LAST week we featured a picture of Havelock Street Presbyterian Church in Newport

This is Havelock Street Presbyterian Church in the Baneswell area of Newport.

What of the great questions of the second half of the twentieth century was “Where were you when President Kennedy was assassinated?” Well, I was on my way to Boy' Brigade at Havelock Street Presbyterian Church.

It was the home of the 1st Newport Company, which was the first Boys' Brigade Company in Wales and there is a Blue Plaque on the side of Church confirming this fact.

The Company Captain was a fantastic man by the name of Ray Allen and I was one of several boys during the mid 1960s who were encouraged by him and his assistant Lieutenant Robert Matthews to attain the Boys' Brigade Queens Badge, the highest accolade available to boys in the organisation.

Dave Fereday, Llantarnam

THIS is Havelock St Presbyterian Church at the top of North Street and just below St Woolos infant and junior school. It was built in 1864. I remember it as a very sociable place in the 1950s and 60s. Sunday school was in the schoolroom underneath the church and we were taught by Mr and Mrs James. The pastor was Mr Woodeson and the organist was Dennis Watkins known as Cousin Dennis to a large number of the congregation who were related to each other by marriage.

We always participated in the Whitsun Parade with our beautiful blue banner and we had celebrations at Whitsun, Easter and Christmas when we had presentations to the congregations with songs and recitations.

A group always took the scripture exam every year and met every week for study sessions. Always an excuse for a bit of a laugh afterwards before we went home.

Janice Rickard, Maddox

THIS is Havelock Street Presbyterian Chapel which was opened in 1863. As a youngster I used to go to the Band of Hope which was held in the basement as they had a youth club there.

In those days (in the 1950s) there was very little to keep the kids off the streets. Opposite the chapel was a terrace of four houses. Where they stood is now a bank of flowers and shrubs and a mural designed by the children of St Woolos Junior School.

Behind the cameraman at the top of North Street is the back entrance to St Woolos Infant and Junior School which was opened in 1904 to a typical Victorian design. This school replaced the original school in St Mary Street which was opened in 1873 – the building still stands and is a community centre.

Dave Woolven, Newport