Bryngwyn School

Bryngwyn School.
The Bryngwyn School was proposed to be built as a boys school to take the overflow and ease pressure from the Queen Street Schools.

In July 1907 the Abertillery Urban District Council’s Education Committee invited tenders from builders to erect the Bryngwyn School on a site close to the Steam Laundry, near Six Bells, Abertillery. They also invited tenders for the position of clerk of the works in connection with the same project, to be handed into Mr N. J. Llewellyn Secretary to the Education Committee, District Council Offices, Abertillery.

In July 1907 the Abertillery Education Committee consisting of the following members – Mr W. Lewis (Chairman); Mrs King; Alderman W. Thomas J.P.; Mr D.Lewis; Mr T. Smith; Mr A. T. Jenkins; Mr E. J. William and Mr N. J. Llewellyn (Secretary): They stated that they had received twelve tenders from builders for the building of the proposed new Bryngwyn Boys School and that they had accepted the tender of Mr D. J. Vaughan of Tredegar at £4,985 and the building work was to go ahead. The committee also accepted the tender of Mr Dan Lloyd of Llanhilleth as clerk of the works at Bryngwyn Boys School at a salary of £2. 10s. 0d. per week.

bryngwyn-1-copy-2The Official Opening of the Bryngwyn Boys School.
On Monday 1st of March 1909, the Bryngwyn Boys School was officially opened. The Bryngwyn Boys School had been erected by the Abertillery Education Authority to take the place of the Queen Street Boys School in order that the latter might provide additional accommodation for the Queen Street Girls department.

The Bryngwyn School was opened by Mr E. J. Williams (Councillor) in the presence of the following members of the committee – Mr G. Purnell; Mr G. Little; Mr D. Smith; Mr G. Jones; Mr F. Athay; Mr T. H. Prichard; Mr J. E. Flowers; Mr A. T. Jenkins; Mr R. Downs; Mr J. Carter; Mr N. J. Llewellyn (Secretary to the Committee); Mr N. G. Lewis F.I.A.S. (Architect); Mr Dan Lloyd (Clerk of the Works): Also present were – Alderman P. Wilson Raffan J.P. (Vice Chairman of the Monmouthshire County Council) Mr Llewellyn Blunt (Headmaster of the new School) and Mr L. Lewis (Building Inspector): Mr N. G. Lewis the architect handed the key to Mr E. J. Williams the councillor with which he performed the opening ceremony.  Later the party had lunch at the Bush Hotel, Abertillery, catered by Mr D. B. Evans the landlord.                             
 
Description of the Building.
The school was situated on the side of the Pontypool Mountain part of the Cwm Estate overlooking the southern part of Abertillery and near the Abertillery Steam Laundry. It provided accommodation for 500 boys. It was built on the modern principles. The elevations and boundary walls were of Llancaiach stone and the best Ebbw Vale bricks. The school consisted of a large central hall with six classrooms, cloak rooms and lavatory accommodation. There was also a master’s room, stores and caretakers’ rooms all fitted with necessary conveniences. The whole of the building was heated by the Grundy patent ventilating grates. It had ventilation and natural light which was considered perfect. The whole building was constructed at a cost of £4,980.

The Contractor and Architect.
The contractor was Mr D. J. Vaughan of Tredegar. Mr N. Gasenius Lewis F.I.A.S. of Oak Street, Abertillery was the architect. 

The Later Years.
The Bryngwyn School was still functioning as a school and along with its sister school Queen Street Primary were the only two original schools still operational in Abertillery. Though owing to the dilapidated state of both Bryngwyn and Queen Street Schools it was decided to close them both and to construct a new modern school to take in all their pupils in one building.

The Six Bells Campus.
In 2018 the new school was under construction at the old Arrael Griffin Colliery site at Six Bells. This new school is called Six Bells Campus and will accommodate all the pupils from Bryngwyn and Queen Street Schools and will be operational in September 2019.

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