In November 2010, Vic Reynolds (ABGS 1955-63) made a trip to Aberdare from his home in Spain to meet up with his old friend Rob Humphreys (ABGS 1956-62). They spent time chatting about old times, visiting some old haunts and in the process they also swapped some old school photos. You will find some of them below.
Rob had wanted to take Vic around some of the old locations which they used to frequent when they went caving, but just before Vic arrived the first of the winter snows fell and this prevented them from getting close to their old stamping grounds. They did manage to travel to Ystradfellte village and with careful driving they went further north and reached as far as the steep hair-pin drop into the Senni valley. On returning to the Lamb Hotel, Penderyn, they found it had changed very little over the years and the log fire on such a wintry day was most welcoming. Surprisingly, Ansells beer was on sale at a remarkable £1.85 a pint for very pleasant drink. It took them back to the times they spent in the Dukes and the Carpenters in Aberdare.
Photographs taken on School House lawn near the new Dining Hall. This was at the end of term Summer 1962.
Standing, left to right: Terry Hughes, Rob Humphreys, Vic Reynolds, David Maddox
Kneeling, left to right: Ron Falder, Gareth Thomas
Left to right: Ron Falder, David Maddox, Terry Hughes, Vic Reynolds, Gareth Thomas, Barrie Payne.
Taken in “Long Tom's” old Geography room (Room 8) - demonstrating good use for Geography textbooks
Left to right: Ron Falder, Terry (KT) Johns, Vic Reynolds, Rob Humphreys
Taken in the new Geography room (next to the Staff room)
Left to right: Rob Humphreys, Terry Hughes, David Baldock, David Maddox
Caving Trips at Ystradfellte
Taken outside Porth yr Ogof
Left to right: Rob Humphreys, Martyn Jones, Colin Dunn, Kerry Penny, Gerald? (school lab assistant), Gwynne Jones
Left to right: Rob Humphreys, Martyn Jones, Colin Dunn, Vic Reynolds, Kerry Penny, Gerald?
Rob Humphreys encouraging Martyn Jones to take a subterranean swim
Back at Ystradfellte for some refreshment; Woodpecker cider was popular.
The boys would wait here for the 4 pm bus
home - the only bus!
The Inn is shown in its original condition when the entrance
door was in the middle of the building on the roadside.
Kerry Penny, Martyn Jones, Gwynne Jones (?), Gerald (Lab assistant), Terry Hughes, Colin Dunn