NOW AND THEN: Pontnewynydd, Pontypool (From South Wales Argus)

NOW AND THEN: Pontnewynydd, Pontypool

4:00pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News

Last week’s Now and Then picture was of Pontnewynydd, Pontypool.

Josie Morgan, Pontypool: I remember the area very well, the public house at the front of the picture was The Horseshoe Inn and next to the pub was a small grocery shop, Wheelers, their delivery boy was Ray Bevan.

Further up the road was Grant’s barber shop and a butchers belonging to Tom Watkins.

There was another grocers owned by Mr Rees and then a pub, The Mason’s Arms, the landlord was Mr Treherne. Next along was another pub, The Bridgend Inn, owned by Mr Rufus Clarke.

There was a small row of cottages and then there was the canal bank.

To the right of the picture was the Pavilion cinema and next the Western Welsh Bus Company booking office, opposite this was an ice-cream bar with a fish and chip shop next door. Next was The United Friends pub, and the landlord was Cyril Nutt.

Lower down in Pontnewynydd was the swimming baths, they had a very good water polo team, and spectators were able to go along and watch them. All the schools in the area used to have regular swimming lessons at the baths.

Herbert Williams, New Inn: The Now and Then picture is of Pontnewynydd. In the Then picture, bottom right is the Western Welsh bus depot and office, I was employed there as a driver for most of the 50s, adjoining that building is The Pavilion cinema.

In the centre is a pub and next to that a grocers shop, then there’s the road to Abersychan via Freeholdland and on the corner was Pelopida’s café and fish and chip shop. The road alongside took you to the rear entrance of theWW garage and also to Pontypool District Hospital, which was a magnificent building (now sadly gone).

To the left of the pub was the main road to Abersychan, Blaenavon and Garndiffaith, now served by a bypass. Sadly now all altered but the pub does remain.

There were two bus companies in the area, Western Welsh as mentioned, and at the top of the hill on Hanbury Road was Peake’s depot.

There was also an electrical shop called Challoner’s just out of the shot.

Lance Hitchings, Pontypool: The picture is of Pontnewynydd, near Pontypool. In the centre is the Horseshoe Hotel and a shop and on the right is the Pavilion cinema, which was later a bingo hall.

On the right is the old Western Welsh bus depot, where I was a bus conductor in 1960. The depot later closed and we were all transferred to the depot at Cwmbran, which is now Stagecoach.

Above the hotel was a meeting room where the TGWU held their monthly meetings.

I started ‘on the buses’ in 1960 and Last week’s picture retired fromthemin 2004.