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Ebbw Vale
The Ebbw Vale of my
childhood was a typical valley town with a strong community
spirit. There were rows upon rows of houses built on the sides
of the mountains.
The main source of
employment was the Richard Thomas and Baldwin Steelworks (later
British Steel) which at one time employed around 10,000 people.
There was social and welfare provision for employees, consisting
of a social club, bowls, and tennis, as well as rugby and
football teams.
Ebbw Vale had a
well-respected rugby team in the top section of Welsh rugby.
The Ebbw Vale cricket team also played at the Welfare Ground -
later Eugene Cross Park. Glamorgan C.C.C. played matches there.
Ebbw Vale soccer team played in the Welsh League. At one time,
there were 4 cinemas in the town. The town also had a Male Voice
Choir and a choral society.
At Christmas time,
staff of RTB would perform a pantomime for children of employees
at The Palace (a cinema). I remember going to several of these
as a child.
The churches and
chapels were very active and took part every year in a Whit
Walk. They also had their own identity and held their
Anniversary Services as well as the annual outings to places
such as Barry Island and Porthcawl.
Aneurin Bevan
Nye Bevan was one
of us and his presence in the House of Commons made Ebbw Valians
aware that he was representing us and speaking for us. His gift
of oratory and his pride in his background made him popular both
locally and on the national stage. Although he is
internationally celebrated as the founder of the National Health
Service, to local people, he was passionately committed to the
welfare and interests of the working people of his local area
My earliest memory of
Nye Bevan is from the late 1940s when I would have been about
10. I remember walking alongside him and Jennie Lee when he was
on his way to speak at an open air meeting at the Mountain Top
between Ebbw Vale and Tredegar, now commemorated with the
Aneurin Bevan Memorial Stones. Later, I recall going to the
Workman’s Hall in Ebbw Vale on General Election night in 1950 or
1951 to await the results coming in - no TV coverage then.
Around 1 - 2am, when the result had been announced, he came to
the Workman’s Hall to be greeted with delight by jubilant local
people.
Some years later, in
the late 1950s, I attended a meeting with a colleague, John
Evans, where Nye was speaking of the attempt to discipline him
over some matter. He was quick to point out to those who
intended to discipline him that they had already suspended
‘Standing Orders’ and could therefore do nothing. Nye always
knew the rules and was able to point out when they weren’t being
followed.
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