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Porthcawl in the Parish of Newton Nottage

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"Porth-cawl is in the parish of Newton-Nottage, county of Glamorgan, about six miles from Bridgend; seated upon the margin of the Bristol Channel. Within the last few years it has assumed the consequence of a port, from its contiguity to the extensivwe coal and Iron mines, which abound in this quarter, and large quantities of their produce are here annually shipped. An excellent harbour, constructed by a company, affords accommodation for vessels of considerable burthen. The bay which is very beautiful, is admirably adapted to sea bathing, and at no distant period may, probably, become a place of resort for that purpose. Newton Nottage parish contained in 1841, 792 inhabitants, and in 1851, 928." [Slaters Commercial Directory, 1858-1859]

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Bibliography

References to the Parish of Newton Nottage and the town of Porthcawl at the British Library

List of images which can be found in the books Views of Old Porthcawl, Volume 1 , Volume 2, published by Porthcawl Museum & Historical Society

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Business & Commerce Records

  • Porthcawl Gas Company
    1929-49: plans, reports, specifications
    [Glamorgan Archive Service, Cardiff]
  • Porthcawl Water Works
    1891-92: articles of association, agreements, revenue account, report, and plans
    [Glamorgan Archive Service, Cardiff - Reference: 11/855-72]
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Church History

See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph of All Saints Church, Porthcawl

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • The bell ringers of St Johns church Newton Porthcawl C1920s
  • Hand tinted colour postcard dated Oct 1906 of St John's Church, Newton, Porthcawl
  • A meeting held by Porthcawl parishioners to discuss fund raising for the new All Saints' Church, to replace the corrugated iron church, nicknamed the 'Tin Cathedral', which had served them since 1892.
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Church Records

For full and up-to-date details of their holdings see the sites of Glamorgan Record Office and/or West Glamorgan Archives

The church is dedicated to All Saints, and is in the Benefice of Newton Nottage. Details of the present incumbent of this benefice can be found at the Church in Wales website. The church can be located at grid reference SS816770.

Anglican Parish Registers Held at the Glamorgan Record Office, Cardiff
BaptismsMarriagesBurialsBannsBishops Transcripts
No Registers have been deposited
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Description & Travel

Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl - on Wikipedia

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Various landscapes
  • Porthcawl Tramways As well as the Dyffryn, Llynfi and Porthcawl Tramroad their were other tramroads working around Porthcawl. One ran from the Howell, Coath & Co quarry and Lime works running from Trecco Bay towards Newton beach, another ran from Trecco via the dunes towards Porthcawl
You can see pictures of Porthcawl in the Parish of Newton Nottage which are provided by:

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Directories

Transcript of complete name listing for Bridgend, and Porthcawl, from Slaters Directory for 1858-1859.

Transcript of Porthcawl, with Newton Nottage and neighbourhoods, from Slaters Directory for 1880.

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for Porthcawl from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

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History

Various items- on the People's Collection Wales site

  • John Street, Porthcawl circa 1908
  • Advert photograph of the entrance hall to the Porthcawl Hotel taken from the book Porthcawl as a health resort C1877
  • Pearce drapers shop Porthcawl on corner of Well Street and John Street Porthcawl c1880s
  • Porthcawl Museum is housed in the old Police Station in John Street Porthcawl. It was built in 1880. It became a museum in 1972.
  • The Rock Hotel Porthcawl c.1900
  • A collection of Porthcawl Postcards. The postcards are dated from 1906 to 1971 were possible the posted date has been included in the file name
  • Postcard from Porthcawl sent on the 14th Aug 1908.
  • New museum display at Porthcawl Museum of a Victorian wash house
  • An Anti Suffragette Postcard dated early 1900s with lift up flap which reveals images of Porthcawl
  • Postcard of the Sands, Porthcawl, early twentieth century,
  • A selection of old photographs of Porthcawl
  • Postcard dated 1912 of the Esplanade Porthcawl with a group of Edwardian ladies walking along the Esplanade
  • John Street, Porthcawl C1870 with Wesley Chapel (now Trinity Church) in Background
  • A glass photochromic image of Porthcawl esplanade and rocks. The Photochromic method was popular in the 1880s each being hand exposed on glass
  • The old Police Station, built in 1877, which now houses Porthcawl Museum. The building still retains the original interior layout, complete with cells.
  • Walters shop on John Street Porthcawl dated 1910
  • Postcard with business details on reverse for Whites Hotel John Street Porthcawl building is now Lloyds bank
  • The Green, Porthcawl, c.1900
  • Cottages at Station Hill, Porthcawl, c.1900
  • Esplanade Hotel and Terrace, Porthcawl, c.1900
  • Old Porthcawl Railway Station
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SS817769 (Lat/Lon: 51.478649, -3.7049), Porthcawl in the Parish of Newton Nottage which are provided by:

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Merchant Marine

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Porthcawl Lifeboat the Speedwell ready to launch
  • A view of Porthcawl Docks looking into to the inner harbour now the salt lake car park C 1885
  • Wreck of the Samtampa an ex liberty ship wrecked at Sker point Porthcawl April 1947 A rescue attempt by the Mumbles lifeboat resulted in the loss of the entire crew of the Lifeboat
  • In the nineteenth century new docks were built at Porthcawl to help handle the worldwide demand for coal.
  • The Porthcawl Lifeboat 'Speedwell', Porthcawl, 1887
  • 'Landing Stage, Porthcawl', showing the paddle steamer 'Waverley' leaving, Porthcawl, c.1909
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Military History

War Memorial, Porthcawl. Contributed by Brian Comley

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • A selection of pages from a nurses WW1 autograph book from Danygraig House or the Rest Porthcawl
  • First world war wounded soldiers and nurses from the Porthcawl Rest Home with a mine found on Rest Bay beach Porthcawl
  • A RAF Anson of 217 Sq being recovered from Sker beach Porthcawl after a forced landing in July 1939
  • The Vale Home Guard on parade
  • Gas mask spectacles and case - Standard issue spectacles for wearing when using a gas mask during WW2
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Occupations

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Convalescent home, Porthcawl records     1862-1974      "The Rest was established as a seaside convalescent hospital for the working classes, particularly miners, in 1862, in Porthcawl, Glamorgan, at the initiative of Dr James Lewis, of Maesteg, Glamorgan. Lewis was supported by Florence Nightingale, the reformer of hospital nursing. The institution was maintained and supported by private contributors which included prominent landownwers, industialists, the trade union movement, friendly societies and a host of private individuals; it was rebuilt in the 1870s-1880s. It remains active as Rest Bay Convalescent Home."

Porthcawl Police officers  - on the People's Collection Wales site

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Public Records

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

  • Porthcawl Local Board of Health     1893-95    " ...... created in 1893, out of the Bridgend and Cowbridge Rural Sanitary District. It covered the parish of Newton Nottage, including the town of Porthcawl and the villages of Nottage and Newton. ..............."
  • Porthcawl Urban District Council records      1895-1974
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Schools

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Junior cricket team at Miss Howells School, Porthcawl
  • Stoneleigh College, Now demolished. The drinking fountain which can be seen here, set into the front garden wall, is preserved in a shelter on the promenade at Porthcawl, opposite the Seabank Hotel.
  • C 1892   Advert for High school for Girls
  • An advert for Porthcawl College published in the book Porthcawl as a health resort by Robert Hunter in 1892
  • Porthcawl College Cricket Team, Porthcawl, 1896
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Social Life & Customs

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Charabanc, Coney Beach, Porthcawl.
  • Porthcawl Co-operative Women's guild 1880-1900
  • Porthcawl Miners' Eisteddfod, 1957 venue forPaul RobesonsTrans-Atlantic Exchange.
  • An advert for the Rest Porthcawl published in the book Porthcawl as a Health Resort 1892
  • Postcard dated 1908 of bathing beach Porthcawl
  • A black embroidered mourning apron, with lace edging. - It was standard practice for Edwardians to wear 'mourning attire' when they had experienced a death in the family, sometimes for up to two years, depending on the relationship to the deceased. Queen Victoria's prolonged mourning following the loss of Albert had made the practice de rigeur. Only the huge loss of young British men during the Great War made the practice impractical and somewhat distasteful.
  • 'Mabsant' Procession with Lifeboat, at Newton, Porthcawl, c.1880.  'Gwyl Mabsant' was a traditional celebration of local saints' days, held in many localities and at various times of the year, throughout Wales, well into the 19th Century. The tradition has now disappeared, but once consisted of music and dancing and general merrymaking.