Gellifaelog School

Gellifaelog School

Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil.


	Gellifaelog means Maelog’s Grove. Maelog was a Welsh Saint who lived in Morlais Grove, which is the area the school overlooks. The Gellifaelog School was one of the oldest in the Merthyr Tydfil Parish. The first school started on the 1^st August 1862 with Edwin John Wolfe as the headmaster. The school was a ‘British’ School, as was Abermorlais, and it dated from the days before education was compulsory and the Merthyr Tydfil School Board was founded. The weekly school fee was 1d, which was soon raised to 2d in 1863. In 1867 tradesmen or parents with better paid jobs had to pay twice the annual fee that workmen’s children paid. The school was very well attended and by 1865 there were efforts at enlargement, although it was noted in the log book of 1868 that 28 children were unable to attend school ‘for want of pence and shoes’. There was one school for all children and an inspector’s report in 1867 suggested that older children be separated more completely from the infants. Eventually different schools were formed and the Gellifaelog Infants School was formed with the transfer of the old ‘Plough’ School, Dowlais, to the Gellifaelog School in Rocky Road. The Infants School was referred to as ‘The Plough’ in 1905, and, previously, the senior school was called the Gellifaelog Iron-Works School. In 1915 there was the formal opening of the new Gellifaelog Schools, the Boys and Girls separate schools. In May 1926 a school canteen opened due to the miners strike. In 1935 the Boys and Girls Schools closed and on January 6^th 1936 the new Gellifaelog Junior Mixed School opened. In 1984 the Gellifaelog Junior Mixed School ceased and in September 1984 the Gellifaelog Primary School was formed from the amalgamation of the Infant and Junior Schools under the head teacher, Mr R. Pendry. Buildings, names and arrangements of pupils are constantly changing and on Wednesday 15^th January there was the official opening of the new Gellifaelog Primary School by the Right Honourable William Hague, MP., Secretary of State for Wales. *Carolyn Jacob.* Click Here to Visit Gellifaelog Primary Schools' Website

<Click on the photograph to enlarge>

Gellifaelog School - 1920/30s

Class One - Gellifaelog School - 1914

(Photograph From The Merthyr Express)

Gellifaelog Junior School - Standard 2A - 1914

Wilfred Ballam is pictured in the second row from front, sixth from the left.

(Photograph Courtesy of Lynda Ballam)

Gellifaelog School - 1914

Back Row: Roy Dyer, Derek Jones - 1, Derek Jones - 2 & Handel Owen.

Middle Row: John Jones, Billy Smith, Malcolm Davies, Idris Kinsey, Bryn Lewis,

Alec Lang, Les Morgan, J Arthur Williams & John ?.

Front Row: ?, Eddie Harris, Mostyn Harris, Cavin Chantrel, Gilmour Morris, Jacky Evans,

Gerald Hopkins, Peter Woods, Alwyn Hitchens, Billy Williams & Arther Williams.

(Photograph & Information Courtesy of Wayne Morris)

Gellifaelog - 1st Class - 1948.

Back Row. Mostyn Hodges, Allwyn Hitchings, Billy Smith, Terry Jones, Ieuin Griffiths, Tegwyn Pritchard, Elwyn

Morgan, Jacky Evans, Mostyn Rees.

Middle Row. John Haggety, John Arthur Williams, Leslie Morgan, Malcolm Davies, Freddie Reed, Roy Dyer,

Bryn Lewis, Alec Lang, Handel Owen.

Front Row Arthur ?, Billy Davies, Jackie James, Rideon ?, John Jones, Leyshon Williams, Gerald Hopkins,

Malcolm ?, Gilmore Morris, Eddie Harris, Billy ?.

(Photograph and names Courtesy of John Jones )

Gellifaelog Girls School Standard 5b - 1930.

Gellifaelog Swimming Team.

Back Row. Eddie Morgan, Alan Dyer, Ian Dymont, Roy Jones.

Middle Row. Clive Griffiths, Mr Chapman , Jack Spracklen, Mr Beynon , John Pritchard.

Front Row Allan Jones

(Photograph and information courtesy of Maureen Monkton )

Gellifaelog School - 1945.

Back Row. Roy Dyer, Derek Jones(1), Derek Jones(2), Handel Owen.

Middle Row. John Jones, Billy Smith, Malcolm Davies, Idris Kinsey, Bryn Lewis, Alec Lang,

Les Morgan, J Arthur, Williams John ?.

Front Row ? ,Eddie Harris, Mostyn Hodges, Cavin Chantrel, Gilmour Morris, Jacky Evans, Gerald Hopkins,

Peter Woods, Alwyn Hichens, Billy & Arther Williams

Teacher Leysion Williams

(Photograph & Information Courtesy of Wayne Morris)

Gellifaelog Primary School - 1950.

Only names in this photograph are Ken Hindley & Peyer Mylam.

(Photograph & Information Courtesy of Peter Mylam)

Gellifaelog School

(Photograph Courtesy of Don Chamberlain)

Gellifaelog Junior School - 1952.

Showing the recently constructed 'prefab houses' at Haydn Terrace

(Photograph Courtesy of Doug Williams)

Gellifaelog Footbal Team 53-54..

L-R Back Row: Mr Eynon, Ken Evans,??, Powell, Ken Jones, Gareth Jenkins, Allan Jones, Donald Waite, Malcolm Jones

Mr Chapman.

Middle Row: Ron Morgan, Dai Evans, Tegwyn Edwards, Brian Hagerty, ??

Kneeling , ???, Ernie Morgan:

(Photograph and info courtesy of Maureen Monkton )

Gellifaelog Junior School - 1954.

Back Row L-R: Walter Barnes, David Hagerty, Gareth Durston, Ken Hindley, Dave Pritchard, Doug Williams,

Keith Hagerty, Alan Davies, Peter Mylam, Peter Jones & Colin Thomas.

Middle Row L-R: Roy Witney, John Bowen, Alan Harris-Jones, Catherine Jones, ?, Linda Trewartha, Susan Wilson,

John Griffiths & Howard Denner.

Front Row L-R: Ann Jones, Pamela Jones, Judith Cohen, Cheryl Farrow, ?, Elizabeth Edwards, Thelma Charleston,

?, Margaret Jones, Barbara Lewis, Linda Heggie & Valerie Williams.

(Photograph Courtesy of Doug Williams)

Gellifaelog School - 1955.

Back Row. ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?.

Middle Row. David Rees, Richie Price, Islwyn Evans, ?, Trevor Jones, Brian Walker, Terry Powell.

Front Row Des Davies, Maldwyn Morgan, ?, ?, Dai Parry, Tony James, Jack Reynolds.

(Photograph courtesy of Richie Price)

Gellifaelog School - 1956-1957

Gellifaelog Modern School, 1959 - 1960.

Top Row: Alan Richards, Willie Elliot, Billy Harvey? Philip Lewis, Derek John Lewis, Robert Tovey,

Barry Morgan, Haydn Llewellyn, Robert Petersen, Iwan Jenkins.

3rd Row: Ken Driscoll, Billy Smith, Dai Evans,; Maldwyn Edwards, Vivian Morgan, William Cooksey, ?, ?,

Peter Foster Davies, Philip Budding, John Coombs

2nd Row; Eddie Clark, ? Hamilton?, Stu Saunders, Dai Llewellyn, Vivian Bevan, ? Owens?, ? , John Jones:

Nigel Santos, Alun Williams, Derek Toy.

Front Row: John Mitchell, Barrie Jones, Edwin McCarthy, ? ; Mancell ?

Teacher is the famous D.T. Davies form master and celebrated Dowlais musical celebrity.

(Photograph & Information Courtesy of Barrie Jones)

Gellifaelog School 1961.

L-R Back Row: Stuart Evans, Peter Williams, Philip Willis, Roger Hocking, Gwynfor Smith, David Collins,

? Willis, Phillip Jones, Ronny Howells, Granville Jones.

Middle Row: Teacher: Tony Davies, Michael Mahoney, Russell Morgan, Ken Williams, Barry Morgan,

Tony Roberts, Roy Morgans, Roy Williams, Keith Brace.

Front Row: David Jones, Tommy Byrne, Paul Mason, Ken Evans, Tony ?, Adrian James, Derek Harvey,

Tommy Cunningham, Derek Toy, Derek James

(Photograph and info courtesy of David Davies, 10th Avenue)

Gellifaelog School 1962/64ish.

L-R Back Row: Teo Sullivan, Vivian Jones, Graham Thomas, Mike Williams, Derek McCarthy,

Arthur Griffiths, Richie Griffiths, William Lewis.

Middle Row: Fred Thomas, Maldwin Price, Jimmy Hopkins, David Smith, John Wayne Davies,

Maldwyn Jones, Peter Lewis. Teacher: Mr Jenkins "Bulldog"

Front Row: Charley Charleston, Ronnie Griffiths, Allen Edwards, G. Williams, Phillip Thomas,

D. Hegarty, Gareth Morgan, David Davies.

(Photograph and info courtesy of David Davies, 10th Avenue)

Gellifaelog School - 1965

Back Row L-R:- Geraldine Harrinton, Pamela Braithwaith, Susan Davies, Phillip Williams, Malcolm Jones, Tony Pollard,

Gaynor Evans, Linda Morgan, Colin Rees, David James.

Middle Row L-R:- Mrs Lewis (Teacher), Val Pritchard, Janice Evans, Annette Harris, Ken Morgan, Jimmy Barret,

Graham Pinch, Gillian Gonzales, Susan Collins, Denise Darkhouse, Mr Jones (Teacher).

Front Row L-R:- Jean Gillespi, Wendy Williams, Brian Matthews, David Davies, Clive Collins, Cavan Williams, Danny Falls,

Jean Smith, Terry Murphy.

(Photograph & Information Courtesy of Jimmy & Jacie Barrett)

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