
Aberdare Boys’ Grammar School
School History

from School Records
Name | Age | Address |
Irene Howells Margaret Blena Davies Bronwen Jones Roger Thomas David John Harrett Edward Vaughan Harrett Dorothy Gwendoline Hannah Agnes Muriel Erskine David Morton Wayne Evans Charles James Thomas Thomas John Bowden Elizabeth Jane Davies Emrys Evans Walter Pontin Ellen Dorothy Baigent Beatrice May Francis John James Stubbins Mary Roderick Gwladys Ewrfror Morgan Catherine Walker Ena Morris Gwen Eynon Martha Watkins Annie Price David Williams Timothy Francis Williams Thomas John Jones Leslie Marsden Webb Clifford Orlando Evans John Norman James O’Keefe Murphy John Evans Dorothy Mary Mathias Lizzie Isabel Davies Wm James Davies Sarah Hilda Williams Valentine Nesta Williams May Llewellyn May Howell John Davies Frederick Phelps Frances Baldwin David John Morris Ethel Histon John Richards Annie Amelia Evans George Maldwyn Maddy Alfred Charles Williams David Timothy Davies Ivor Davies Albert John Davies William Henry White Elizabeth Jane Davies Lilian M Phillips Annie Evans Gladys A Smith Elizabeth Jane Thomas Gladys Jones Beatrice May Francis Hannah Mary Parry Alice Maud King Jane Rees Maria Morgan Annie Margaret Pugh Elizabeth Prosser William John Davies Sidney Montague Silverman Ellen Parry |
13.2 15.0 13.4 11.5 14.1 15.4 13.4 10.7 11.1 13.3 14.0 12.7 12.3 12.4 14.0 12.3 15.1 12.7 13.9 15.4 11.7 12.9 14.9 13.2 13.1 12.9 12.9 14.6 11.9 12.6 13.4 13.0 14.3 12.7 14.0 11.6 14.9 13.4 12.6 16.1 12.9 12.3 11.8 12.6 12.7 11.0 13.0 12.1 --- 12.4 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.7 12.8 12.5 12.9 12.3 12.8 12.9 13.0 13.1 15.4 15.4 12.0 12.1 13.5 |
6, Little Wind St, Aberdare Anwylfan, Seymour St, Aberdare 22, Harris St, Hirwain Mt Pleasant Hotel, Cwmaman Woolpack Inn, Glynneath Woolpack Inn, Glynneath Brynderwen, Ferndale 62, Broniestyn Terrace, Aberdare Belle Vue, Hirwain Godreaman House Fforchneol Arms, Godreaman 14, Mountain Road, Cwmaman 1, Byron St, Cwmaman 6, Bridge St, Robertstown Glandare Lodge 30, Gloucester St, Aberdare 34, Tudor Tce, Aberdare Ashbrook House, Aberdare Canal Head House, Aberdare Oakwood House, Aberaman 27, Pendarren St, Aberdare 30&31, Cardiff St, Aberdare 2, Dare Villas, Aberdare 87, Tramway, Hirwain 21, Phillip Row, Cwmbach 26, College St, Aberdare 43, Gladstone St, Aberaman Spring Hill, Aberdare Police Station, Cwmaman St Cloud, Cwmbach Parc Isaf, Cwmdare 10, Commercial St, Aberdare The Cottage, Cwmaman Maesyberllan, Rhigos 25, Pendarren St, Aberdare 25, Pendarren St, Aberdare 15, Holford Terr, Cwmdare Saron Cottage, Aberaman Llwyncelyn Inn, Trecynon 18A, Whitcombe St, Aberdare 19, Cromer St, Abercwmboi Police Station, Cwmdare Police Station, Abercwmboi Ty Mawr Farm, Llwydcoed 2, David St, Trecynon 83, Cardiff Rd, Aberaman 68, Park View, Abercwmboi 21, Station Road, Hirwain - - - 22, Gladstone St, Aberaman 7, Cefndon Terrace, Hirwain 14, Mountain Road, Cwmaman 59, Bwllfa Road, Cwmdare 24, Sunny Bank St, Aberaman 11, Pendarren St, Aberdare 33, Thomas St, Robertstown 9, Henry St, Aberaman 30, Gloucester St, Aberdare Bronallt Stores, Abercwmboi 1a, Mill St, Trecynon 29, Mill St, Trecynon 14, Bwllfa Terrace, Cwmdare Pentrebach House, Llwydcoed Farm Yard, Llwydcoed 23, Hill St, Aberaman 71, Cardiff Rd, Aberaman 1c, Bwllfa Road, Cwmdare |
Notes
Spring term entry: The pupils Irene Howells to T.J.Bowden enrolled during the Spring and Summer terms of 1908. All the others enrolled in the Autumn term.
Age on Entry: Pupils entering Form 1 were aged 12+
in the early days of the school. There was no Form 2 and the four-year course to
School Certificate concluded in Form 5.
In 1908 the school recruited pupils to higher Forms, as well as to Form 1, so for example,
Frederick Phelps would have entered directly into a higher Form.
The order of pupils in the table is the order in which they enrolled.
*Hirwain — as written in the records of this period.
Dorothy Hannah’s father was David Hannah a mining engineer who managed No.2, 4 and 8 pits at Ferndale. These were pits owned by the Davis family originally from Blaengwawr. Mr Hannah later became a director of David Davis and Sons Limited.
Charles James Thomas lived in Godreaman House, Cwmaman Road. His father, James Henner Thomas, was both a Grocer and Congregational Minister.
Ellen Dorothy Baigent was a daughter of William Alfred Baigent who was at this time a gardner to the Rees family of mining engineers who lived in Glandare House, Gadlys. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Bwllfa Road in Cwmdare.
Mary Roderick of Ashbrook House, Clifton Street, was a daughter of the Aberdare architect Thomas Roderick who designed several of Aberdare’s significant buildings.
Leslie Marsden Webb's father William Henry Webb was an organist and 'Professor' of Music. Leslie's sister Dorothy and his father were organists at St. Elvan's Church in Aberdare.
John Evans John Victor Evans was born in Cwmdare,
and received his elementary education in the village. He did not stay long at ABCS and
transferred to Christ College, Brecon, where he completed his secondary education. He
fought in WW1 but on demobilisation he resumed his education entering St. John’s
College, Oxford. He graduated in 1922 in History, having been President of the Oxford
Union and of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society. He was called to the bar in 1924, and during
this period unsuccessfully contested parliamentary seats as a Liberal in Pontypridd
and Merthyr Tydfil. From 1930 to 1935 he lectured in law at UCW Aberystwyth. In 1936
he accepted the post of Warden at the Aberdare Educational Settlement located in Fairfield
House. In 1939 he joined the Civil Service where he remained until retirement. He died
in 1957.
His father H.H. Evans has an equally interesting life story, described in part
at https://museum.wales/blog/1456/A-Window-into-the-Industry-Collections---October-2015/
Lizzie Isobel Davies was a daughter of the well known colliery manager Thomas Luther Davies of The Cottage, Cwmaman. Thomas Luther Davies, (1861–1936), was born in Aberdare and became very well known in the district. He was manager at Fforchaman Colliery (1901); Aberaman Colliery (1910); an AUDC Councillor (Liberal) for the Aberaman Ward; member of the GCC Education Committee; Governor of the Aberdare County Schools from 1906, and later Chairman of Governors; a Poor Law Guardian, and he was made an Alderman of the GCC in 1913. He also lectured to various local societies and was a Christadelphian Preacher. His daughter Lizzie also appears in the 1907 school entry.
May Howell was the daughter of John Howell a printer of Saron Cottage, Aberaman. He grandfather was Penderyn-born Jenkin Howell of 16 Victoria Square, Aberdare, a publisher and printer renowned throughout Wales for his poetry that appeared in Yr Ymofynydd, Seren Gomer, and Y Geninen. He also printed many Welsh books, as well as the newspaper Y Gweithiwr Cymreig which he owned and edited.
Amongst the parental occupations of the 1908 intake, there were,
Accountant 1; Architect 1; Book Clerk 1; Cattle Salesman 1; Civil Engineer 1; Civil
Servant 1; Colliers/Miners 12; Colliery Bk. Clerk 1; Colliery Fireman 1; Colliery Manager
1; Colliery Pumper 1; Congregational Minister 1; Doctor of Medicine 1; Engine driver
1; Engineers 3; Farm Bailiff 1; Farmer 1; Gardener 1; Glazier 1; Grocers 2; Grocer’s
Manager 1; Haulier (Underground) 1; Innkeeper 1; Iron Melter 1; Licenced Victuallers
3; Manager 1; Mason 1; Mining Engineers 2; None declared 4; Pipe & brick layer
1; Plumber 1; Policemen 3; Printer 1; 'Professor' of Music 1; Railway Goods Guard 1;
Shoe-makers 2. Five parents described themselves as widows with no occupation given.