Oral History collection: Mrs Margaret Eleanor Jenkins (née Bowen) (born 1896, Pontardawe, former schoolteacher) interviewed by monologue about memories of growing up in Pontardawe.

[00:00:01] Personal Details: Subject born in 1896, Pontardawe. [00:00:32] Pontardawe Retailers: Retailers at start of 20th century; no need to go elsewhere. [00:01:59] Society: Large families: hardship. [00:02:13] Industry: Steel, tin, pits. [00:02:39] Industry: Steelworker's preparation. [00:02:59] Industry: Dark glasses for furnace work. [00:03:10] Industry: Works routines, layout. [00:04:16] Industry: Saturday mornings work standard. [00:05:10] Retail: Mrs Baker's (confectionery) & Mrs Anthony's (pastry) shops. [00:06:20] Retail: Friday night suppers. [00:06:32] Leisure: Sunday School & family trips, beaches. [00:07:11] Leisure: (Horse) brake hire, owners. [00:07:57] Leisure: Mountain trips, picnics. [00:08:42] Health: Spring water, Gellionen, medicinal. [00:09:23] Medicine: Pontardawe doctors: Rees, Daly, Griffiths. [00:10:08] Medicine: Dr Griffiths: "parish doctor" - vaccinations, visits. [00:10:43] Medicine: Jordan's chemists, only one in town. [00:12:33] Religion: Churches (English & Welsh "two congregations"). [00:12:53] Religion: All Saints Church "private", owned by Gilbertson family, who appointed incumbents. [00:13:12] Religion: 1920: disestablishment, All Saints joined parish. [00:13:28] Religion: Five chapels in town. [00:14:04] Education: Pontardawe schools. [00:14:33] Education: School concerts, Infant School, Hannah Jones Headmistress. [00:14:57] Education: Schools "excellent". [00:15:18] Leisure: Licenced premises in Pontardawe. [00:19:39] Retail: Reynolds shop, grocers/bakers, open until 10pm, social hub. [00:21:02] Retail: Local shops, Pontardawe. [00:22:26] Child care: Children in homes taken on by Jenkins tailors, apprenticed. [00:23:02] Retail: Pontardawe shops; grocers. [00:24:15] Transport: Horse transport, early 20th century. [00:26:20] Transport: Famous stables. [00:26:51] Horse Fairs: Horse breaking in. [00:27:36] Transport: Death of stable owner, accident. [00:29:12] Industry: Lewis Evans & family, coal magnates. [00:31:08] Retail: Woodworking. [00:31:46] Retail: Pontardawe shops. [00:32:30] Clothing: Contemporary shoe & brass cleaning methods & materials. [00:33:30] Metallurgy: Brass cleaning methods. [00:38:04] Industry: Clogs worn in metal industries. [00:38:29] Class: Pontardawe Public Hall Institute foundation stones. [00:41:03] Class: Lord Glantawe, character. [00:42:22] Art: Pictures of foundation-layers, in Hall. [00:43:55] Utilities: Lamplighters, employed by gasworks. [00:44:18] Utilities: Street lamps lit at dusk, extinguished at midnight, individually. [00:45:31] Religion: Autumn services, famous preachers, huge congregations. [00:46:42] Religion: Choirs, personnel. [00:47:18] Religions: Popularity of religious festivals. [00:48:20] Law: Swansea remand prisoners tried in Pontardawe, fortnightly. [00:48:46] Law: Train transport of prisoners, trials, 17.20 train on Fridays to jail. [00:49:34] Society: Early 20th century: many tramps, beggars. [00:50:02] Workhouse: Police issued workhouse tickets 17.30 for 18.00 entry. [00:50:55] Workhouse: Workhouse practices, education. [00:54:00] Workhouse,: WW1: workhouse closed, became military hospital, now old people's home.