Your Blackwood memories as the town turns 200

Here are a few you sent in.

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Carole Furmage lived in the Railway house between 1948 and 1953 when her family was given a new council house on Coronation Road. She also explains how the Rock Inn used to be a court.

The Railway House in the early 1950s. Picture: Carole Furmage

“I understand that a court used to be held in the Rock Inn and the cells were in the garage next door," she said.

“Opposite the Rock Inn was the railway line from Tredegar to Newport. This is now a cycle track.

“There were 10 cottages called Argoed buildings and there was a community centre called the Hut – which burnt down.

Carole Furmage - nee Smith - aged three on a horse with Rock Villas in the background in 1951. Picture: Carole Furmage

“On the opposite side of the track was Railway house which had stables where the horses were changed when it was the old Sirhowy tram road. Later on, it became the Sirhowy railway line.

Carole Furmage sent in this picture of her aunt Lizzy Turner, grandmother Emily Smith and a neighbour and her daughter from the early 1950s

“I lived in the house with my family from when I was born in 1948. A few years later, my younger brother Robert was knocked down by a train and was put on board and taken to Newport to the Royal Gwent Hospital. Luckily, he survived and my family were given a new council house on Coronation Road, Blackwood in 1953.”

Blackwood Primary School pupils, including Sharon Furmage (standing, third from left) and Councillor Cooke outside the Red Lion in Blackwood during the Courage Publicity Tour in 1985. Picture Carole Furmage

Teresa Roberts sent in a picture of herself and her five sisters waiting to board the last passenger train from Blackwood in 1960.

Teresa Roberts (third from front on the left) and her five sisters waiting with other members of the community to board the last passenger train from Blackwood in 1960

As part of celebrations of the town's 200th anniversary, there will be a day of talks and presentations on the history of the town from various local historians at Blackwood Miner’s Institute on Saturday, April 4.

• Do you have memories or pictures of Blackwood from throughout the ages? We want to hear from you. Drop a line to Elizabeth.birt@newsquest.co.uk