Gaen Street, Blaenau Gwent

Gaen Street, Blaenau Gwent.
The featured image, dated November 1908, shows Gaen Street from the brow of the hill looking east. This area, comprising Gaen Street, Norman Street, Walter Street, George Street and Lewis Street were constructed in the early 1890’s by the Gaen Brothers who were contracted by the Barry Dock Company for the Abertillery Land Investment Company.

Cardiff Road.
Gaen Street was locally known as Cardiff Road and that area of Blaenau Gwent extending down to Portland Street was also known by the name Barry Dock. These names must have been picked up and used by the locals as of the fact that the Gaen family who were prominent in the construction of many of the houses in the vicinity were from Cardiff and working for the Barry Dock Building Company.

The Post Office.
The Blaenau Gwent Post Office can be seen far right, addressed number 2 Gaen Street. Prior to the post office at Gaen Street, the postal services at Blaenau Gwent was in the hands of Mr Anthony Jones, who, in 1901 was given the job as sub-postmaster at Blaenau Gwent, his business of the office was conducted from his grocery and drapery shop on Victoria Street, in the row of cottages adjoining the Royal Exchange Inn. 

George and Sarah Heal.
In the early 1900’s Mr George Heal, a colliery worker with his wife Mrs Sarah Ann Heal lived at number 2 Gaen Street, Blaenau Gwent. In about 1907-1908, a new sub-post office was placed in service at number 2 Gaen Street, Blaenau Gwent, the sub-postmistress was named as Mrs Sarah Ann Heal, born in Radstock in 1851, who on the 1911 census was mentioned as such and also listed as a widow at the time of the census. 

This post office was reported as closed in 1917, residents were said to have had to walk to Oak Street or Cwmtillery to access postal services. Mrs Sarah Ann Heal died in 1936 while living at 47 Blaenau Gwent Rows. A new post office was later in service in Victoria Street, opposite the Co-op and the old post office building on Gaen Street later became a fish shop, a Chinese takeaway known as Pings Place and more recently the Village Chippy. 

The Construction of the other Houses at Brynteg by the Gaen Brothers.
In 1892 the company with the Gaen Bothers as contractors began building houses at Brynteg – Edward Street, Oxenford Street (spelled correctly as in the deeds of 1893) and Preston Street, all named after Mr Edward Oxenford Preston Esq, the financier of the company. Oxenford Street must have had a later name change, or the intention to name the street as Oxenford never materialised and was just shortened to Oxford Street. (I’m still searching for information).

Freehold and Leashold Sales 1896.
On Monday 5th of July 1896 Messrs Stephenson and Alexander sold at auction at the Angel Hotel, Cardiff freehold and long leaseholds on the houses at Blaenau Gwent, the houses in question were situated on Gaen Street, Lewis Street, Walter Street, Morgan Street, George Street and Norman Street with a few premises on the main road from Cwmtillery to Abertillery. There were 93 dwelling houses, nine of those with shops. The ground rents were between £1. 15s. 0d. per annum to £24. 16s. 8d. all held on lease for a term of 999 years, from the 29th of September 1892.

The Gaen Brothers, Building Contractors.
The Gaen Brothers comprised Mr Thomas Gaen, born 1862, Mr Charles Gaen, born 1864 and Mr Frederick Gaen, born 1869. The family were from Langton Matravers, Dorset, the sons of Mr John Thomas Gaen and Ellen Jane Gaen nee Brown. Their father was a stone mason and all three sons entered the trade at an early age as builders, masons and contractors.

Messrs Thomas and Charles Gaen both left Langton Maltravers in the late 1880’s and headed for South Wales. In 1886 Mr Thomas Gaen married Miss Catherine George and I believe they both lived in Cadoxton, Cardiff. Mr Charles Gaen married Elizabeth Bower and also lived in Cadoxton Cardiff.

The two brothers set themselves up in the building trade though I don’t think Mr Frederick Gaen their younger brother came with them at this time or was in a business with his elder brothers but in later censuses he was residing in South Wales and was also in the building trade.

In the early reports Mr Charles Gaen was in the building and investment trade just a short time before Thomas entered into it and was originally living in Treharne Road, Cadoxton, Cardiff.

The Park Castle Land Company Ltd.
In October 1890 the Park Castle Land Company Limited was set up. The company was a group of businessmen with the intention of purchasing land at Barry, Glamorgan, for building purposes. The gentlemen involved were as follows – Mr L. W. Jones (Bank Manager) of Cadoxton; Mr J. Roberts (Builders Merchant) of Barry Dock; Mr G. Neale (Physician) of Cardiff; Mr C. Gaen (Builder) of Cadoxton; Mr J. Lewis (Builder) of Barry Dock and Mr J. Walters (Merchant) of Treherbert: Offices were at Vere Street, Cadoxton, Cardiff.

The Park (Barry Dock) Building Company Ltd.
In December 1890 the Park (Barry Dock) Building Company Limited was set up. The company were a group of businessmen with the intention of purchasing land at Barry, Glamorgan for building purposes. The gentlemen involved were as follows – Mr J. Lewis (Builders Merchant); Rev J. W. Matthews of Cadoxton; Mr Charles Gaen (Builder) of Cadoxton; Mr Thomas Gaen (Builder) of Cadoxton; Mr D. Jones (Accountant) of Barry Dock; Mr E. Williams of Pontypridd and Mr J. Roberts (Builders Merchant) of Barry Dock, Glamorgan. Registered by Mr C. Doubble of 14 Sergeants-Inn, Fleet Street, London.

During the early 1890’s this company was involved in the construction of many houses in the Barry area.

The Robert Street (Barry Dock) Land and Property Co Ltd.
In August 1891 a new company was set up, the Robert Street (Barry Dock) Land and Property Company Limited. The company was a group of businessmen with the intention of purchasing land at Barry, Glamorgan for building purposes including houses and shops etc. The gentlemen involved were as follows – Mr D. E. Davies; Mr W. Townsend; Mr C. Gaen; Mr T. Gaen; Mr A. Davey; Mr F. W. Brett; Mr W. H. D. Capel: Mr D. E. Davies (Solicitor) of St Mary’s Street, Cardiff and Messrs David Shaw and David Jones & Co (Secretaries) of Vere Street, Cadoxton, Cardiff.

In 1892 the Gaen Brothers were also building houses on a street in Cardiff called Gaen Street, named after them.

The Abertillery Connection.
During the 1890’s the Barry Dock Company were constructing many houses in Blaenau Gwent and the brothers were responsible for the construction of Gaen Street, with Lewis, George, Norman, Walter, Edward Street etc, (hence the names of Cardiff Road and Barry Dock being associated with the properties in Blaenau Gwent). These houses were built by the Gaen Brothers and the Barry Dock Company for the Abertillery Land Investment Company. The latter was not very forthcoming in their payments to the Gaen Brothers so they took the Abertillery Company to court, the court judged in favour of the brothers and they later forced the Abertillery Company into bankruptcy.

Mr Frederick Gaen married Margaret? and was living at Margam as a builder.

The Foundry Bridge and Station Hill.
In 1896 the Gaen brothers were chosen to build and construct a new road and bridge in Abertillery, later known as the Foundry Bridge and Station Hill

Following is a Link to – The Foundry Bridge.

Though the brothers lived in Cardiff and their company was based there, they also lived at Abertillery for a short while and on one official document from about 1900 they both resided at Brynteg, Blaenau Gwent, Abertillery. Mr Thomas Gaen was a member of the Liberal & Labour Club, Snooker Club in 1906. This may have been temporary as they were in the area overseeing many building projects from the mid 1890’s to about 1905. While they had a connection to this area during this time Mr Thomas Gaen also lived in Alma Street and at Oak Street, Abertillery, the latter being their home and workshops etc used while engaged in the building work at Abertillery.

Messrs C. & F. Gaen, Builders Merchants, Port Talbot.
In 1905 Messrs Charles and Frederick Gaen were partners and were trading as Messrs C. & F. Gaen, Builders Merchants, Port Talbot.

In March 1907 Mr Thomas Gaen sold his house, yard, workshops and stables at Oak Street, Abertillery and the following year was listed as living at 20 Alma Street, Abertillery.

The Later Years.
In 1909 Mr Charles Gaen was living in Darlston, Port Talbot and was an asphalt dealer. He sadly passed away in August 1910 at 46 years of age. The following year his wife Elizabeth was listed as being the head of the Asphalt Company whilst living at Darlston.

On the 1911 census the younger brother Mr Frederick Gaen of Langton Maltravers, Dorset is registered as a builder and living as a widower in Bryn Athan, Port Talbot.

In March 1940 Mr Thomas Gaen sadly passed away at his home at 121 Bedwelty Road, Aberbargoed.

(More details to come).

Points of Interest – Gaen Street and Other Associated Street Names.
Gaen Street, Blaenau Gwent was named after the Gaen Brothers, contractors, who built the houses there. People are under the impression that the other smaller streets i.e., Walter Street, Norman Street, Lewis Street and George Street were probably named after their sons or family members, although I have been in touch with a descendant of the Gaen family and he says they were not family names. My belief is that the other streets constructed off Gaen Street were named after shareholders, or directors of the finance or building company as in the naming of Preston Street, Edward Street and Oxford Street that were named after the company’s financier Mr Edward Oxenford Preston Esq.