The Penvro

The Bigger Picture: Find yourself, classmates & family in the Long School Photos from 1935 to 1971!	Click on the graphic	Be sure to view our online collection of the school magazine The Penvro!	Click on the graphic
NEW ADDITIONS!		memories for those pupils who stayed at Bush House during Ren Hewish’s tenure and those who he taught at Pembroke Grammar School. Our thanks to Kate for providing us with insight into the place and the man. _______________________________________
*Ren Hewish 1918 – 2011* Kate Cartmel, daughter of Ren Hewish has kindly set out for us her recollections of life at Bush House when her father, Ren Hewish was housemaster there. It is certain to revive fond CLICK HERE to read the PDF which includes photos _______________________________________
*PD Memories* For anyone born and raised, or who lived or even has ancestry in the Pembroke Dock Area, then this book will bring anything from a wry smile to laughter and from a sense of sadness to a tear in the eye. 50 stories written by 50 different people, the book covers the social history and events in the town from the days of the Royal Dockyard, through some of the terrible events of World War Two, and then via the 1950s and 1960s up to the present day. There are tales of individual streets, individual shops, clubs and buildings, events, and stories of local characters, of whom there appear to have been many! There are 50 stories in all, written by people ranging from men and women whose heritage goes back to the days of the Royal Dockyard, through Service men and women who were posted to the Sunderland Base, to people who have moved to the area in recent times. There are many excellent illustrations, ranging from streets and shops, street parties, and the Sunderlands to buildings and sports teams. “Memories” is a good name for the book since that is what it evokes. A fascinating read and part of the social history of the town. The books are on sale every week day in the Pater Hall office from 10-12, and in the Heritage Centre and in Cwtch Cafe. They can be bought from Jamie in the St.Govan's Centre Bookshop on Saturdays. They can also be ordered by post, being £12.00 for one book, £20.00 for two, which includes postage. Write enclosing a cheque & return address, to Meg Burrell, c/o Pater Hall, Lewis Street, PD, SA726DD. Roger MacCallum _______________________________________
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*Once Upon A Place by Andrew Thomas* Andrew Thomas, who was educated at schools in south Pembrokeshire and at Bangor University (BA) and Cardiff University (MA), taught English at grammar and comprehensive schools in England and Wales for 35 years. He has published book reviews and critical features for The New Welsh Review and Poetry Wales, poems for About Larkin and articles on education for English in Wales. For some ten years he has been editor of Staple, a publication of the School of English at Bangor University, where he also sat on the Alumni Advisory Board and served as a member of the University Court. His interest in that special corner of Wales – south Pembrokeshire – is such that he regularly contributes to A Different Angle. He has also been published in Pembrokeshire Life. _______________________________________
		Click image for a larger version CLICK HERE for Andy's website and book ordering details. (note that the shopping cart icon is very small and may be at top or bottom of your screen depending upon your device!)
From Mummer's Booth to Silver Screen: the Life and Times of the Haggar Family by Vicki Haggar Haggar's Cinema and Ballroom were, for so many years, the epicentre of entertainment in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Everyone knew the name; most of the population of the two towns and surrounding countryside had either sat in the darkness of the cinema - one of the few "back to front" cinemas in the country - or, long before the days of John Travolta, sweated their way through the Saturday evening dance. But not many ever knew that, by paying their two bob or whatever it was, they were playing a tiny part in the history of one of the most remarkable families that Britain - never mind Wales - has ever seen. William Haggar was one of the pioneer film makers in the country, making films like "The Maid of Cefn Ydfa" and "The Life of Charles Peace" which are now viewed as classic silent films. He used his family as actors, toured the fairgrounds with his bioscope and eventually the family settled down to run cinemas in places like Aberdare, Llanelli and, eventually, Pembroke. The story of the Haggar family and their many adventures has now been wonderfully told by Vicki Haggar, great grand-daughter of the film maker, with a little help from essays by Roy and Walter Haggar. It is a fascinating story, one worthy of William himself, and Vicki has told it with verve and humour, with great style and rightly maintained pride. It is a story everyone should know, newcomers to the town or old sweats like me who used to sit in the cinema and wonder if the dancers thundering across the floor above my head (that may sound strange but most people will know what I mean) would one day drop through and land on my lap. If you buy just one book a year make it "From Mummer's Booth to Silver Screen: the Life and Times of the Haggar Family" by Vicki Haggar. Phil Carradice _____________________________________________
		Click image for a larger version At present you can purchase the book from Pembroke Town Hall or the museum upstairs. Also available from Linda Asman on 01646 622428 email: pembrokehistory@live.co.uk In the New Year it should be more widely available via online sellers such as Amazon.uk
*The Call Up by Phil Carradice* Phil Carradice has just published another book, he’s well on his way to 100 now! His latest book is an account of National Service in the years after World War 2 when every able bodied man was liable to be enlisted to serve his country for 2 years. Those of us that were just a bit too young to be ‘called up’ breathed a sigh of relief! Phil traces the origins of National Service in the 1940s and takes us right through to 1963 and the last ‘demob.’ This book is a gem, and what makes it such is that Phil spent countless hours interviewing the men involved, and the families they left behind. As a result we get first hand accounts, in their own words, of what it was really like to do National Service in the Army, Royal Navy or the RAF. Accounts range from the humorous to the tragic, from the ones who enjoyed the experience to those who hated it, and from those who found it useful to those who thought it a waste of time. The conscripts take us on a journey from the North Atlantic to Singapore via Cyprus and Korea, to name just a few places where conscripts served. Also included are stories from those in deferred occupations such as mining, farming and the Merchant Navy whose occupations were considered of such importance to the nation that their service was put on hold. In addition, some of the accounts given by, and about the wives and girls left behind range from tragic to sad to funny. This is a fascinating read, from first hand accounts, about the only time in our history when conscription was applied when the country was not at war. Roger MacCallum _____________________________________________		Click image for a larger version CLICK HERE for Phil's Amazon pages!
*The Zeppelin: An Illustrated History* Prolific writer, author and former pupil Phil Carradice has recently had another book published. This recent book tells the story of the history of airships starting with the humble beginnings with hot air balloons at the end of the nineteenth century and taking us through the development of airships proper up to their demise, spelled by the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. CLICK HERE to read more of Roger MacCallum's review in the pdf which includes photos! _____________________
EVEN MORE BOOKS!
Don't forget to view our PGS past pupils's books by following the links at the bottom of the Past Pupil News* pages.... ALL OUR PENVRO AUTHORS' BOOKS MAKE GREAT GIFTS AT ANYTIME!*