November 2020  - Peter Watkins

As a former resident of Cwm, I was delighted to come across the website. I moved to the US in 1981 but grew up in Curre Street.

Thanks for giving me an opportunity to see what's been going on in a place that has so many memories for me.

 

October 2017

My mothers name - Muriel Ann Kingsbury.

Her parents were - William Henry Kingsbury Died 1912 was an underground worker in cwm.

His wife was Jane Kingsbury / maiden name - Sheraton. they lived at 8 Craig Terrace, Cwm (on the 1911 census.)

My grandmother Jane remarried in 1915 to William Sherman of 53 Canning St Cwm, where my Mother lived along with her siblings.

Olive - married Richard J Lloyd

Jane Gwendoline married Albert Woolridge

Alice Mary - married Thomas James Sherman son of the above .

We knew they all went to school in Cwm, but we don't know why they moved down south to West Sussex,

We have no pics of  my Grandparents, and no stories to pass on.

As we are now drawing a blank on the family history pages, we are trying through your website.

 

March 2017          Terry Roberts

I  live in Essex I am now 55 years old and my mother was born in Cwm. I can remember as a child the excitement going to my nan's in Curre St in the long school holidays. Even now the smell of a coal fire takes me right back to happier days. Though my mother left the valleys many years ago and had me in Romford Essex, she always wanted to go home. And said if she died before she could go home, she wanted her ashes scattered on the quarry bit on the mountain overlooking her mother and father's house . In June 2003 my father died suddenly after a short illness, by December 2003 my mother had a fatal heart attack, so my mother's wish was carried out. With her and my father's ashes scattered overlooking Cwm and every year I return to lay flowers and although I am not Welsh , Cwm and South Wales will all ways be in my heart

 

February 2017      Austin Ferrante

Hi, I have really enjoyed learning about the history of your village.

I like to learn about the history of old buildings and would like to know if you know any history about the victoria arms, do you know when it opened, was it for the miners or did it predate that as a coaching inn and more recently do you know why it closed.

Many thanks

Austin

 

December 2016      Colm Sweet

Hi my grandfather Jesse Sweet and great grandfather worked in the pits near Merthyr Tydfil at the start of the 20th century. My great grandfather lost part of his arm in an accident possibly the 1927 explosion at Cwm colliery. Does anyone have historical records of the pitmen that worked there or can you point me towards someone that might be able to help.

Reply from Mervyn Robbins

I have done the history of Marine Colliery (CWM) including the explosion of 1927. I have a list of the men killed and also a copy of the government report. I would be glad to help you if I can but would require more info.

 

November 2016     Re: Charles Henry Davies b 1st March 1927

I am the granddaughter of Charles Henry Davies.  The Marine Colliery explosion struck upon my Grandfather’s wedding day to Margaret Jane Drew.  My grandfather left his bride to assist with the recovery operation of the disaster.

 

Derek Robbins  -  29th January 2016

Hello from New Zealand

I just thought to drop you a line and congratulate you on both the website and the work you’re doing.

On a personal note

Mervyn Robbins, if you’re the son of Ivor Robbins, we’re related. I’m the youngest son of Osborne Robbins – who was Ivor’s brother.

Small world eh

6th November 2014  -   Gaynor Seymour  (Nee Rose now of Gosport Hampshire)

I am originally from Cwm having left there in 1974. My father Bill Rose sadly no longer with us was from King Street. We lived in Cools Close I came across the website by accident when I was looking for information about the Marine colliery disaster. it is a really informative site with wonderful photos. I sadly do not stay in Cwm anymore as both my parents are no longer with us but I pass through on my way to Ebbw Vale to visit family. Keep up the good work

 

 8th January 2013  -  David William Williams  

I would like to wish everone connected to the organisation a healthy and prosperous 2013. I have a question that probably one of the organisation could answer...The beauty spot and recreation area adjacent to the north west side of Cwm cemetary was called The Garden Wells. Why was it so-called?

My father, born 1908, in his later years referred to an instalation in the area as " the tanks" referring possibly of tank catchments for running water to  old Cwm-Myrrdog ? An answer would be greatly appreciated. The seasons wishes Merv. I haven,t forgotten you.

                                               Dave Williams. Ex Marine, King St, Cwm Terr,& School Terr,  Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, Spain.                                                                                                                                    

 22nd November 2012   -  John W. Peters 

COALMINING FAMILIES

Congratulations to Mervyn Robbins and his team on creating this very interesting community website and for raising the necessary funds for the creation of a permanent memorial to those who lost their lives in the Cwm, Waunlwyd and Victoria pits.  Although I live a good distance from South Wales, it is my hope that, one day, I shall be able to visit the memorial garden.

My own family’s connections with coalmining in this area began when three brothers, Ebenezer, Thomas and Daniel PETERS moved from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire to this area during the late 1850’s/early 1860’s to work in the pits at Victoria.   Thomas later moved with his family up to Hartlepool in Co. Durham to work in the ship yards and Daniel emigrated to the U.S.A. with his family to work in the coal mines in Ohio.  However, Ebenezer and his large family remained living in the area (in Augusta Street) and continued working for the Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Co. Ltd until his tragic death on 2nd  January 1905 at the age of 66.  This is how the Mining Inspector’s Report described the events of that day:-

"Ebenezer Peters. 02/01/1905.  66  Greaser.  Ebbw Vale, Waun Llwyd.  Ebbw Vale Steel Iron and Coal Ltd. Monmouth.  Crushed between the buffers of rail waggons on colliery sidings when passing between them in the course of his work.  He was simply going from one side of the waggons to the other by the shortest road, and did not notice some waggons which were being let down from the screens."

I have a photograph of Ebenezer standing in front of one of the huge engines that he was working on.  If you would like a copy for your community website, I shall be happy to send you a copy.

In addition to the three PETERS boys, other families related to the Peters clan also moved to the area from Bradford-on-Avon.  Amongst them was Ebenezer’s nephew, Arthur DICKS (DIX) who, with his wife and family lived in 143, Marine Street, Cwm during the early 1900’s until Arthur’s death in 1919 and the death of his wife Eliza in 1925.  Their daughter Ethel married Arthur BURGESS who lived at 78, King Street, Cwm.  Another family that the Peters married into was the NOYES family.  Many of the descendants of these families still live in the area.

Whilst searching for information on the internet about the Cwm Memorial, I was intrigued to find that a Louise Dicks has been writing articles for the Gwent Gazette in support of the fund-raising efforts .  Wouldn’t it be a wonderful coincidence if Louise was related in some way?

I feel sure that this community website will continue to grow, as more people get to know of its existence.  I wish it every success.

John Peters

 

 22nd September 2012  -  Pastor Phil Harris (Tirzah Chapel ) 

The website is very informative & being a Pastor of the Baptist Chapel I was pleased a few years ago to dedicate the lovely garden next door to our Chapel

Praise the Lord !  

God Bless Cwm.     Pastor Harris.

 

2nd September 2012  -  David William Williams   

Hello Mervyn. I was very pleasantly surprised to come across the Cwm Community Care site. I appreciate greatly the efforts you and your colleagues have made to remind future generations of the industrial and community past of the Cwm and of course Talistown. I have seen the photographs of of the tribute to the miners who lost their lives on Saint Davids day 1927. I have seen the photograph of Cwmerddog Garden on the site of  of the cafe and St Johns Ambulance Hall and marvel at the fact that someone had the drive to get both projects off the ground and the tenacity to find funding. Well done everyone.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Dave Williams , Ex Marine (33 years),  Ex King Street, Cwm Terr, School Terr,   Torrevieja, Costa Blanca Spain

                                                                                                                                                                                     

 7th June2012 -   Ellen

Very interesting site.

I am/was related to the Wilkinson Family of Canning Street ,Cwm.

 

 

19th April 2012  -  Mervyn Robbins

Dear Mrs Davies of Chesterfield.

I am chairman of Cwm Community Care, and would be obliged if you could give me some of your history of Cwm, maybe I can help. As you see from our website, we are compiling a history of Cwm and I am 73 years old and did the milk round for almost 40years from 1947 on

 

13th April 2012   -  Heather Davies ( nee Tarr) 

I now live in Chesterfield,Derbyshire but visit Ebbw Vale a few times a year to see family. My parents were born in Cwm and both sets of grandparents lived there--Canning street and stansfield street.I have many many fond memories of my childhood visting my grandparents and aunts and uncles who lived in Cwm.I even have a recurring dream which features Cwm and scenes from bygone days so the place obviousley means a lot to me .My sister who lives in Ebbw told me about this site after she had read about it in todays Gwent Gazette. I love keeping up to date with what is going on back home .Your site is good and needs to be kept bang up to date to be successful.I will look at it regularly now i know about it.Why not have a forum section where readers can leave information or ask questions.                              I am researching my family history and would love to post some questions about my family who lived in Stansfield Street in the early 1900's.

Well done.

Good luck and best wishes with this site.

 

25th March 2012   -   Ray Lawrence   

Very impressive website, you can see that a lot of work has gone into it.  It is vitally important that each community should record its own past, present and future ambitions.  Well done.

 

 21st February 2012  -  George Piff

Very impressed with the new Web Site, and I wish you all the best with it and all your projects. Keep it up to date (private Joke) George