Newts , she was as I remember a brilliant teacher, she was sorely missed when she left to marry a farmer from Glyn Ceriog. Another time Rob Bryant and I had a caning off Mr. Emlyn Davies for being late back from dinner. This was the only time throughout my schooling that I had the cane. I remember my time at Pont school as being very happy .'Ah memories'.