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Aberdare Boys’ Grammar SchoolSchool Photographs |
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E. Ceredig Jones’ Class, from the 1939 Album
from School Archives, via Mark Jefferies
This photograph is very similar to another photograph of a sixth form in 1939. It also includes the retiring headmaster W.R. Williams, (1878–1942) wearing a mortar board. He was first appointed to the Aberdare Intermediate School in January 1904. He spent the rest of his career there and retired at the age of 61 on January 10th, 1940. His period as Headmaster commenced on Jan 11th, 1937 and lasted three years.
The other member of staff is E. Ceredig Jones, the Latin master. He was appointed to the school in 1919 and left in 1952. He was educated at Pontypridd County School, and U.C. Cardiff. He fought in WW1 during which he lost one of his eyes.
Amongst the sixth form boys are the following: D. Gordon James (back row, 2nd from the left); John Davies (5th from the left); John Gibbon (6th from the left); Elwyn P. Howells (back row extreme right).
D. Gordon James, (1922–2000), joined H.M. Forces in 1941, with demobilisation in 1947. He served in the army with the Lancashire Fusiliers, achieving the rank of Major. He became the AUDC Town Clerk, and later Vicar of Aberdare. He has an entry in the Former Pupils section of this website
John Davies, (1920–2014), lived in Lambert Terrace. After he left school in 1939, (with a Higher School Certificate in Economics, History & Geography), he joined the R.A.F as a wireless operator. After the war, he went to Cardiff University to do a degree in Economics. Later on, he went back into the R.A.F until retiring in 1970. For a short time, he and his wife returned to live in Aberdare until John accepted a teaching post on the Wirral where he lived for the rest of his life. He was a first cousin of Stacey Hopper who is in the Former Pupils section of this website.
John Gibbon, (1920–1986), also joined H.M. Forces after leaving school, and fought in Italy where he met his future wife. After the war, he trained as a teacher and taught at the National School in Cardiff Street, Aberdare.
Elwyn Price Howells, (1920–1999), was born in Robertstown, (Tresalem). His father Ben Howells was a deacon at Salem Congregational Chapel in the village. After Aberdare County School, Elwyn went on to study first at Coleg Trefeca and then at Brecon Congregational Memorial College before being ordained in the chapel at Dolwyddelan in north Wales in 1945. In 1949, he became minister at Seilo Congregational Chapel, Cwmgwrach; moving on to Seilo Chapel, Melincryddan, Neath in 1971. As well as being a minister, he was an accomplished bard and eisteddfodwr. He retired in 1995, dying four years later. He is buried in Aberdare.