Nelson Square 1955,Dai ‘Snowball’ Williams is sitting second from the left on the bench. He lived in lived in 45 Commercial Street in one of the cottages next to the Cosy Cinema, which were demolished to build the new library.(Photo courtesy of Bob Evans formerly of the prefabs)
Contents of the Nelson Photos’ page
- Area around Flower garden
- The old cottages at the Handball court
- Shops from all eras in Nelson
- Nelson By pass Heol Fawr1991 road opened 1992
- Area around the The bus stops
- Views of Various Nelson Streets and landmarks
- The Hunt in Nelson
- Nelson in the Snow 1982 by Joyce Bolton and other Snow pictures through out the years
- Miscellaneous Nelson photographs
- A collection of photographs of Nelson kindly taken for this site by Roger Vowles of Treharris. March 17th 2010
- A selection of photos from various parts of Nelson
- Bryncelyn and the Prefabs
- the Cozy Cinema
- Lanfabon area
Before the centre of the village was altered in 2005,my good friend Robert Amos (R.I.P) of High Close, Nelson,took some photographs of the area we knew as the flower gardens. He also captured the old bus station. Here are his photographs.
Early days for the Gardens
Some by Leticia Bethel
Some photos below of gardens area J Swattridge
Photo below thanks to Chris Hoskins
Some photos thanks to Liz and Wayne Thomas
Fire in 1969 Ashgrove
The old cottages at the Handball court
Photo Below thanks to Chris Hoskins
Photos thanks to Ann Hill Nelson
For some reason a boat has appeared at the cottages
The old cottages looking sad and ready for demolision
Shops from all eras in Nelson
Nelson Newsagent
Another era below and some of the lovely staff who worked there
Below we see a photograph from the Jones’ family who owned the shop for a number of years
Old photograph of Nelson Post office courtesy of Jeremy Swattridge
2019 below
Two on same junction of High Street/Commercial Street
Pearce the cleaners on the right and Edith bell’s clothes shop on the left hand corner a photo from the 1980’s thanks to Chris Hoskins
Nelson Commercial street vista
An early Cooperative photo below
Elijah Jones Fruiterer 27 Commercial street ( photo care of his grand son Gordon W Jones)
Wellington Stores
Some High street photographs thanks to Chris Hoskins
Nelson Fish bar
Webbers 2020 and lock down social distance shopping
Corner fish bar below
Tambinis cafe 1980’s ( thanks to Chris Hoskins)
Darlingtons Optician
Elaines Hairdresser
Mike Dicks at Pedros Butchers
Below in 2019 and Pedros butcher no longer there
Tom Davies ironmongers in this view of Comercial Street
1989 above 2015 below
Jeremy Swattridge found this one from even earlier
Bobs Fruit and Veg
Below we see a 1984 photo thanks to Chris Hoskins . EV Jones & Son is still the trading name of The Cottage Garden Florist and the telephone number still in use in 2020
1950 view with Howard Lewis featuring
2020 below
WH Hopkins commercial Street
Two very old photos of former shops once in Nelson
Cardiff Road
Morris Butchers Commercial Street
Shingrig road Motor spares
Another shop on Shingrig road closed in the 1990’s (Chris Hoskins)
Village Stores
Barclays and sports shop now closed
Bank 1990’s Chris Hoskins photograph
Below we see a collection of Nelson Barclay bank photos from their website
1970’s below
Managers office
The old bank part of the Nelson Inn
Before the big garages Number 2 Dynevor Terrace and Johnny Bowen were at hand fantastic photograph thanks to Lita Carter
another garage this time 1950’s opposite Dynevor Terrace
Another old garage Brooklands where the Star club is next to thesedays
Some bigger businesses no longer in Nelson
Texaco Garage Dynevor Terrace 2005
Another couple of great 1980’s photos thanks to Chris Hoskins
Two from November 2008 below
Demolished below
Adcocks
Two more thanks to Chris Hoskins
Nelson By pass Heol Fawr1991 road opened 1992 ( thanks to Chris Maidment)
Two photos I took in Spring 2020
Looking towards Mabon Road and Fiddlers Elbow
Looking up in the direction of the Rowan Tree and Ystrad Mynach
Area around the the bus station
Below approx 1983 thanks to Chris Hoskins
1950’s below
2020 below
Views of Various Nelson Streets and landmarks
Nelson Police station and Sergeants; Restaurant (now closed)
Even the new police station is now shut
Milestone in High Street Nelson
Shingrig Road
Caerphilly road 2011
Caerphilly road thanks to Lisa and Wayne Thomas
Below a photograph dated 1975
Robert Amos took this shot looking towards Long Row 1999
Another view up Long Row
Looking down towards Commercial street thanks to Lisa and Wayne Thomas
Facing the school
Bryncelyn/high street Junction
Chris Hoskins contributed this one from the top of the church possibly 1990
The housing estate
Looking down towards Nelson
Opposite side of the road facing the Royal Oak
The old Toilets next to Hand ball court
High Street thanks to Lisa and Wayne Thomas
Below we see the old entrance to the school on the High Street, its now the entrance to High Close.
High Street cottages happier times (Lisa and Wayne Thomas)
Sadder times
High street houses during demolision
High Street houses demolished
Rare photo from behind the High Street thanks Chris Hoskins
about 2011 below
same High Street 2012 below
2017
2019
The Hunt in Nelson
The Hunt is not my cup of tea but is part of the history of Nelson and here are some old photos in the village
Hunt on the High Street
Outside Dynevor Arms
The Hunt 2004
The Hunt 2006
Nelson in the Snow 1982 by Joyce Bolton and more Snowy Photos throughout the years
Towards Heol Fawr Long Row
Railway Nelson
Pebbles and mate
Alan bare chest Barrett
Llancaiach School
Garage Dynevor Terrace 1982
Snow covered Nelson over the years
We don’t get heavy snow every year but when we do the photographers capture it and here are a few of their pictures, unsure of the years.
High Street
Handball court
Station Terrace
Thomas street
Village centre
Towards the church on High Street
Trafalgar Park entrance
Bus station
Village centre
Garage when Kwiksave was in Nelson
Three great photos taken by Robert Walters of the Beast from the East 2018
Village centre
Wern Crescent
Monument and Flower gardens
Llanfabon
Bryncelyn and the Laing estate
Miscellaneous Nelson photographs
Looking at the old station black bridge from Llancaiach Fawr (Stephen Jones)
Before and after entry to Nelson on Caerphilly road
Still Caerphilly road before the Skate park
Car smashes into home on the Laing estate January 2013
Nelson looking Towards the new houses and to the left Penallta pit
The former Nelson Welfare ground…opposite Trafalgar Park (R Amos)
The Former Portlock fruit and Vegetable cabin near the Balfour
The Portlock storage behind the Balfour club.
Rear of the Portlock store 2004
Bwl Road area below
East Glam Motors Shingrig road
Nelson 1976 with a red and white Bedlinog bus
Bwl road 1920 and 2008 below
Another by Stephen Jones possibly 1960’s or earlier
Llancaiach cottages on the border withy Nelson/Trelewis
A relatively new collection of photographs of Nelson kindly taken for this site by Roger Vowles of Treharris. March 17th 2010
some views of Bryncelyn and the new housing estate next to it taken from the road between the Greyhound and the Tylers arms(mountain road.)
Three images below looking towards Greenacres and the street above the Tylers arms.
Green Acres from Nelson RFC Autumn 2015
Flood in 2018 view from Dynevor pub
A selection of old photos from various parts of Nelson
Building Tawel Fan 1963 ( Rosalind Comer photograths)
Two below from Chris Hoskins of Trafalgar Park , the strating of the build
Llancaiach cottages about 1900
This is the bottom of Heol Fawr, opposite the Chinese (Kung fu)
Taken in the early 1970’s these photos of houses opposite the library…they are being prepared for demolition
Springfield Terrace Nelson with a Foden Steam Wagon transporting
beer barrels.(photo John Griffiths)
Ashgrove Villas, Nelson.
The picture below is taken in 1957, it shows the old railway track filled in with earth, the big building in the background is the Balfour club.
Below is an earlier one when the bridge was still in use
Tai Machine house, now demolished, it was once opposite Co-op supermarket on Maben road( where the Tyre and Exhaust company are now)
Wellington Inn at the bottom of the High Street…now Wellington Stores.
Wellington stores below 1990 (Chris Hoskins)
Commercial Street
Shingrig Road
The picture above is a picture of the Penallta sidings on the main line between Nelson and Ystrad Mynach…know as Nelson Bog to many locals…
The Pre fabs and Bryncelyn area
The Pre fabs…build in the 1940’s as temporary homes, they lasted for over 20 years…some of the street names that people will remember include…Heol Bryn Fab, Heol Pant y Celyn, Heol Mabon, Heol Tasker and Heol Islwyn…number one Heol Islwyn is pictured below, the lady in the photograph is Mrs Tovey (pic Michael Tovey)
The old Prefabs, behind Bryncelyn (R Amos)
Some good old photos of the prefabs thanks to Janine Sommers
Brynelyn double decker
Below we see Howard Gibbs outside his Prefab thanks to his daughter Gaynor Lewis
A gathering outside the prefabs 1952 thanks to Kath Meredith
Once the Prefabs had been demolished
Views of Bryncelyn once the Prefabs had gone
Electric Cinema
The Cinema became the Queen of Hearts night club seen blelow up for sale bfore it eventually burnt down and was demolished photo thanks to Chris Hoskins
Llanfabon Area
Below is a Robert Walters photograth of Llanfabon Inn and church from the mountain
Former pub called the Farmers Arms Llanfabon
Church at Llanfabon
Llanfabon Church and Inn by Robert Walters
The Three arches in 1909
The Three Arches approx.1960
Same spot 2018
Below we see some photographs of the area near the Railway Inn on Mabon Road, They were taken in 1967 when the old railway was removed to improve the road and take out the bend. Thanks to Dino Spinetti for the photographs
Dino and Carlo Spinetti
Same area above but November 2023
Paul Jones recalls “This is the explosives bunker at the quarry on on the old railway line, not the white woods.” (Photo Robert Walters)
Another view near the Railway pub, the old arches
The Same area below 2012
Photos by Robert Walters of the area near the Railway
Arnolds Garage was a little further out, now JB carpets
Llanfabon power Station 1960’s
Kay Spinetti pushing Lisa in the Pram photo by Dino Spinetti
2012 below
2017 More equipment going to the site via Llanfabon
November 2023 below
