Monday Morning Memories

After finishing a call out this morning I needed to post a parcel and decided to pop in Bedwas Village, Caerphilly, where the Post Office is opposite the Police Station. As I got out of my car there was a couple of dozen people having a meeting.

The postmistress informed me that they were objecting to the flower shop next to the police station being turned into another take-away.

I started working in the police station when Gwent Police took over The Rhymney Valley area from South Wales Police in April 1996. I was a Sergeant there for a while and have some great memories of the nick including working alongside my brother who was on the CID.

At the time, the 'flower shop' was a general store and Steve and his wife who ran it did take away fresh food. The fresh baguette stuffed with slabs of cheese and onion was my favourite. Steve talked me into going to Bingo in Newport with him one night; it was the national link up with the main prize being £1million. Steve said we'd go half on any winnings. We had five cards each and on the first game, Steve called a line and the prize was £120 which he duly split with me. I went a couple of times but it was in the days when they still allowed smoking and I came home reeking of stale cigs and alcohol; the clothes having to go straight in the wash! Steve sold the shop which became the florists and retired to West Wales. His brother whom I knew, emigrated to New Zealand well over 20 years ago.

Just up the road from the station was The Church House Inn. We regularly frequented it until the early hours ( a 'lock-in'). I remember Mrs BB picking a couple of us up at 2am to drop home. She did it with a smile...must be love!

The blip photo shows some of Bedwas village; the 'nick' being the large red building in the thumbnail and the pub being opposite the church further up the road. The legacy of coal mining in the area can be seen on the hillside with coal spoils. On the right hand side of the photo is Machen Mountain.