Out Of The Blue Artifacts A Library of a lifetime of collecting
Cwmtillery Welfare Club – Penybont.
The Cwmtillery Welfare Club situated at Penybont Tip was a club established for the workmen of the Abertillery New Mine, Cwmtillery Section. The building (as seen in the center of the main featured image above) was originally a stables and granary and later a laboratory for the colliery, it stood on two and a half acres of land close to Tillery Street.
Applications for Steward and Stewardess.
As early as May 1963, applications for steward and stewardess were advertised, to work at the club, with no living accommodation. All applications were to be handed in to Mr E. Price, Secretary, 5 Club Row, Cwmtillery.
Mr and Mrs E. B. Rogers.
Mr Edgar Brian Rogers and his wife Mrs Patricia Rogers nee Lane were the first steward and stewardess at the Cwmtillery Welfare Club.
The Official Opening.
On Saturday 7th of September 1963, the Cwmtillery Welfare Club was officially opened. The opening was presided over by Mr A. E. Huxley the manager of the colliery. Others who attended the ceremony were as follows – Mr Lister Walker (N.C.B. Area Manager); Major S. A. Snazell (Webb’s); Mr J. A. Moxham (Group Manager); Mr Harold Bartlett (Secretary of the N.U.M. Cwmtillery Lodge) and Mr E. R. Pinney (Undermanager):
Description of the Building.
The club was purchased from the National Coal Board at a cost of £1,500 and cost a further £10,000 to renovate. Webb’s Brewers was said to have helped financially. The Architect was Mr R. MacDavitt.
In January 1964 the club was altered, added to and decorated, there were seven rooms downstairs, also a skittle alley, a bar and three lounges, a room for games and darts etc.
Membership and Fees.
The workmen of the colliery contributed 3d. per week fees and there were 800 members on the books at the time of its opening. Mr E. Price (Secretary) and Mr C. Meredith (Chairman). The officers were as follows – Mr Ted White; Mr Roy Ashton and Mr Ben Roberts:
The First Function at the Club.
The first function at the club was a presentation evening in connection with presenting safety awards to the men at Cwmtillery Colliery.
Abertillery Clubs Darts League.
In October 1964 the Cwmtillery Welfare Club featured in the various club sports leagues. The club had a team in the Abertillery Darts League “Section B” which included the following teams – Highbury A, Officers Club, Excelsiors A, Blaenau Gwent A, Trinant A, Blaentillery, Aberbeeg B, Sofrydd A, Llanhilleth Cons Club, Blaenau Gwent C, Abertillery Legion A, Cwmtillery B, Arrael Street A and the Lymes Club B.
Abertillery Clubs Skittles League.
In October 1964 the Cwmtillery Welfare Club also featured in the Abertillery Skittles League “Section B” which included the following teams – Rose Heyworth Club, Oak Street Club, The Hafod, Highbury Club, Excelsiors, Glasgow, Aberbeeg, Abertillery Legion, Lymes Club, The Sports Club, Soffryd Club, Blaenatillery Club and Blaenau Gwent Club.
The N.C.B. No6 Area Collieries Darts Competition.
In October 1964 the Cwmtillery Welfare Club was the venue for the final of the collieries darts knockout between Cwmtillery Colliery and the Rose Heyworth Colliery. The Cwmtillery Colliery team captained by Mr Bill Bowd beat the Rose Heyworth Colliery team captained by Mr Bill Goode by two games to one. The prizes were presented by Mr Emrys D. Davies (Regional Welfare Officer), the organising secretary of the competition.
Entertainment.
In April 1969 the club advertised “Teenage Nights” every Wednesday with top groups, also every Saturday at the club was bingo, followed by dancing with Bryn on the organ and Johnny on the drums.
The Closure of the Cwmtillery Welfare Club.
I am not sure when the club closed although it was sometime in the early to mid 1970’s. The premises was taken over by the council and used as their stores, later as a skip storage facility. The building was later vacated and demolished in about 1984-85. The Abertillery Comprehensive School now occupies the area where the club once stood.
(More information to come).
Points of Interest – The main photograph shows the Cwmtillery Welfare Club at the (center) of the image, to the left is Tyleri Court, a centre for the disabled, which was opened on Wednesday 22nd of November 1967. Clockwise from bottom left is – The New Bridgend Inn and Henley’s Bus Depot, Tillery Street, Tyleri Court and the Cwmtillery Welfare Club and the ruins of the Gray Colliery. In the foreground is Old Penybont Road and cottages and the Cwmtillery Valley which was completely filled in with waste during the landfill scheme of the early 1970’s.