Abertillery History

Crumlin Viaduct – A Commemorative Three Piece Tea Set. This tea set comprises one cup, a saucer and a small tea plate. It has a transfer print of the Crumlin Viaduct one the front of the cup and on the tea plate.  Made from porcelain china. Size – Cup 3″ x 3″ inches. Saucer – 5″ inches. Plate 6″ inches. …

Harmstons Music Stores – Hire Instalment Book. This book was from the Pontypool branch of the Harmstons Music Stores Company. It was the hire instalment book belonging to a Mr Godfrey Griffiths of Garndiffaith, Pontypool. Book size is 6″ x 3″ inches. Dated 19th January 1920. This hire instalment book was kindly donated to the site courtesy of Mr Arthur …

Messrs Williams. Coed Iorwg is the large double fronted house in its own grounds sited on High Street where the Abertillery multi-storey car park would later be built. The house can be seen (center-right on the main featured image above). The premises was partly covered in creeping ivy and was used as the backdrop of many sports team photographs in …

Powell’s Tillery Steam Coal Company Water Polo Team – The Early Years. On Monday 5th of September 1910, the Powell’s Tillery Institute Baths opened in an extension to their institute on Division Street, Abertillery. During the opening ceremony the Newport Swimming Club performed an aquatic display, swimming exhibitions and a water polo match. After the opening of the swimming pool …

Brynmawr Canine Society. On Wednesday 23rd of March 1927, the first annual members dog show under the auspices of the Brynmawr and District Canine Society took place at the Market Hall Brynmawr. The number of entries totalled over 200 and it was stated that the quality was high. The Officials at the Show. The officials at the show were as …

The Abertillery Miners Institute – 1984-1985. On Monday 16th of April 1951, the old Powell’s Tillery Institute was gutted by a devastating fire, what was left of it was demolished and was later rebuilt, the opening ceremony of the newly re-built Abertillery Miners Institute took place on Saturday 27th August 1955. The Abertillery Miners Institute was the home of the …

Mrs Pearl Williams – Abertillery Women’s Support Group. Mrs Pearl Williams was one of the founder members of the Abertillery Women’s Support Group, became heavily involved in the organising, distribution and provision of meals at the kitchen in the Abertillery Miners Institute and later turned her attention to political activities in connection with the miners during the strike. The Women’s …

Abertillery Women’s Support Group. Some of the women of the Abertillery Support Group at the Abertillery Miners Institute.  The Abertillery Women’s Support Group. In July 1984 a group of women from Abertillery, a varied group, some miner’s wives, others with miners in their families and some with no mining connections at all banded together to form the Abertillery Women’s Support …

Abertillery Women’s Support Group. Some of the women of the Abertillery Support Group at the Abertillery Miners Institute. The Abertillery Women’s Support Group. In July 1984 a group of women from Abertillery, a varied group, some miner’s wives, others with miners in their families and some with no mining connections at all banded together to form the Abertillery Women’s Support …

The Blaenau Gwent & Rhymney Food Fund. A few months into the miners’ strike it seemed inevitable that it was going to be a long-drawn-out battle between the National Coal Board and the National Union of Mineworkers, many miners that were out of work were not getting paid, debts were piling up, the outlook for talks on resolving the crisis …