Cowbridge

Read and share memories of Cowbridge and South Glamorgan inspired by Frith photos

193940 School Days

I remember the Town Hall at Cowbridge.  In those days there was no one way system around it like today.  The school boy interest was the Merryweather Fire Engine that was kept in a garage at the side of the Town Hall. Great fun to see it being driven out bell clanging and the firemen in their then shiny helmets hanging on. A local resident and Fireman was a Mr. Bond who fought fires in the air raid on Cardiff in WW2.  He won a medal for his work there that night. The Caretaker lived on the premises, cannot remember his name but when the L.D.V later the Home Guard used it as their H.Q he was the Sergeant Major.  They ...read more here
Contributed by Roy Newton

193940 School Days

I remember the Town Hall at Cowbridge.  In those days there was no one way system around it like today.  The school boy interest was the Merryweather Fire Engine that was kept in a garage at the side of the Town Hall. Great fun to see it being driven out bell clanging and the firemen in their then shiny helmets hanging on. A local resident and Fireman was a Mr. Bond who fought fires in the air raid on Cardiff in WW2.  He won a medal for his work there that night. The Caretaker lived on the premises, cannot remember his name but when the L.D.V later the Home Guard used it as their H.Q he was the Sergeant Major.  They ...read more here
A memory of Cowbridge contributed by Roy Newton

War-time

My Grandfather, Clifford Taylor, was a Civil Servant at RAF St. Athan during the Second World War. He could not join the Forces at all because he had club feet and was rejected at his Call Up Board. He used to be involved with giving out the uniforms, as well as other duties, which obviously changed when Peace broke out in 1945. Grampy had a fantastic sense of humour and would sometimes be allowed to bring one or two of the Airmen home to his wife and baby girl (my Mum) to have a meal. He stayed at the Base until his untimely death at 50 in January 1964, meaning that I never met him.

A memory of St Athan contributed by Caroline Scott

Hammett's Farm.

This building was known to us as Hammett's Farm, properly West Orchard Farm, in the Higher End area of St Athan. Arthur Hammett and his wife ran the farm and I occasionally helped to deliver milk from the farm around the village from a horse and cart. Arthur, who lived to the great age of 92, and continued farming to the last, would bottle his own milk in a tiny parlour. He was a lovely chap and always gave us a mangold to make a lantern for Halowe'en night. The farmhouse is alongside the old main road from Barry to Llantwit Major before the huge RAF Station at St Athan was further enlarged and another road had ...read more here
A memory of St Athan contributed by The Frith Memory Archivist