- Abertillery Online Discussion Forum -

keona · Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 12 Location: lancashire

Does anyone have a photo or know where I can find one

I have tried Google

Would also like a picture of 2 Vine Cottages Pantypwdden Abertillery

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1481 Location: Abertillery

Do you mean the Prims Meths in Somerset Street or the one in what is now Vivian street?
_________________
My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!

keona · Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 12 Location: lancashire

I`m unsure, I now have copy of marriage certificate for my gt grandparents it says: married in the Tabernacle Cwm Street according to the rites of the primitive methodists.

Does this help?

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1481 Location: Abertillery

Not really. The Tabernacle as I know it now is in Chapel Street. There was a congregational and prims meth in that area according to Kelly's directory. The date of marriage and the name of the minister may help.

If it was the church in Somerset Street I think we had a photo online at one time but cannot be sure, contact admin.
_________________
My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!

keona · Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 12 Location: lancashire

Hi Carolyn

The date of the marriage was 19th September 1901, the minister was Enoch Ball and Deputy registrar was Hugh Williams

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1481 Location: Abertillery

It would be the church in Somerset Street

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~familyalbum/ktillery.htm
_________________
My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!

martyn142 · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject:

I am sure you know already Carolyn but Somerset Street was previously known as Cwm Street. Or at least part of it was. So that sounds the most likely.

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1481 Location: Abertillery

Yes I remember them taking down the sign when they did some renovation to the houses along there. I think that parts of Vivian street was also known as Cwm Street, or the backs of some of the houses on Cwm Street, they were three storied and you had a sort of upper and lower Cwm Street. It was the date that made the difference because according to another trade directory and a friends marriage cert there was another chapel in this area which is listed as congregational Tabernacle

I think the subject came up before on the old message board a few years back, I think it was Fred also looking for ancestors or friends in the sme area
_________________
My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!

coolaid · Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

I don't know if this is relevant, but I have a small book called "Tabernacle Abertillery - a brief account of the first hundred years 1854 - 1954" by T Glanville Jones, Minister.

According to this book, the Tabernacle was formally constituted on June 4th, 1854 on land leased from the Cwm Estate. It seems things got off to a flying start with large congregations and generous donations.

The result, a second chapel was built in 1875, the old one being sold and turned into cottages, and so began an era of financial difficulty. This was eased somewhat when the old British School was transferred to the School Board in in 1884 for the sum of £50.00.

There seems to have been a certain amount of friction between the Welsh speaking indigenous population and the English speaking "newcomers". It seems that the argument centred on which language was to be used. The result; in 1896 about 40 "Welsh friends" left the Tabernacle church and established a Welsh Congregational church.

The Tabernacle continued to flourish however. There was a great revival of religion during the period 1904 - 1905 and the congregation increased dramatically. Thus, the Tabernacle was able to expand again. In 1905 the back of the chapel was extended into Carmel Street and a Choir Gallery was erected. In 1910 three cottages adjacent to the chapel were demolished and a Sunday schoolroom was built which was completed in 1911.

The book touches on the depression which occurred after the 1st WW.

"Depression, unemployment, poverty occasioned an incessant drain on the young life of the Fellowship as men and women were driven farther afield in search of a livelihood. What awful frustration must have been theirs - frustration shared by teachers and pastors as they saw their finest and most useful folk taking their journey into far countries"

The book is full of detail and lists of names of those involved with its work. There are also several black and white photographs of buildings and people.

If any one is interested I am quite happy to scan these and send them on.

Bran Fendigaid · Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 82 Location: Blaenau Gwent

Interesting. Does the book say where the earlier chapel was built Question

How did it make a difference financially when the British school transfered to the school board did the old tabanacle own the school please Question

_________________
Mai Duw yn ddarpar y'r brain

God feedeth the ravens

Carolyn · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 1481 Location: Abertillery

Here are the number of conversions at that time.

Cwmtillery (united meetings) 54
Blaenau Gwent Baptist 425
Blaenau Gwent Primitive 35
Brynteg Congregational 98
Trinity Calvinistic Methodist 92
Ebenezer Baptist 465
Tabernacle Congregational 131
Wesleyan Methodist 45
Somerset-street Primitive Methodist 350
Salvation Army 170
King-street Baptist 23...
_________________
My life is no rehearsal There'll be no curtain call encore, so I've thrown my screwed up script away to ad lib my life once more!