Superb video, Nathan. Thank you for posting. I lived in Cardiff Rd 1942-62 opposite Ricci's when there was little motor traffic and the only sound at night was the occasional train. On a recent visit I was impressed with civic improvements, including the bypass, but I know employment is a recurrent issue - it has been ever since WWII. The use of Hanbury Rd Baptist Church is imaginative - a fine building. The new valley landscape is a vast improvement and the town still has its civic pride and solid citizens (including my cousins). There are new social problems including drugs and litter - but it's the same in Eastern England where I have lived since 1962. The A422 to Bedford passes through fine countryside but is strewn with litter. Commuting from Bargoed seems popular, but again that occurs in many parts of the UK, sometimes with loss of post offices, shops, cinemas and buses.
Brings back memories, the Palace and Hanbury cinema, Ricci’s, The Emporium, Carter’s Barber Shop, arching the train to Brecon or Rhymney or Cardiff, Asseratis’ cafes, Aberbargoed Hill. The constant rain
I remember the Cameo cinema (The Palace). Parfitts tobacconist, he had a hair dressers at the back. Bargoed Radio is where I would get my toys from. I lived at Gladstone villa.
I spent hours and hours in Ron Griffiths’s record shop years ago. My Aunty , Dorothy Griffiths, had a chemist’s shop in the high street. I remember cutting my hair cut in Trevor Carter’s, near the old Woolworths. Bargoed Station was quite large then, with trains to Rhymney and Brecon. The Emporium was massive. Only one bad memory. Mason the Dentist. He was terrible! I can still feel that drill. I used to walk “over the pit” back to Aberbargoed……the home of the Gods! 😂😂
This is really an excellent video. A wonderful record of how Bargoed looked before the regeneration. I grew up in Bargoed but I have been living in Poole in Dorset since the 14th of November 2015. You've just got yourself a subscriber.
I have done an update to the video, please check out : ''Bargoed town centre'' You will see the difference between this video and mine. I like Nathan's video very much indeed.
young at heart s where shipko pawn brokers was ,my dad managed in the 1950,6 ,further up there was luidardi cafe , then jones,s papre shop next down to yhe other way was cruikshanks record shop how bargoed has changed
Nice one, Andrew. Why not post it again on the Bargoed page? Did you know that 'Bargoed' is a misspelling of 'Bargod'='Boundary'? Early English mapmakers thought it should match 'Hengoed'='Old Wood'. Best wishes.
John, the town still has great potential if more money was put into it, and if people appreciated the town and respect it. What it needs is a a farmfoods, an Argos or a Wilkinson's or reopen the Hanbury cinema, I know it has asbestos but it can be removed, even though it would cost thousands, the park could do with a nice bandstand. Take a look at my video after the regeneration, a bit of shameful promotion there but my video show all the town from Cardiff road where Gladstone villa was and the Rafa club, Gladstone villa is where I grew up in the 1970's, very haunted ! as is the Rafa. You'll find my video if you search: ''Bargoed Town Centre''. I have been recording the changes in Bargoed since the mid 1990's and I have the town on VHS tape of Sunday 11th July 1994 where they are demolishing the Cameo cinema. Some I have converted to DVD but I don't know how to upload them onto youtube. Best wishes John.
