‘New Road’ is the main road running through the centre of Pontardawe. Named as ‘New Road’ as the new main road once built, making the previous road which runs parallel named ‘Old Road’. The canal runs the other side of New Road down a steep hill.
At the start of the last century, New Road was a busy street as outlined via this letter which was published in the Evening Post in 1972, explaining how New Road looked 70 years previously in 1902:-
Ynysmeudwy shops 70 years ago
Sir,
May I through your paper take some of the older people of Ynysmeudwy back to the beginning of the century –
I remember no less than 19 shops from the Lamb Inn down to the once known Girls’ School.
There was Mrs Williams, butcher, taken over later by her son-in-law Mr Bell. There was a grocer’s shop kept by Mr David Davies, Dai Bab; Mrs Beti Williams with a wool shop selling stockings, drawers and flannel shirts, also the short shirts (‘crys bach’), as worn by men working in the tinplate mills. After her day her son Hopkin Beti, opened a confectionery shop.
The next shop was that of Mr Joseph James, London House, a general store where you could acquire anything you needed. His assistants were Miss Gibbs, Miss Griffiths (she lived in The Ivy Bush then) and Mr Harry Burdett.
Miss Jones the Post Office, was on the opposite side of the road. We knew her as ‘Jinny Post’. Mrs Jenkins Don, with another confectionery shop, Mr Jenkin Rees with his grocer’s shop. He later built a billiards room at the rear where youngsters of the village spent many happy hours.
I have to mention an old and likeable character, Captain Nicholas ‘Tresaer’. He wore his sea captain’s cap until the end of his days. He had a flag pole in front of his house and a flag was flown on happy occasions and at half-mast on the other occasions. His grandson, Mr Dillwyn Williams, resides there today.
Lower down, before the start of the century, my grandparents kept a greengrocer and China shop. My grandfather’s name was Mr William James, Llwyn-yr-Haf, and he used to take a horse-driven cart with fruit and vegetables to sell on his rounds, shouting his wares all the way. My grandmother, Mrs Mari James was the village midwife and she attended to almost all the births in the village. She was 72 when she retired; she herself having had 12 children.
After they finished, their son Mr Llewelyn James, built a garage there and had two Ford cars for hire for all occasions. Later his brother, Mr William Isaac James, opened a grocer’s shop next to him.
Then there was Mr Harris, Oilman (Holwill) and opposite the fish and chip shop kept by Mr Trevor Williams (‘Trevor Butch’) and Mr William Lewis the Baker was lower down and it was a sight to look into the shop window filled with bread and cakes baked by Mr Lewis himself.
Opposite was the Nicholas family with a confectionery shop. – Mary, Kaziah and William. On the other side of the Zinc School was Mr David Evans with another confectionery shop. A similar shop was kept by Mrs Margaret Phillips and later taken over by her son, Dan.
Opposite was the shop of Mr John Williams, paper shop and general stores. After his death his daughter, the late Miss Sally Williams kept the business going for many years and is still flourishing, kept by her nephew Mr Tom Williams. Lower down was Tawe Stores, a grocer’s shop kept by Mr Albert Jones.
The headmistress of the Girls’ School in those days was Miss Davies. She travelled by train from Swansea walking to and from Pontardawe Station every day.
Next to the school lived Mr Roberts, headmaster of the then Pontardawe Boys’ School.
I daresay many people will remember the tradespeople and characters from this point down.
Written by, ‘Ex-Ynysmeudwy Lady’
Significant Buildings:- Click to learn more
The New Church
The Lamb Inn
London House
Post Office