Hi Nicola
My, you are quick. Yes, I thought the story was well-known but I would
like to have confirmation of it from some source or other. Would the
Free Press carry it? The major reason that I want it confirmed is that
my Dad said that he had seen the body in the river and alerted a
passer-by about it. He said that he never heard any more about it at the
time except that it was a young man. I want to know because of
something my Dad said that he had heard later. The young man had either
been due to return to the Western Front or was about to be conscripted
into the army.
As for Pontnewynydd Primary School, I read on the school website that
the local council were thinking of closing it. What would they do with
it and where would the local children go as a result of its closure? It
has always been a landmark for me on my visits to my grandmother, aunt
and cousin, standing out as the only red brick building in the vicinity.
From Google Earth's Street view, admittedly about 3 years old, the
building looks as if it could do with some TLC with some mis-shapen
windows due to subsidence and probably other hidden faults. If it were
that age here in WA it would be declared a heritage building and the
only way it could be closed and demolished is if someone came along and
burned it down one night. Don't laugh, it's already happened at least 5
times ( 4 Hotels and one large primary school ) to my knowledge, though
they caught the people who burned down the school.
Thanks for the offer about the school records. Dad was there from about
1915 to about 1921/2. If you have anything from those years his name was
Raymond Rees Lewis and he lived in Snatchwood Road. Gwent Archive said
that they would get back to me when I emailed them a few days ago so
that's why I asked about them on the list. I emailed the principal also
to ask about records and photographs but I expect she's so busy
defending her school, staff and students that she hasn't had any time to
reply yet. When I retired in 1999 as a full time high school teacher, I
did a few years as a relief (supply) teacher in a number of schools in
the area. They were and still are so short of high school teachers that
I could have worked five days a week if I had wanted. The same probably
applies in Torfaen.
Once again thanks for your quick reply and interest in my request.
Regards
Ray
On 18/09/2013 4:56 PM, NICOLA THOMAS wrote:
Ray
This is a well known story in Pontnewynydd. <snipped>