More from the Vincent Archive ..
probably dates from before 1926, because it has Mr Harding on it.
In the picture above:
Back row, 7th from left: Mrs Bessie Norton. She was a founder member of the church, and I remember her being given a presentation at the Jubilee in 1947 as the only founder who was still a member.
2nd row: the tall, upright lady 2nd from the left is Mrs Blanche Mathias, wife of Tom Mathias, and daughter of Samuel Mills, one of the founders. She later became afflicted very badly with rheumatoid arthritis and was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. 5th from the left is Mrs Elizabeth Rees, my great-great-aunt, but I knew her as Nanna Rees because she was my father's foster-mother. On the far right is Mrs Mitchell, Yvonne Mitchell's grandmother.
3rd row: 2nd from right is Mrs Goodenough, who ran the Primary Department of the Sunday School when I was in it.
The man in the middle of the front row is of course the Rev C J Harding, minister 1910-1926.
probably from the 1930s.
In the picture above:
Back row: 2nd from left Mrs Rees; 3rd Mrs Cornwall; 4th, Mrs Briscoe; 6th Mrs Harvey
2nd row: 3rd from left Mrs Mitchell; 5th Mrs Ace; far right Miss Gatfield
Front row: 2nd from left Mrs Challenger; 2nd from right Mrs Norton. I'm not sure who the man in the middle is, but it could be Mr Redwood, a deacon who had a leading role in the church when it was without a minister.
Second World War - Evacuee's at Bethany
Singer and Actress Georgia Brown was evacuated to Six Bells during the war. She was know then as Lily Klot and attended Bethany Chapel. She was the first "Nancy" in Oliver!, and some of the Oliver! songs were written for her. Thanks to Bryan Boots for the newspaper Clipping from the South Wales Gazette dated 13 August 1965.
1950s
Raymond Vincent has just sent us some lovely photos..
Ray says..
"Above is a photo of the Young People's Fellowship in the 1950s, when Mrs Elliston led it.
The two girls at the front are Glenys Powell, a Downes Syndrome girl of about my age who died some years ago, and Cynthia, Mrs Elliston's daughter.
In the row behind them are (left to right): Joyce Powell, Mary McArthy, Mrs Elliston, Ynys Pike, Joan Newbury.
Behind them: Colin Morgan and Yvonne Mitchell
Behind them: Keri Powell (Glenys's sister), Marian Davies, Gwyneth Pike, Jean Watts, my brother Colin.
In the back row: myself, Brian Collings, John Coakham, Nita Newbury"
Ray says ..
"The picture above is of the "School Walks" we used to have on a Whit Monday in the days when it was a Bank Holiday. It dates from about 1953 or 1954. The two men walking in front are the Rev C J Harding, who was minister of Bethany from 1910 to 1926, but always came back to join us on Whit Monday, and Tom Mathias, Superintendent of the Sunday School and Church Secretary. In the front row (left to right) are Elson Powell, Tom Evans, Harold Mathias, Mr Elliston, Percy May and Charlie Harvey. My brother Colin is at one end of the next row and I am at the other end. Behind Colin is Albert Harvey, a lay preacher and deacon and a lovely man. He nurtured me when I first started to take part in services. Standing on the pavement at the right end is Oliver Berryman, the conductor of the choir."
Six Bells Pit disaster funeral ?
Trip to Abergavenny?? Market
1966
Thanks to Jonathan Davies for the sisterhood trip picture below
Sisterhood Trip To Holland (Via Sheerness To Zeebrugge Ferry)
Men and Women at the sink
Another Happy day At Bethany
After a Party, there is always washing up !
Here we can see the curtained stage and pulpit on the river side of the school room
The Curtians are drawn is this photo
Around the back door there was a small porch to stop the draft and to provide somewhere to hang the coats.
Here is a better shot of the old back porch, the door on the left of the picture is the one through to the church.
Thanks to Val for this photo, you can see Bethany far left and a brick pillar from the old bridge centre top
