Newspaper report, Bridgend

[rebekahm28]

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.

[halfasheep]

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?

[rebekahm28]

'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!

[halfasheep]

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!

[rebekahm28]

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. 

[rebekahm28]

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.

[halfasheep]

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.

[rebekahm28]

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.

[pussycat*]

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.