The following informative, self explanatory and enthusiastic articles focus on how the Resolven Canal area is being regenerated and restored.

The Neath Canal Project is run by the Ty Banc Canal Group of Volunteers involving, among others, local young students of Llangatwg School and the 12th Neath Resolven Scout Group.

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RDN would like to wish the project all the best for the future. Well done!

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IMAGE BY RDN PHOTOGRAPHER MIKE DAVIES

A Report on the Annual Meeting of Resolfen History Society .

After a hiatus of over two years, the History Society held an annual meeting at the Church Hall. It was encouraging that nine members were able to attend and several others sent apologies. It should be pointed out to anyone intending to return that strict measures regarding the prevention of Covid-19 are still in place within the building.

The meeting began, by remembering those who had passed away during the two years, especially Mr Gwyn Thomas the Society President and Mrs Mair Norton the former Treasurer. They will both be sadly missed and their contribution to the continuation of a History Society within the village for nigh on forty years was immense.

A new committee was elected with Trefor Jones relinquishing the Chair in order to return to his former role as General Secretary. Mr David Woosnam will now be Chairman, Julie Hicks will continue as the long serving treasurer and Jill Saunders will continue as Assistant Secretary. Val Davies will continue as Transport Secretary and the general committee includes Barbara Harris, Caryl Rees, Carole and David Jefferies.

Following a short address by the outgoing chairman, there was a general discussion on the way forward for the Society. Meetings will proceed as before on a monthly basis, but since speakers are difficult to find at the moment, this will vary in content and form . It was felt that a “workshop” approach to the history of the village would be beneficial and possibly a Q&A format for those who would not want to give a formal talk or lecture. It was felt that this would appeal to a wider audience and crucially involve more younger people in a slightly more rigorous approach to history since evidence showed from social media that there was a great deal of interest in local history.

The meeting concluded with another reading from the autobiography of Joseph Cookson, who lived and worked in the area in the 1920s. The episode concerned the changing of working in a small level above Clyne and changing to work at the more mechanised Gored Merthyr colliery. Despite being the best worker in the pit in his opinion, he remained on a junior minimum wage until becoming a fully-fledged collier at twenty one year of age. A problem with a coal cutter led to a remonstration with Mr Lloyd the under manager over pay, this resulted in Joe getting split form his “butty”, Dai Francis who in fact turned out to be Jill Saunders’s grandfather , much to her delight. He also seemed to be suffering from the long term after effects of the Spanish flu, reminiscent of the so called “long Covid”, which is prevalent at present.

Plus ca change/ nothing changes/ dim byd newydd?

Trefor Jones

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