Abercarn Library, 1977     © Dory Buck

 

 

 


 









Bert Preece standing opposite Abercarn Top Club; for many years Bert worked for the council as a road-sweeper, and because of this was affectionately known as 'Bert the Dirt' © Ken Buck












A group of Abercarn likely-lads on holiday in Weymouth around 1955; this photograph has been supplied by Ken Buck (third from the left, back row). On the far left in the back row is Les Urch, who was sadly killed in a mining accident. Does anyone else recognise themselves ?



Abercarn Baths, during the period after closing and before demolition - they were situated on the steep grassy bank adjacent to Abercarn Infants and Primary School. Anyone who is old enough to have used the baths will remember how cold they were! Good memories of hot summer days though.....
© Rob Dobson

 


Two superb examples of 'Gwyddon Vale Mineral Water Co. Abercarn'  pop alley bottles. Bottles courtesy of John Cotton..... thanks John. Photograph by Dory Buck.



















Photograph courtesy of Wynne Rees







Photograph courtesy of Wynne Rees







Photograph courtesy of Wynne Rees













"This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius"..... the hippy clothes place this somewhere in the early Seventies; some likely lads being serenaded outside the New Inn in Abercarn, including Newbridge boys Graham Harman (in yellow jacket), Bonker Preece and Enoch Rees-Jones (Ennock to all who knew him). Ennock was quite a character..... now sadly no longer with us. Photograph simultaneously supplied by Kelvin Thorne and the late John 'Polly' Peregrine.


 

Jeff and Mick Davis won the Abercarn Top Club Flower Show 12 years in a row © Jeff and Mick Davis.



 

 Abercarn guitarist Chris Buck (left), on stage in front of 10,000 people at the Birmingham NIA with Guns N' Roses legend 'Slash' - 9th October 2012







The late Gordon Powell, known as Goggy; Gordon was a great character and used to wrestle for charity, sometimes in the Top Club and sometimes on Cwmcarn School's field. The wrestler pictured with Goggy is Polly Harrison.




The last sign on the now closed 'Swan' pub, situated on the old road, about half way between Abercarn and Cwmcarn. One of the tragedies of modern Britain is the continual loss of traditional pubs; every time one closes we lose a little bit more of our national identity.'The Pub' is a very British institution and vital for small communities.....  © Dory Buck 




A photograph of kids playing in Abercarn Baths, taken from an official 'Abercarn Urban District Council' Guide, possibly from the 1940s. The guide was printed in Croydon, but all the photographs were supplied by the South Wales Argus. The view of the baths is taken with the photographer's back towards Abercarn, looking towards Newbridge.

 

The following series of five photographs were taken by Dory Buck around 1985, after the Baths had closed and fallen into disrepair; shortly after these photographs were taken they were demolished and the pool filled in - the area was landscaped and the position the Baths occupied is now the steep grass bank opposite the entrance to Abercarn Junior School.
 





The five photographs above are © Dory Buck 





Chapel of Ease Welfare Hall © Anne Holloway




Percy Jennings, John Adams and Bob Baker outside the Pant-yr-Esk Pub © Irene Jennings