LAST week’s ‘then’ postcard view showed the word KING in large letters.

This week’s picture looks like the end of Goldcroft Common, Caerleon, at the junction with Usk Road. There was a butchers there and of course the Goldcroft pub.

James Dwyer

This is Goldcroft Common taken about 1940. The small pane windowed shop was the butchers – Mr Tom Morgan and the next shop belonged to Mr Garfield Jones, confectionery and newsagent, who made lovely ice-cream. I remember the morning that his son, Ronald, married Mr Mark Howells’ daughter (Mr Howells owned the stables at the back of the Angel). It was snowing badly.

Next I come to the Goldcroft, where I was born 82 years ago, it was in my family for 49 years. The Staffords lived next door at number 34, Percy, their son, became the county treasurer with Monmouthshire council and his sister became our Girl Guide mistress.

The Kinnears at number 33 had two sons, Alfie, the oldest, lost his life training to be a pilot in Canada.

Nurse Cooper at number 32 was a very useful neighbour and the Moore family, who used to own the newsagents, lived at 31.

The next house was ‘Senlac’ belonging to Mr Austin Jones, a local councillor and chairman of Williams charity.

The Walkers lived at 29, Mr Walker owned a timber yard on Usk Road.

The Humphries and Mr and Mrs Bill Jones and family lived at number 28, and next to them, Mr Harris, the local coal merchant, and at 26 were Mr and Mrs Kembrey and their two children.

Then we came to the Primitive Methodist Chapel where I was christened, I still have the certificate.

When it closed it became a monumental masons, Mr Brown was the mason. I remember spending many hours watching him chisel letters onto the stone. This is now a three-storey house.

Mr Vaughan, who was a PoW in World War II, lived at 25 and funeral director Mr Baulch lived and ran his business from next door.

Another member of the Baulch family lived next door, and he had a lodger, Mr Ivor Brangham. We used to take him to the post office every Friday for his pension, and then to Hardings shop for his rations.

The Drovers Arms were kept by Mr Dowden and family and there was a small cottage at the side where the Nash family lived.

The last house was Danebury, where the Deans lived.

Miss Dolly was the headmistress of the Endowed Infants School.

I remember well that motorbike outside the Goldcroft, as I had many a ride in that sidecar.

Jean Fieldhouse