Recent News

Schools. At present we are in the process of obtaining the Catholic School Records from the Eastern Valley establishments to enhance and complete our Archive of the Eastern Valley School Admission Registers

Publications. In 2003 Warren published a book on the history of the now demised Pontypool and District Hospital. The book is entitled "The Penny Castle" and is on sale for £15. ALL proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to CANCER RESEARCH UK and can be purchased directly from Warren at Warren Wm Lewis, The Phaeton, Broadway, Pontypool, Gwent, NP4 6HW or The CANCER RESEARCH UK shop, Commercial St, Pontypool, Gwent. Please allow £2-50 for Postage and Package. The book describes the health of the community in the Eastern Valley of Gwent and how the working class and those more influential joined forces and through many adversities built and maintained this hospital. The initial building was opened in 1903 and was closed in 1993 and eventually torn down in 2000. The book shows the support and enthusiasm of the community in its fundraising activities, such as Bazzars, Fete's, ddor to door collections, subscriptios and the one event that revived and rescued the hospital in 1929 with the first Hospital Carnival. Over the next fourteen years the Hospital Carnival raised an equivalent today of £1,062,100, a staggering amount of money. Inside the Penny Castle's pages are over 3,000 names of those who supported the hospital, it shows thier places of work and home addreses.

"From the Cradle to the Grave" is an intended book by Warren Lewis and Richard Roynon which should be in the shops by 2006. The book describes the Co-operative movement in the Eastern Valley of Gwent from its inception in 1889, its growth throughout the individual villages in the valley and the conflict between these individual societies, such as Blaenavon, Varteg & Garndiffaith and Abersychan which were the three power houses that controlled the area. Richard and Warren have been researching this book for the past two years, including several months research at Swansea University where the Societies Minute Books are kept. Local individuals have been most helpful coming forward with interesting facts and anecdotes, as well as some excellent photographs. However we are still looking for any material concerning the Co-op societies within the Eastern Valley and would be most grateful for any help whatsoever. All Profits from the sale of this book are to be donated to Cancer Research UK.

"Forgotten Tresaures of The Varteg" is a recent publication by Richard G Roynon and Tom Roberts on the history of the Varteg village throughout the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century describing the social and economical changes over these years. The book is publishes by Marshall and Hicks, Pontypool and is on sale at £8 from Talywain Post Office or directly from Richard at 20 Benton Villas, Talywain 01495-774707