My twin sister Janice and I were born in the centre of Magor, and spent a very happy childhood in the village.

My grandfather, Henry Allen, served his apprenticeship and became the local blacksmith, whilst my grandmother Hannah kept the local ironmongers, newsagents and - more importantly to us - sweet shop.

My grandfather was Sunday School Superintendent and Deacon at the Baptist Chapel. As a Baptist I attended the local council school, the church school accepting only 'church' children. I'm pleased to say that had changed by the time my children were of school age.

My uncle and aunt kept the local post office which was also the Telephone Exchange. My father Roy Allen kept the garage which also sold toys at Christmas, and Mum ran the chip shop.

There were also two pubs, two grocery shops, a cobblers, local butcher, coal merchant and sawmills.

Dad was one of the first men in Gwent to hold a driving licence and in war time drove most of the villagers to their wedding, very often acting as best man - as well as on occasion assisting the undertaker and district nurse.

My father's sister Ivy remained single and Hannah, organist at the chapel, married Rev Harold Blackaby.

In summer, we ran across the fields by the sawmills to school and, in winter, walked up the road past Mr Brace's farm where we stroked the shire horses. If we were lucky we would see the barn owl sitting in the tree opposite the farm.

The buses passed through the village centre, turning around the monument, and the railway station was a hive of activity.

In the late 50s Magor became a thoroughfare for all the shale lorries going to Llanwern to form the base of the steelworks and I started working there for Civil Engineers, where I met my husband. It wasn't until I was married (40 years ago) that Magor started to expand from 200 houses to 2,500 houses.

When our children were young we enjoyed taking part in the local Church Fetes and Carnival as well as events with Brownies, Guides, Scouts, etc.

There is still a community spirit in Magor, with the May Day Fayre, Frost Fayre, Remembrance Service and New Year Celebrations all taking place in the village square.

Val Jones - October 2005