Above: The National
School Cardiff Street Aberdare
The National Schools for Boys and Girls were built in 1829
on land donated by the Marquis of Bute. When the schools
were built the increasing population of the Parish of Aberdare
had few educational places for children, and the situation
did not significantly improve until the second half of the
Nineteenth Century. In 1847 the 'Report of the Commissioners
of Inquiry into the Sate of Education In Wales' recorded
that only two National Schools, two Works Schools and six
private schools served a population of some 15,000. The two
National Schools at Cardiff Street had 110 boys and 60 girls
on their books in 1847 and combined average attendance for
the previous year was only 111. Although the report of the
commissioners (The Treachery of the Blue Books) was attacked
in Aberdare and throughout Wales for its anti Welsh Language
and anti Nonconformist stance, it did provide a huge stimulus
for the provision of education in the area. In October 1848
the British School (Park y Comin) was opened in Trecynon and
the Hirwaun British Schools were opened in 1849.
When it closed in the mid 1980's Morris Jacob & Sons
was amongst the longest running businesses in Aberdare.
The store had opened in 1874 as an outfitters, jewellers
and pawnbrokers. When the store operated as a pawnbrokers
that business was conducted in the back room, customers
being ushered through the main shop to use this service
Right: Morris Jacob & Sons, circa
1934
On 11th May 1919 a fire broke out at the Aberdare Co-operative
Society (Clothing and Millinery Branch), at the corner
of Cardiff Street and Station Street. The fire was first
noticed at 11am but was not brought fully under control
by the Aberdare Fire Brigade until 2:30 in the afternoon.
The building was completely destroyed, leaving an empty
shell, and damage was caused to Halls and Son and Miles
the Butchers, the adjacent properties. One
of the firemen injured was W G Pink, who was to tragically
lose his life fighting the fire at Aberdare General Hospital
ten years later.
Replacement premises were opened on the site in July 1923. The opening ceremony
was attended by G H Hall MP and the store was officially opened by the Aberdare
Co-operative Society Chairman Mr Hale.
