An author has written a book about what life was like during Victorian times in Cwmbran

Carol Lewis has uncovered some fascinating tales and her new book is available in paperback on Amazon for £5 and on Kindle for £2.70. Here is the link to the Victorian Cwmbran page on Amazon.

Carol said: “It was written by researching a lot of old newspaper articles from the Monmouthshire Merlin, Cardiff Times etc. and gives a glimpse into life in Cwmbran in Victorian times. The book covers everything from social life to work life, accidents and the openings of new buildings.”

Here are some of the things you can read more about:
Inquests on workers killed at Cwmbran Colliery
Accidents in the home
Deaths in the canal
General Crime
Industry
School life
Meetings of local groups and societies
Entertainment

Horrific stories in Victorian Cwmbran

She said: “Some of the stories are quite horrific. There was a terrible train crash at Cwmbran Station in 1863. An engine with 12 carriages left the rails and smashed into the station killing two people and injuring passengers.

“The Oakfield Wire Works was quite a dangerous place to work. In the 1870’s a man called Phillip Roberts was drawn into the machinery there and his head was dragged from his body.

“Other accidents included children being caught in the red hot wire. Cwmbran Colliery was another place with many accidents including roof falls, explosions and tram accidents.”

Three Cwmbran women fight over an oven

“There are also some quite funny stories. One occurred in 1865, three women were charged with assault over whose turn it was to use the oven. They lived in a row of houses near the iron works and this row of houses was allocated one oven, which would have been outside, for five houses.

“There was no rota for the oven so whoever got there first had the oven for the day and on this particular day all three had got there first and ended up fighting over it.”

Pubs used for inquests in Victorian Cwmbran

“Some of the most surprising things I discovered while researching was that the local pubs were used to hold inquests on bodies found in the canal or on the railway line until the police station was built. The Pontnewydd Inn was one of them as well as the Coopers Arms, Llantarnam and the Bush Inn.

“Another is a letter sent from a Mr Barrett of Pontnewydd to the Cardiff Board of Guardians asking if they had any spare widows, presumably in the workhouse, he could marry, with or without children.

“The Board suggested he should appear before them and apply in person. Unfortunately I was unable to find out if he found himself a wife or not but it seems quite strange using a workhouse to find a wife smile.”

Carol has written several other books that are available on Amazon:

Cwmbran – History & Mystery

Gwent History & Mystery

Victorian Pontypool

Tell Them of Us

Hanbury Park- a novel set in Cwmbran