- Evan Jenkins came from Richmond Terrace, Abernant. He was raised at Bethesda Welsh Congregational chapel Abernant. He became an English language Congregational minister in the Monmouthshire valleys and lastly at Newport. He died at a comparatively early age.
- Absalom Williams, from Belle Vue, Trecynon, went to Bangor Normal College with his friend David Samuel (below). Absie Williams, as he was known, was the captain of the rugby team playing wing forward. He became a teacher before enlisting in the forces. Absie was shot down and lost over the North Sea during a bombing raid in the second World War.
- Mansel Davies, Cefn Bryn, Abernant, became Professor of Chemistry at Aberystwyth. There is an account of his career in the former pupils section. He was the son of Tom Davies, one time Headteacher of Abernant Junior School. Mansel died in 1995.
- David Hopkin Samuel, Agents Row, Abernant, went to Bangor Normal College. From there he went in 1932 to teach at Fulham, in West London, returning to Aberdare in 1938 as Music and Sports master at Aman Secondary School, Godreaman. He returned to Aman after War Service in the RAF. He became Head Teacher at Abernant in 1954 (succeeding his cousin L N(ick) James, father of D Gordon James, later Town Clerk and Vicar of Aberdare), and transferred as headteacher to Cwmdare in 1966, when he succeeded David Herbert Davies, brother of Mansel Davies. D.H. Samuel was still in that post when he died, aged 62, in 1975. DHS was the father of John (ABGS 1952-1960), Rhian (AGGS 1955-62) and Mair (AGGS 1960-1967).
- Anelyf Wyn Rees lived in Cemetery Rd. He served in the Special Operations Executive during WW2, 1939-45. His wartime file at the National Archives in Kew became publicly available relatively recently, in 2004. He lectured in South Africa, possibly in Economics. He may have also taught at the University of Mississippi, at Oxford MS.
- A T M Wilson, (just visible in this picture), known as Alistair, was the son of Dr J M Wilson who had come to South Wales from Aberdeen in 1907. ATMW was from Harriet St, Trecynon, and was at the County school for just two terms in 1926, but after his later secondary education went to Cambridge in 1931 to read medicine but became absorbed in politics, particularly with the Communist Party. He transferred to a teachers' training college in 1933 but did not teach subsequently. Returning to Aberdare he helped at his father's practice, but in 1938 he resumed his medical studies at Cardiff and finally returned to Cambridge to finish his medical degrees, qualifying in 1940. In 1939 he married Olive Greening, whose brother Edwin fought in the Spanish Civil War for the International Brigades. Alistair died in 1981.
ATMW was one of the three children of Dr J M Wilson, all of whom became GPs in Aberdare; from eldest to youngest: John (Jack) S.M. Wilson, A.T.M. Wilson and Isabel Mary M. Wilson, (all had 'Macintosh' included as one of their names). Alistair won a seat on the Aberdare Urban District Council for the Communist Party in 1938 which he retained until 1950. He continued to contest local and parliamentary elections as the Communist candidate until 1978. He was very active in many campaigns within the Health Service, and in the wider community, he lectured on Marxism and Welsh History. His sister Mary married Dr W L Codd (ABCS 1921-25), whose son Richard also attended the school (1963-71).
ATMW's son Alistair M attended the school too, (1955-60); he went to London University and got a first in Astrophysics and then went to do a PhD in Cambridge. Alistair was then recruited by NASA and went to work in Houston. After several years there he came back to UK and lived in Cambridge. Finally he moved to Perth, Australia where he and his American wife now live.
- David Walter Morris was the son of W.D. Morris, Hosier and Outfitter of 39 Commercial St. There is a substantial article written by Walter about the shops of the town centre in the Miscellaneous Section of this website. After becoming a student teacher he went to University College, Southampton then taught firstly in Surrey, and then Sussex.
He finished his career as a Head of a Primary School in Pulborough, West Sussex. Walter was the nephew of the long-serving history master Aubrey Roberts. Walter died in Devon in 2003.
- Morien Bedford Morgan, Plasdraw, spent most of his career at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough, where he eventually became Director. After leaving Farnborough he was elected Master of Downing College Cambridge.
- Gwyn Ivor Thomas produced an MA thesis (Birmingham) on the History of Aberdare. A copy of this is held in the Aberdare Library. He later became Director of Education for Carmarthenshire.
He died in 1983.
- Joseph Elfyn Thomas Jones was known by his contemporaries and throughout his life as JET Jones. He was from Llanwonno Rd, Cwmaman and became a pharmacist, ending up as manager of the Co-op Pharmacy in Cardiff Road, Aberdare, on the opposite side of the road from the main building. He was a deacon in Moreia-Aman Congregational Chapel in Cwmaman and died in 1994.
- Kenneth Pugh, Gwynfa, Cwmbach, acquired a
BSc in agriculture. He later worked as a representative for a firm of Welsh agricultural suppliers.
- John (Arkite Halewood) Phillips, Canon St, was the brother of Peter Edward Phillips (PEP) the French master and deputy headmaster. John died in 1985 in Hampshire, and PEP died in the same year.
- George Maclaren Humphreys, Cwmaman Rd, Godreaman, went on to attain a substantial rank in the RAF.
- Albert Kerslake came from Incline Row, Godreaman. He died in 1972 in Carmarthenshire.
- Mr John Jones Davies was a County Instructor in woodwork. He attended at the school two days each week.
- T.J. Barling, Dorlwyn, Highland Place, was one of the sons of the manager of Tower Colliery. He gained an MA and later became a senior lecturer in Education at the University of Exeter.
- Richard Jones of Bute St.
- Horatio Evans, Cemetery Rd, became an auctioneer and estate agent. He died in 1988.
- Cynlas Maldwyn Hughes, Cwmneol Place, Cwmaman, became a schoolteacher. He died in 1990.
Please let us know if you have any corrections or additions to the above information.