Gas Row

[hinderr06]

Hi, could anybody tell me where Gas Row was in dowlais. Cheers Jean

[bobw]

Hi Gas row were a row of cottages within the old gas works near the Bont football field Just below the old council depot on New road Near where the Civil Amenities skips are located now. At the bottom of Rocky Road before the Horse and Groom pub there is a left turn which leads to the old gas works site. CF47 9HH is the nearest post code I can find I hope this helps.

[hinderr06]

Thanks for that. Jean

[malcolmharries]

Now who on earth would be asking about Gas row, bobw seems to know about it anyway. Characters in plenty around there.the Farmers lived in the firsty house in the row,just behind was a little row of about three, or four, cottages. Mrs. Lilly Trailor lived there. Then another row of cottages closer still to the Bont, you could buy a flaggon of ginger beer there for a couple of pence.The Bont my stadium,my imagination gave me freedom of expresion.But I had to pick coke at half passed seven next morning,when they tipped the dramfrom the gas works. Th kids today complain of being bored.Get a life. and leave the buttons alone.

[hilander]

GOOD ON YOU MALCOMHARRIES, THE BONT WAS A GREAT PLACE AND BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF THE TIMES THE MINERS AND THE STEEL WORKERS HAD THEIR FOOT BALL GAME THERE AND ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED TOO COULD JOIN IN BUT BEWARE THERE WERE VERY FEW RULES AND NO SHIN PADS OR FANCY FOOTBALL BOOTS THESE GAMES WERE PLAYED IN WORKING CLOTHES AND STEEL_TOECAPPED BOOTS AND NO FALLING OVER PRETENDING TO BE HURT BECAUSE THEY JUST CARRIED ON AND IF YOU WERE IN THE WAY WELL GOOD LUCK AH AH, AND THEN THERE WAS THE FUN FAIR AND THE CIRCUS GREAT GREAT DAYS THAT THE KIDS TODAY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS AND H&S PUT THE BOOT IN

[hilander]

GOOD ON YOU MALCOMHARRIES, THE BONT WAS A GREAT PLACE AND BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF THE TIMES THE MINERS AND THE STEEL WORKERS HAD THEIR FOOT BALL GAME THERE AND ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTED TOO COULD JOIN IN BUT BEWARE THERE WERE VERY FEW RULES AND NO SHIN PADS OR FANCY FOOTBALL BOOTS THESE GAMES WERE PLAYED IN WORKING CLOTHES AND STEEL_TOECAPPED BOOTS AND NO FALLING OVER PRETENDING TO BE HURT BECAUSE THEY JUST CARRIED ON AND IF YOU WERE IN THE WAY WELL GOOD LUCK AH AH, AND THEN THERE WAS THE FUN FAIR AND THE CIRCUS GREAT GREAT DAYS THAT THE KIDS TODAY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS AND H&S PUT THE BOOT IN

[mai]

I remember Gas Row. I also remember Ronnie Farmer who lived there. Used to see him walking across the Bont to go to the shop on Gellifaelog Road which sold sweets and tobacco. It was owned by two ladies, Bessie who was a retired matron and Maggie. Don't know if they were related. I used to buy sweets there as a kid. I used to play with the kids who lived in the Gas works. There were two families who lived there - one family was called Davies - I think they had a little boy called Ross. The other family was Seabury and there were two girls, Carol and her younger sister, Linda. There were other kids too but I can't remember their names - maybe there was one called Graham - it was a long time ago.
I went back there recently recently - parked up in the car park of the Horse and Groom pub, which used to be run by a lady called Blodwen. She was locally known as 'Blod the Horse'. I remember she had a dog , think it was an Airdale Terrier. What is it about the Welsh and nicknames? I remember so many. One of my dad's friends was called 'Tommy Up and Down' because he had a limp. Another was 'Harry Scarf' because he always wore a muffler round his neck summer and winter. All the houses are gone now and the Gasworks and my old primary school, Gellifaelog infants and Juniors, pulled down years ago but the pub is still there as is the Catholic Church.

[farmersson]

Hi all.
I just stumbled upon this site. My father lived in Gas Row. His name was George Farmer. Ronnie Farmer was his brother. There were more brothers their names escape right now. He also had a sister Peggy.
I live near London but strangely was working in Dowlais a few years back and went looking for Gas Row but unfortunately not there now. My dad whilst fiercely proud of his roots once said Gas Row was a dump. How he would have laughed that it has been turned into one!
If anyone has any memories of the Farmers or knows of any surviving family (sons & daughters) I would love to know as we lost touch when my dad died.
thanks
Tony

[mjd]

Dec 4, 2013 3:42:21 GMT 1 mai said:

I remember Gas Row. I also remember Ronnie Farmer who lived there. Used to see him walking across the Bont to go to the shop on Gellifaelog Road which sold sweets and tobacco. It was owned by two ladies, Bessie who was a retired matron and Maggie. Don't know if they were related. I used to buy sweets there as a kid. I used to play with the kids who lived in the Gas works. There were two families who lived there - one family was called Davies - I think they had a little boy called Ross. The other family was Seabury and there were two girls, Carol and her younger sister, Linda. There were other kids too but I can't remember their names - maybe there was one called Graham - it was a long time ago.
I went back there recently recently - parked up in the car park of the Horse and Groom pub, which used to be run by a lady called Blodwen. She was locally known as 'Blod the Horse'. I remember she had a dog , think it was an Airdale Terrier. What is it about the Welsh and nicknames? I remember so many. One of my dad's friends was called 'Tommy Up and Down' because he had a limp. Another was 'Harry Scarf' because he always wore a muffler round his neck summer and winter. All the houses are gone now and the Gasworks and my old primary school, Gellifaelog infants and Juniors, pulled down years ago but the pub is still there as is the Catholic Church.

hi my name is mike Davies I lived in number 2 gas houses, my brother is Ross +my sister is sally you are correct about the seaburys the father was also called graham now deceased his wife is violet still alive and living in the gurnos estate.  if you would like to contact me I'm on Facebook as mike Davies

[lawrence]

My Mother Mary O'Toole lived in gas row , i attended a funeral of her sister some years ago at the catholic church at dowlais and i had a look at where gas row was just above the bont. My mother and the O'Tooles lived in Gas Row i think well before the 2nd world war .

[colinjthomas]

A bit belated into this thread but my Maternal Grandmother was born at 51 Gas Row in 1879. The family name was Hill, father William and Mother Ann nee Hopkins. Any info on this family would be appreciated.

[mikemerthyr]

Hello had a look at records if your grand mother was called Mary and had four brothers John ,Morgan ,Thomas, and William plus possible 5 other siblings may have found info. WILLIAM HILL married ANN HOPKINS on 13th JANUARY 1873 at EBENEZER CHAPEL there were two at the time one in CEFN COED and one in PLYMOUTH STREET MERTHYR TYDFIL which one they went to not known. There is a family on 1911 cencus living at 2 PENWAINFAWR CAEHARRIS DOWLAIS that looks to be them. They were married 37 years had 10 children 8 had died he was a colliery Overman .There is a death report INQUEST in Merthyr Express newspaper for a WILLIAM HILL Colliery OVERMAN at FOCHRIW COLLIERY on page 9 26th Dec 1914 edition this could be him aged 63. Hope this is your family and is useful for you.

Mike

[colinjthomas]

Thanks Mike.   Some of the facts fit in that my Grandmother was Mary and there was a sibling called Morgan.   The rest were Jane, Margaret (Maggie) Ann, Jenet (Jennet) and John Hopkin Hill.   I don't have any siblings at the moment.   The 1881 census has them still living at 51 Gas Row but the family was growing and had moved to 7 & 8 Back Horse & Groom, Penydarren (I believe that pub still exists) by 1891 then in 1901 to Garth Terrace.

Many thanks

Colin

[colinjthomas]

Not been able to find that INQUEST report. The online archives only seem to go as far as 1910 at the moment.

Colin

[mikemerthyr]

Colin if you contact. Merthyr Tydfil Central Library give them the page number name and year of death they can send you a copy of the report they will not charge you a lot for the print as they will not have to search through all the newspaper they can go straight to it. Sorry I don't know what their Email address is. I was told that there was some disagreement with publishing permission for the Merthyr Express newspaper years after 1910 but I might be wrong.

Mike