John the Lamb

[colin]

It was with great sadness that I read of the sad loss of John Lewis. When I first started to drink in Merthyr and you told your friends “see you Friday at 6:30”, you knew it would be in “The Lamb”
In those days pubs closed between 4 and 6 but quite often you would go in the back door and someone would shout “Close the curtains they can see us singing” It was a sad loss for Merthyr when it closed in 73.

I hope there is a Lamb up there in Heaven and people such as Syd Hill, Jim Ryan, Neil Jenkins, Ron Williams, Vines Perry and Harri Webb to name a few, now have a new Landlord.

It was a privilege to have known you John

[davidj]

Saturday night was pub night. After playing football in the afternoon it was out on the town and the first pub was always the Lamb. Always remember before decimalisation pint of Tartan Bitter 2/2d, when it converted it went to 12 and a half pence, which was 2/6 in old money!
After the Lamb it was off to the Vulcan and Friendship, then opposite to the Crown and then up to the Imp (if you could get in) and finally into the Morlais for Match of the Day.
Always start at the Lamb to see how every other team got off in the Merthyr League. I used to play for the Park Cafe (always lost!)

[gwalion]

Onwards.. and dare I say it?.. upwards John!..The Lamb will live in Merthyr memories...

What was the name of the pub on the corner of Pontmorlais?

The Owain (Glyndwyr)?

It went years ago but was a few doors down from Webbs carpet warehouse.. oh Lorrd.. did I just mention Webb's?..

[davidj]

A bit further down was the Morlais and next to that was the Imp - always ended up in one of those pubs at the end of a Saturday evening - the Imp (upstairs) was always heaving with people and the Morlais was for Match of the Day. In fact I ended up playing Sunday football for the Morlais

[jwrdiver]

It's with great fondness I remember the Lamb. An Institution that was extremely formative in my upbringing. To the extent that on the "Lambs Last Night" I claimed, as my own, one of the last empty barrels used that night. I lugged that barrel home with me, to my flat, and believe me the following morning my fiance was not best pleased with my momento, but I still managed to keep it for a number of years before she managed to mysteriously lose it!!

One other memory that has never left me, was an occasion when myself and a group of friends were watching Match of the Day, one Saturday night, on John's brand new colour TV, the first one in Town I believe. For some unknown reason a small mellee started and before it could get out of hand. John came crashing through the door, threw a chair into the fray and stood in front of his new TV and, in no uncertain terms, told us to "watch my ****ing TV or else!!"

Out of respect for John and the need to continue watching sport, in colour, all hostilties ceased immediately.

Those were, definitely, the best days of my life!!!!

[davidj]

Happy memories.
Remember there used to be table in the corner where some serious card playing and money went on!
Best pint was a pint of Tartan Bitter 2s 2d and then it went metric and came 12 and a half p, which made it 2s 6d!
Only ladies John allowed in the pub were the Salvation Army!
Every Saturday night was 6-8 in the Lamb, if you could get in!
When the Lamb closed I think John run the Penydarren Inn at the top of the High Street just past the Morlais traffic lights.

[colin]

I remember going to the Penydarren Inn and having long chats with John putting Wales to right. The best times

[bynwalters]

I used to be friendly with John's children Peter and Cheryl? and often went in and out but it wasn't until later that I was introduced to Harri Webb, Ivor Davies, Sid Hill, The Brigadier Ronnie Williams and The Colonel Neil Jenkins, now John, Harri, Sid and Ronnie are all gone, Neil is not at all in good health down in a nursing home in West Wales: his best friends have to go and call for him if he wants to go out, otherwise he is housebound, as for Ivor he is still there up in Broad st. Dowlais, his Christmas card is leaving tomorrow, last day. The pub on Pontmorlais Circus was the Owain Glyndwr although it was spelt Owen Glendower.I went to see John in the Pen (Penydarren End)although he wasn't there for very long.The Penydarren Inn was off the top of Trevethick St. on the High St. My pubs:- Imp, Vulcan, Lamb, Anchor, Brunswick, Crown and last but not least I discovered The Free, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple in the Loco.