Bridgend Cottage Homes

Preswylfa

The cottage homes at Bridgend were built in 1879, making them one of the earliest sets of cottage homes built by Poor Law Unions. The Poor Law Union in this case was the Bridgend and Cowbridge Poor Law Union.

The homes comprised six well-spaced buildings arranged around a grassed square.

In 1881, there were 68 children living in the homes, approximately 11 children in each home.

The homes were built on the Merthyr Mawr Road and, at some point in the 1950s or 1960s, the home became known as the Merthyr Mawr Road Children's Home.

The Children's Home closed in the 1980s.

LOOKING FOR RECORDS?

There are some records of the homes' early days in the Glamorgan Archives including the admission and discharge registers from 1879 to 1946.

There are restrictions on public access to any personal material (such as infomation about people in children's homes) whihc is less than 100 years old. Details can be found at accessing records.

The following memory of the homes was contributed to a BBC site on Bridgend:

Stephen Joseph

 Some memories - the cottage homes down Merthyr Mawr Road was a real home for us children in care. Idris Jones, the superintendent ensured we had a well rounded life and we travelled everywhere. We played at Island Farm, walked to Merthyr Mawr Dunes; plagued the old woman who ran the secondhand stall holder in the old covered market in Bridgend. God Bless her - she wore a wig and we teased her at lunch times. The Windsor Fish and chip shop. The old open air swimming pool in Newbridge fields. Heolgam school and Batman the headmaster. The old pub on the bottom of Newcastle Hill where all us under age drinkers went in 1971 - now used by a church group. International Rugby player, Graham T Hodgson, my old gym teacher. First job at Parc Hospital as a nurse. The York Tavern near the bus station for more under age drinking. Jumping the train to Cardiff and playing truant. Nolton Church where I was a chorister 1964 and was paid half a crown. Canon Hayden Rees, all fire and brimstone, he would shout out from the pulpit and bang his fists and us 9 year olds would have to bite on our fists to stop laughing out loud in church. The old abbatoir near the old bailey bridge at the bottom of the Rhiw. The N & C luxury buses that would take you to Cardiff and back for one shilling and nine pence return. The swinging bridge at Merthyr Mawr and the stepping stones and Ogmore Castle. Kenfig Pool and camping out on the dunes. I was lucky, the children's homs in Bridgend was full of great kids, we were well looked after and I went back there recently to find it is now a private luxury housing complex. Fond memories of Bridgend are always with me wherever I am. I miss Wales and hope to return to live in Bridgend when I retire.