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Aberdare Boys’ Grammar School

The School History

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Old School

Documents and photographs
charting the School’s History

Various accounts of the history of the school have been written and published in the past. On this page you will find a variety of documents that describe the origins and development of the school. We have used material from The Aberdare Times, The Aberdare Leader, The Aberdarian and from the School Records. There are also copies of special publications that marked the school’s golden jubilee and the school’s centenary.

You may also be interested in The Cynon Valley History Society, to go to the CVHS site click here

Click on the images below to open these pages
Donor names foundation stone South Wales Daily News
Donor names & sums of money
contributed to help establish the school.
Details of payments incurred
during construction.		 The Western Mail account of the 1893
ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone
by Lord Aberdare.		 The South Wales Daily News account of the
1893 ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone
by Lord Aberdare.
Elevation_Staff_Room_Block Link to School Records Rev B Evans
Some biographical details of
John Henry Phillips,
the architect who designed the school
and many other buildings in Wales.		 School Roll
Extracts from the School Records,
Class Lists & Letters
together with the first Aberdare
Intermediate School Register of Scholars.
new content – 1933 & 1909 Entries		 An 1899 newspaper account
about proposed building extensions
with some information about the first
Clerk to the Governors, Rev Benjamin Evans,
(of Gadlys Welsh Baptist Chapel,
behind the school).
D P Davies, first chairman of governors Account of opening ceremony Start of Term notice
Extracts from the minutes of
Governors’ Meetings around 1900,
chaired by Mr. D. P. Davies, J.P. (Ynyslwyd).		 An account from the Aberdare Times
of the Opening Ceremony.
This is a transcript of the article in the
Aberdare Times of October 3rd, 1896 about
the ceremony to mark the
opening of the school.		 Newspaper notice giving
details of start of term.
This notice from the Aberdare Leader of
August 23rd, 1913 gives details of the
start of term and scholarship examinations.
The first 10 years 1914-1918 memorial details Mining Lab
W. Charlton Cox’s account of the first
ten years of the new Intermediate School.
This article first appeared in the 1906
edition of the Aberdarian.
This facsimile was reproduced in the
1978 Diamond Jubilee edition.		 The Memorial Plaque dedicated to those
who fell in the Great War, 1914–1918.		 The Mining & Engineering Laboratory
opening ceremony.
Later to become the Biology Lab & Room 10.
1938 Report to Governors 1939-1945 memorial details 50th anniversary booklet
Headmasters’ Reports to Governors.
New report inside		 The Memorial Plaque dedicated to those
who fell in the Second World War,
1939–1945.		 A history of the school published in 1946.
This history was written by the first
Headmaster, W. Jenkyn Thomas,
on the school’s 50th anniversary.
It also includes a brief history of the Girls’ Intermediate School.
Reorganisation 1965 ABCS School Opening Plaque R I Parry’s school history
Some information about how the changes
from the selective system to the
comprehensive education system were
planned in the Cynon Valley.		 The memorial plaque and official programme booklet that commemorates the official opening
of the grammar school at its new site in 1965.
This plaque used to hang in the
assembly hall of the new school
facing the stage.		 A brief history of the early days of the school
written by the Rev. R. Ivor Parry for the
75th anniversary of the school.
Extracted from The Aberdarian of 1971.
75th anniversary booklet K J Morgan’s school history School Centenary Publication
The unpublished booklet compiled
to celebrate the 75th anniversary of
the School in 1971–72.		 A short history of the school
from The Aberdarian of 1978.

This Aberdarian magazine, the 75th edition, contained a short account of the history of the school, written by K.J. Morgan, Head of History, when it became the Aberdare Boys’ Comprehensive School.		 Compendium published
on the school centenary in 1996.

This compendium of memories from
former pupils was compiled by the late
Ken Griffiths on the 100th anniversary
of the founding of the school.
Ken was a Governor, former pupil and teacher
at the school.
Dare Art Exhibition AHS Plaque Renaming Programme
Pamphlet issued for the
1998 Dare Valley Centre ABCS Exhibition		 The plaque to mark the renaming of the
School in 2009.		 The programme for the
School Renaming Ceremony
15th October 2009


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