Oral History collection: Gwilimowen Jones (born 31 July 1891) interviewed by Elizabeth Jones

[00:03:10] Pontardawe: Welsh speaking, chapel people. Job on the Kidwelly railway in 1907. Choir boy in St Mary's church. Moved to Llandysul and met his wife. [00:06:00] Pontardawe: Went to school in Pencader. Worked in The Mond works Clydach for 6 years, then moved to Gilberston works. [00:09:50] Pontardawe: Work history. [00:10:55 Pontardawe: Changes in the area, Ynysderw works, sheet mills, surface work. [00:13:22] Pontardawe: Old pit in Waun-y-Coed, Ynyscedwyn. incline. [00:16:15] Pontardawe: Llwyn celyn, school, outhouse. Cilybebyll. [00:18:40] Pontardawe: Weaving family, old factori at Gelli Nedd, abondended shaft with pullies. Nant-y-Felin. Nant Llwyd. [01:12:20] Pontardawe: Using teasel to brush the wool, flannel. [01:13:20] Pontardawe: Plenty of Trout in the brooks, rivers, fish. [01:00:15] Pontardawe: Madame Adelina Patti owning a steam car, general chat about Adelina Patti. [01:01:20] Pontardawe: Mills, Abergwen, Ffactori John, Glyntalwg, Cwm Gwen, Alltwen, brooks. [01:00:20] Pontardawe: Adolescent stories, fun. [01:03:47] Pontardawe: Railway tunnel, Pencader Junction. [01:40] Pontardawe: Jamboree, horse racing. [01:04:20] Pontardawe: 5 Mills, Y Wennol, weaving sheds, hand looms, flannel, dyed wool, river being dyed with colour. The word Pandy. [01:09:03] Pontardawe: Weavers, blankets, Rhyd-y-Fro, collecting urine to use as ammonia to set the dye, wool, flannel making. [00:21:15] Pontardawe: The wind blew the roof off Rhos Chapel the same day in 23rd April 1947 as empty tanker SS Samtampa was blown onto Sker point near Porthcawl. 1947 lifeboat disaster, the Edward Prince of Wales. [00:26:45] Pontardawe: Severe winter mid late 1940s, sheep wading in to the freezing pond to eat watercress, and later to be found dead. [00:29:20] Pontardawe: Police story, local anecdotes, funny stories. [00:34:50] Pontardawe: 1913 started in The Mond, didn't go to The Great War, he was exempt as he was part of The Derby scheme. Soldier story. [00:38:15] Pontardawe: Too old for Second World War, World War Two, memories of the bomb dropping near The Mond, Cilybebyll, Gellionen. [00:39:40] Pontardawe: The Gelli, Blaen Coed. [00:42:10] Pontardawe: Abergwen, Arddol, Glan Talog, Sunny Hill Mills, Pencader. [00:43:00] Pontardawe: M and M railway, Pencader to Abersytwyth line. [00:44:30] Pontardawe: Buses, bus service, conductor on the bus to New Quay in 1909. [00:45:35] Pontardawe: Buses in Pontardawe, pony and trap, trams, tunnel under The Uplands, railway, Gwaencaegurwen, G.W.R. [00:49:00] Pontardawe: Tantrum, local characters, Penwyllt railway. [00:51:00] Pontardawe: Boy scouts. Mr Myers commissioner of scouts for South Wales. [00:52:47] Pontardawe: Jamboree in Glais. [00:53:18] Pontardawe: Building the scout hall in Trebanos in 1913, grandstand. [00:55:30] Pontardawe: First to get married at Trebanos church, building Derw Road. [00:57:45] Pontardawe: Shops, Victoria buildings, hat shop. [00:58:13] Pontardawe: Sunday school, public institute. Collieries having libraries. [00:00:05] Pontardawe: Gwilim Owen Jones born Rhydywen, July 31st 1891. 90 this week. Father was a wool spinner at Teifi Mills, hosier, flannel.