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WINTER 1947, PAGE 1 - Gaeaf, 1947, tudalen 1

Images kindly supplied by Carolyn Ellis

The winter of 1946-47 was one of the snowiest on record, although prior to the middle of January, temperatures were actually very mild indeed. However, all that was to change as the snows hit with a vengeance in late January 1947 and stayed through till March. In that time, the temperatures rarely crept more than a few degrees Celsius above freezing. In February, the sun rarely shone at all in Wales or the rest of the southern UK. Between March 4th and 6th, blizzards swept across south Wales causing drifts up to 5 metres high.

To find out more about the winter of 1947, two excellent links can be found here

http://www.net-weather.co.uk/Winter/Famous_winters/famous_winters.shtml
http://www.dandantheweatherman.com/Bereklauw/Weather1947.htm

Abertillery was, as most places, badly hit. These evocative pictures show the effect of the snow on the town and demonstrate the community spirit that existed at such times. 

Many thanks are due to Carolyn Ellis for providing all but one of these remarkable images. Since there are so many delightful and interesting photos, the images are laid out on two separate pages. The first group here shows images from the town centre, the second from outlaying areas.
Click here for the second group of photos

Brown's Garage on the Foundry Bridge being cleared of snow. The wheel of Gray Pit further up the valley is clearly visible in the background.

Looking down Commercial Street past Pontlottyn and the Arcade on the right towards the Globe Hotel on High Street at the bottom as men clear away the snow.

	A line of shoppers trudges its way carefully through the top end of Church Street.

	Another group of people snakes its way down the top of Church Street. The post office visible on the left was to move to a new building just a few doors up on the left some years later. In the background in Tillery Street is the tower of the Methodist Church building, now sadly gone.
	People carry baskets laden with supplies at the church end of Church Street. Dunn's shoe shop is on the right. In the distance past the Co-operative building the "Phillips Ales" ( a now defunct Newport Brewery) sign can just be seen on the side of the Rolling Mill.

	Shoppers negotiate their way around the junction of Somerset Street, High Street and Church Street next to Ewins the Chemist, advertising sight testing and Iron Jelloids.

	The opposite view to the picture above with snow piled up against the Maypole Dairy to the right and the National Provincial (now National Westminster) Bank and Collier's Arms pub further up High Street.

	Queues gather in Church Street near to Moxley's the tailors.

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