I've only just found this website so apologise that my input is so late. I lived in the general area for 5 years frm 14th October 1940, when my father was sent from Croydon to work at what has become the GE Aero Engine Overhaul faciliity at Upper Boat. In 1943 he was allocated a bungalow (one of many built for the Ministry of Aircraft Production) near the canal above Upper Boat. So we ceased to live in "digs"! I became very friendly with a local lad of similar age, (Thomas Reginald) Clive Griffin, whose family owned Gelliaerion Farm (now the site of Tesco Superstore, I believe. Together we wandered the mountain from the farm up to Eglwsilan Church but always gave the hospital a very wide berth - I for one was scared of infections! Don't know about Clive. The hospital was, if my memories are right, was part wood, part corrugated iron and all painted green. I could be wrong, but it was 70 years ago and I've not seen it since. There were footpaths on the mountainside that shortened our walks when compared with distances by road and, on top of the mountain (not very far from the hospital) we ate winberries and found skylarks' nests. There were plenty of fresh water springs from which to drink so we only needed a few sandwiches and we were set up for the day. Other highlights of that time were catching tiddlers and exploding pop bottles part filled with slaked lime and water in the canal! Probably banned by 'elf & safety today. The Taff ran black with coaldust all the year round, overflowed its banks every spring leaving black mud along its length. Clive Griffin, with his elder brother Colin, went on from a filling station in Pontypridd to become Griffin Garages. By my reckonng he'd have been 80 on 6th June this year (2013). I hope he's still around. I have many happy memories from those years which changed my life from that of a suburban child to someone who much prefers village way of life and plenty of open space around - despite being compulsorily uprooted from our home (it was boarded up for 5 years), leaving all our possessions behind. One bad memory stems from one particular teacher at the County School who clearly resented London lads getting places there. That was a long time ago. Karl W Smith C.Eng., F.R.Ae.S. Heckington House Heckington Lincs NG34 9JD

Thank you, Karl, for your recollections of the area. These are fascinating for any of us with family connections to the area to read. David Canberra On 20/09/2013, at 4:18 AM, Karl W Smith <[email protected]> wrote: > I've only just found this website so apologise that my input is so late. > > I lived in the general area for 5 years frm 14th October 1940, when my father was sent from Croydon to work at what has become the GE Aero Engine Overhaul faciliity at Upper Boat. In 1943 he was allocated a bungalow (one of many built for the Ministry of Aircraft Production) near the canal above Upper Boat. So we ceased to live in "digs"! > > I became very friendly with a local lad of similar age, (Thomas Reginald) Clive Griffin, whose family owned Gelliaerion Farm (now the site of Tesco Superstore, I believe. > > Together we wandered the mountain from the farm up to Eglwsilan Church but always gave the hospital a very wide berth - I for one was scared of infections! Don't know about Clive. The hospital was, if my memories are right, was part wood, part corrugated iron and all painted green. I could be wrong, but it was 70 years ago and I've not seen it since. > > There were footpaths on the mountainside that shortened our walks when compared with distances by road and, on top of the mountain (not very far from the hospital) we ate winberries and found skylarks' nests. There were plenty of fresh water springs from which to drink so we only needed a few sandwiches and we were set up for the day. > > Other highlights of that time were catching tiddlers and exploding pop bottles part filled with slaked lime and water in the canal! Probably banned by 'elf & safety today. > The Taff ran black with coaldust all the year round, overflowed its banks every spring leaving black mud along its length. > > Clive Griffin, with his elder brother Colin, went on from a filling station in Pontypridd to become Griffin Garages. By my reckonng he'd have been 80 on 6th June this year (2013). > I hope he's still around. > > I have many happy memories from those years which changed my life from that of a suburban child to someone who much prefers village way of life and plenty of open space around - despite being compulsorily uprooted from our home (it was boarded up for 5 years), leaving all our possessions behind. One bad memory stems from one particular teacher at the County School who clearly resented London lads getting places there. That was a long time ago. > > Karl W Smith