Aber and Blaengwynfi Patriotic Fund
Facsimile of a list of names to include on the proposed war memorial
Abergwynfi and Blaengwynfi are two former mining villages situated on either side of the River Afan, beyond Port Talbot and up towards the top of the valley. In 1875 there was practically nothing there, but as coal mines were developed in the following decades, terraces of housing grew rapidly into the two villages, and they were really quite new communities at the beginning of the First World War.
When war broke out, many communities across the country set up funds to recognise the contribution of their sons and brothers. Some of them bought commemorative items, while others took a more practical view. In 1915, local residents set up the Aber and Blaengwynfi Patriotic Fund. Its purpose was to provide comforts to local servicemen, to help wounded and sick soldiers, and to provide assistance to dependents and families.
At the end of the war, it was proposed to use the remaining money to set up a memorial. This document is a facsimile of the original booklet of accounts that was sent round to advertise a public meeting to decide on the future direction of the fund. The list of names, 45 in all, records the men of both villages who died in the war. It appears that the memorial is in the Royal British Legion in Blaengwynfi. The only out-door memorial there is a nameless, non-specific slate plaque fixed to a wall in Jersey Street.
Download a large version of the Roll of Honour (PDF) [525KB](opens new window)