your comments
David Colwill, Cardiff.
Sorry Anne, not able to help you but I am sure there must be a connection somewhere as it is not a common name in these parts. My fathers side of the family were based in Mynachdy opposite the old Plaza Cinema on North Road, two of his sisters worked there.
David Colwill (Dai), Llanishen, Cardiff
Nell and Kro, such a long time since I visited this site and even longer since we last saw each other ... yes, things have changed a lot round here and most of all the traffic. You take your life in your hands when trying to negotiate the X roads these days and the thought of riding a bike, like we used to, brings me out in a cold sweat.
Anne Colwill, Cardiff
My son's name is David and we used to live on Birchgrove!
He is only 21 so I know the photo didn't come from him.
Was wondering if there was any family connection?
Ron Scott, Miami, Queensland, Australia
I remember Peter O'Neil and his mother I believe he had a brother, I am surprised he faild to mention John Noel, who he was friendly. Coed Glas Road resembled a H but the left upright was smaller than the right upright Peter and his mum lived at the bottom of the left hand cul-de-sac. John Noel was about Peter's age. He died in Antarctica, in the sixties he and a companion were caught out in a huge blizzard while checking the instruments for their readings. They were only 12 mile from base camp, with sleds and dogs, they had no chance of survival in the conditions that prevailed.
John Duguid, North Carolina, USA
I got a real boost from the memories that had accumulated of Ron Scott, David Colwill, Martin Chamberlain, Robert Crowther and Paul O'Neil etc. Thanks, fellas. Especially glad to hear your memories back over the years, David, of Gitsham's bakery. Even to this day I recall those crusty loaves my mother used to send me for. Never can find their like even at the best supermarkets here. The last time I was able to see Llanishen was some 20 years ago. It had changed! Positively a bustling crowd compared with the sleepy village I recall a half century ago!
Martin Chamberlain
Although, I am somewhat younger than most of you I worked for Tim Lewis as a Saturday job in the mid seventies and his mother was still alive then. He retired about 1980 and I think died about five years later. I still remember our stop off's at The Conservative club on the way back from the wholesalers. The cost of my silence - a bottle of pop and a packet of crisps. He reminded me so much of Ronnie Barker in Open All Hours. Some of you would remember my father Ted Chamberlain who is still living in Llanishen after being brought up in Fidlas Road, the last of the Chamberlain family living there.
Robert Crowther (Kro), Annecy, France
Llanishen crossroads was our hanging out spot. We would all be with our bikes, imagining that they were Triumph Bonnevilles, chatting up the girls when they came past. I was glad to see messages from Paul and David - I see that we've left the "corner" for the 4 corners of the world. Health and happiness to all the "gang".
Paul O'Neil, Sacramento, California
I remember the Classic Stores well. My mother Lottie O'Neil worked in the little kiosk on the side of the store in the late 50's and 60's. She lived in Coed Glas Road from around 1948 until her passing in 1989. I remember cycling around the neighbourhood with David Colwil, Mike Paul, Christopher Mayo. Still have family in Lisvane and visit often. My best to Colwyn and David.
Ron Scott from Miami. Qld.Australia
Hi to David Colwil I remember vividly the winter of 47 and the snow I and my friends took our sledges to Fidlas Rd. na the bakery was on a road on the left hand side to get bread for every one in Coed Glas Rd. as they could not make deliveries to the llanishen shop. I also recall that the Lewis's had a small market garden in Ty Wern Rd. where they grew produce to supplement what they had to buy, they also kept the horse there and it's manure provided fertalizer for the market gardens produce.The adverts outside the shop at caerphilly X roads made me wonder what Walls Ice cream tasted like and how a Banana was like; this being in the early Forties.
David Colwill from Cardiff
Further to John Duguid and Ron Scott's comments: Tim Lewis has passed on and my father, Bill Colwill, met my mother when he worked for Gitsham's Bakery delivering the bread by horse and cart. My mother was Col's sister and she worked in the Bakers Shop in Llanishen Village opposite the Church.
Ron Scott from Miami. Qld.Australia
In reply to your query I went back for a visit in 1997 to see my family who live in Penarth. Oh what a change to Caerphilly x rds. Where the R.O.F. stood is now a shopping centre Tom Lewis's son was Tim as he ran the horse and cart vegie round. The Cassic store is now a different shop I tried to find people that I knew, but to no avail Tom Lewis woud be long gone and I should imagine Tim Lewis also.Cardiff has changed they were building the Stadium while I was there! excellent and Cardiff Central station was being refurbished. I attended Llanishen Church School for three years Mr Morgan was the headmaster. It is now a community centre,Coed Glas Rd was still the same,just seemed to lack the neighbourness that prevailed when I was a kid. John I felt a total stranger where I had spent my formative years I found it difficult to relate to the changes; Knowing there would be. OK I'm 67 love it here in OZ and the sunshine Top Spot take care John.
John Duguid, North Carolina
Yes, thank you Ron Scott for reminding me it was the ROF; and I recall it became Income Tax after the war. My memories of Llanishen are still pretty clear. Yes, Ron, you guessed it - I am older - almost 80. Retired to N. Carolina after almost 40 years in both London and New York. By the way, my reference to age was to Tom Lewis. I wondered if he might be around after all this time.
Ron Scott from Miami, Queensland, Australia
The factory being built that John Duguid mentions is the Royal Ordinance Factory R.O.F. commenced 1938 and was one of the target for the German Bombers in their raids on Cardiff. However all my close family still live in Penarth, and Raglan being the Black sheep of the family. I now reside in the Gold Coast in Queensland. But I still love Cardiff and remember my youth there - fantastic, roaming the fields and woods climbing trees to see who could get the highest. John is most likley older than I am but I'm sure we experienced the same adventures.
John Duguid, North Carolina
Thanks to Ron Scott from Australia indeed I do remember the X roads ( though I forgot Beulah Rd.) During the war they turned the fields opposite into some huge factory or something. And yes, I do remember Mr Livesey and Lewis the Dairy and Gitshams the Bakery and there was also a news agent. We lived just up the road from all this.
Ron Scott from Qld.Australia
John Duguid would also remember the X-Roads it was the meeting point of four roads Caerphilly Rd. Ty Glas Rd.Beulah Rd and Thornhill Rd. there were five shops at the X-Roads. Classic Store & Tom Lewis diagonally opposite was Mrs Mac Post Office and Herberts Grocery store.Just round the corner in Beulah Rd was a Sweet shop John will also remember Liverseys the Chemist in Llanishen. The milkman delivered on a horse and cart and Githsam's the baker off Fidlas Rd had a van for delivery.
John Duguid, North Carolina, USA
I grew up in Llanishen during the 30s and 40s. David Colwill's pic of Caerphilly X Roads reminds me of the shop next to Classic Stores. It was owned by Tom Lewis, and later by his son Tim, whom I remember well. They had a fruit and veg horse-drawn open cart and my mother always used to buy from them. If he's still around he must be well on in years, like me!
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