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Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Glamorganshire => Topic started by: rebekahm28 on Thursday 08 May 08 20:41 BST (UK)
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If anyone lives local to Bridgend/Aberkenfig, do you know how I could obtain a newspaper report please? My ancestor Samson Roberts (born 1864) was killed in a horse race on Cheltenham Terrace in Bridgend (near Nolton St). He had previously bought a disused cinema and donated it to the community, so Im thinking he may have made the local papers. I dont have a definate year as Ive been told conflicting years by family! But estimate it to be 1917-1930.
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Bridgend Reference Library holds all the local newspapers on film.
NOt sure when I'll be back down there as working the next couple of Saturdays, but unless someone else offers, I'll try and look it up for you.
Any idea what cinema or what town it was in at all?
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'Halfasheep', thankyou so much for offering. I would have imagined it was Aberkenfig, and family seem to think so. I'm going to try and find out when it was likely to have happened, but Im the only one in my family with an interest in Samson, so not looking good!
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I'm sure the old cinema in Aberkenfig is on Pandy Road and may well still be the community centre there (I'm a town or so away from them, but do know the area reasonbly well).
Any idea when your ancestor died at all? I'll see if I can locate his obituary/article re his death first - that may give some idea as to the cinema if he was a bit of a philanthropist (poor spelling?) at the time.
Equally, if you know where he was buried, I could try and get to the cemetary and get some photo's of the grave (assuming there is a stone and you don;t already have this).
I assume you're not from around the area!
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Thankyou so much, it would be amazing to get any info at all, even if just something tiny. Ive never been to Wales but hoping to get there, with 3 kids its proving a bit difficult at the min - Im thinking when I do get to Aberkenfig I'll waste the journey by not knowing where to look/what to look for! Ive seen a death for 1917, but there was another unrelated Samson Roberts around the area so Im unsure - family seem to think he died later than that, but Im going to apply a bit of pressure and try and get an answer...needs must! I know he was a horse dealer, his relation 'Jockey' Roberts owned Aberkenfig scrapyard. Samsons daughter Genty married Percy Price from Aberkenfig. I have a complete tree, but not many details apart from facts on census reports etc.
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Meant to say, he is thought to be buried in Aberkenfig. His wife was named Mary Ann, she died in the 1950s, and was a small woman - 4'6"! Samsons daughter Genty lived on Nolton St, I have a pic of the house.
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Well Aberkenfig is a small village, and co-incidentally enough, the Glamorgan Family History Society is based there. In regards as to what to look for, without disrespecting the place, there are a few pubs and a Spar! I went to school in the next village over and have a few friends there - quite a typical Welsh village in most respects.
Not a member of GFHS myself, and quite honestly have never visted it, but this seems like a good opportunity to suss it out and see if they have any info on your relative.
If he did work like this in the local community, I would assume that they must have some info on him there.
Don't think there are many graveyards in Aberkenfig - very few churches there, but a few in surrounding villages. Again, maybe the GFHS may have further details.
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Death cert finally arrived after getting lost, Samson died in 1918, Dunraven St, Aberkenfig, after injuries received in a horse race. Ive emailed the library re: newspaper coverage (if any) of his death, considering he'd earlier bought the cinema, but they've not replied. Just thought I should mention that I now know his death date.
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There were actully two cinemas in Aberkenfig. The main one was called The Lyric which was a brick built building which is still there but there was a very old corrugated type building which was also a cinema which was located on the hill out of Aberkenfig leading to Bridgend. This was pulled down many years ago.
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Thankyou pussycat.
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There is a web site curiousfox.com which has a message board with someone enquiring about the Roberts family of Aberkenfig, apparently the Roberts family are of Romany stock. Should you go to said website, select browse then villages A-Z, and select Aberkenfig.
West.
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Just looked, its me ;D I get everywhere Im afraid. Many thanks tho! x
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If anyone lives local to Bridgend/Aberkenfig, do you know how I could obtain a newspaper report please? My ancestor Samson Roberts (born 1864) was killed in a horse race on Cheltenham Terrace in Bridgend (near Nolton St)...... I dont have a definate year as Ive been told conflicting years by family! But estimate it to be 1917-1930.
Found death of Samson Roberts, age 54, in Bridgend district in 1918 (Oct-Dec Q)
Bridgend 11a 1438
which will help narrow down the newspaper search :)
Bridgend Local and Family History Research Collections:
http://www.bridgend.gov.uk/web/groups/public/documents/services/001884.hcsp
Best wishes
Morgan
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Many thanks; he died racing a horse and dray, a collision between him and another dray.
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Hi I think Aberkenfig Resource Centre (google it) could be of help to you. They are located in the village of Aberkenfig and they have volunteers who can help, and have access to many documents. I've been there once.Though I think you have to be a member of G F H, but this is not too expensive. It could be worth you while.Good Luck
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Brilliant. I did visit the village last May, but didnt know about this, thankyou so much.
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rebekahm28,
You mention you have received the death cert - but haven't posted the actual date of death, only "1918". Morganllan has identified the quarter but that is still a lot of newspaper "look ups".
Can you post the date of death pl?.
I'm quite interested in this one since I know Cheltenham Terrace well and have been trying to envisage the carts careering along it.
regards
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;D Now Ive received more info (and visited the street, which I love, although Aberkenfig was an experience!!) I've found out that the dray race was on the 'Golden Mile'. Where on earth this was is anyones guess, Im thinking the beach at Porthcawl? He was injured but died at home on Dunraven St, Aberkenfig of a punctured lung and head injuries. His widow then went to live on Cheltenham Terrace with her eldest daughter Celia's family. Just looking through my certs for his death date, will be back. Im hoping there will at least be an obituary.
PS, good job the race wasnt on Cheltenham Terrace, woe betide any poor soul coming the other way lol!!
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I don't think the golden mile is on the beach, I seem to recall there is a road called the golden mile (probably a nickname) down that area, but can't be quite sure where it is. Will have another think. Good Luck
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Thankyou Ruchca. Viewed the cert, he died 4th NOVEMBER 1918 at his home, death reg'd 9th Nov.
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The Golden Mile is part of the A48 road leading from Bridgend to Cardiff.
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Thanks for the update. I have to admit I was puzzled about a horse/cart race in Cheltenham Terrace. It really didn't make sense.
Isn't the 'Golden Mile" in Bridgend that stretch of the A48 between Waterton Cross and the turning (right) to Corntown?
regards
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Thankyou people! I can now add this to my research. No-one in the family knew exactly where the Golden Mile could be, the best we could come up with were guesses. Wonderful to know...and I have to visit! So if you see a strange woman taking photos of the A48.....its me.
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Hi
There is a pub on that road that hanes teulu has mentioned called the Golden Mile, perhaps somewhere you can enjoy some light refreshment!!!! The view from the beer garden is exceptional ;D ;D ;D
Regards
Z :)
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;D Thankyou very much Z, just looking on google street view now. Im starting to wonder if they had already enjoyed the light refreshments before they decided to race :-\
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I emailed Bridgend Library regarding a newspaper report of an inquest and got a reply the next day with the newspaper cutting attached. Fab service!
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Snap!! I couldnt believe it, the lovely lady has sent me the death notice for my great great grandfather and more. It says 'gentlemen only' after details of when his funeral would be.
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I'm pleased that you finally have the newspaper report :D
Funerals in South Wales were often "Gentlemen Only" although this has become less frequent over the past decade or so. I have attended some funerals where it was gentlemen only at the graveside but everyone at the service so perhaps it's the increasing number of Cremations that has caused the change.
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hello,
i have just joined, the golden mile you refer to, is a sretch of the A48 just outside bridgend going toward cardiff. traditionally its start point was a cafe,now a chinese restaurant it is a sraight-ish hill
i hope this of help.
gerald jarvis
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Thankyou Gerald, I hope to visit this little area in the summer. Thanks for your help.
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Hi You mention that Samson had recently bought a cinema was that in Aberkenfig if so where did you get that information, as i am researching Aberkenfig cinemas
Regards jtom
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Sorry I never realised you’d messaged, this is solid info passed down in the family , every line and branch tells of it. I have a note from my granny’s cousin saying which cinema it is.
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When these old posts pop up again it's an opportunity to check what fresh information may have come on line in the meantime. Did you decide on a location for the "golden mile". As I said in post #21, I understood the "golden mile" to run from Waterton Cross to the turning to Corntown at what I used to know as the "bottom of Crack Hill".
There's a motoring court case in the Glamorgan Gazette, 8 July 1927, which begins -
"Many people speak of the Cowbridge Road, from the Barry railway bridge to the bottom of Crack Hill, as the "golden mile", but as has oftentimes been pointed out in this column, this is wrong". I take the Barry railway bridge to be the bridge that crosses Cowbridge Road just before it hits Waterton Cross see https://maps.nls.uk/view/102183681
The Chairman of the Court, a Col. J I D Nicholl, J.P., took issue with this and remarked -
"It is not the Golden Mile. The Golden Mile is from the top of the hill to Pentremeyrick". This is supported by a more recent assertion in "The Legend of the Golden Mile"
https://glamorganstar.co.uk/the-legend-of-the-golden-mile/
but it does recognise that opinions are divided.
You can see "Golden Mile" on this map https://maps.nls.uk/view/102183708
This was the site of the Golden Mile Barrow find/excavation, also referred to as "Twmpath".
So, given the confusion that appears to have reigned even at that time, which Golden Mile was the person who reported the "dray race" accident thinking of?
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Would love to give an exact location but the lady who mentioned the Golden mile has passed away and I’ve only visited Aberkenfig once. I don’t think it will make any difference knowing the location now.
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Thanks for the response. As a result of checking out the "Golden Mile", including the origin of the name, I now agree with Colonel Nicholl (post #32) that it ran from the top of Crack Hill to Pentremeyrick.
regards