Margaret spoke to Sue Davies - May 1st 2010

I was born in 1928 and lived in the "city".

My mother, nee Jenny Slade, was from Llangollen and my father, Fred Pilgrim, had come from Reading to work on the railway after the 1st world war

I never knew any grandparents.

At times we would be quite naughty as children-tying door knockers together up at Pengwern.

Also in the city lived the Maybury’s, Pughs, the Deal family, Jack Langford and Eira Hughes

All except one cottage has now disappeared.

Names I can remember of the families who lived in 'the City'

The Maybury boys used their cellar as a mini "Business" charging batteries. I sometimes earned a little pocket money from helping them

I remember Dai Dick who worked in Jones’s garage and how he used to use a car from the garage for an outing.

The family moved to Beech Cottage in 1938

I remember being in the guides, under Eileen B King, and the outings with them to Dinbren Hall, Oak lodge, the old vicarage and Tan Y Bwlch Farm do stick in my mind as very happy memories.

I also went to the St Johns taken by Pat Hammond

Leaving school at 15 years old I worked at Bailey’s Egg packing Company, which was on the corner of Oak Street and Chapel Street. This later moved to Market Street.

My next job was to work at the Laundry. The work of the Laundry was televised last year.

One of our jobs was to care for the laundry needs of Park Hall Camp.

The soldiers used to bring their laundry in on a Monday and it would be ready for collection by Friday.

We used to have a sewing machine in the laudry so that repairs could be made to any torn garments. On more than one occasion this machine was used to sew up the legs of the sergeant’s trousers. Names which jump tp mind are Connie Jones and Alec Armitage.

I met my husband at a social event at school when I was 16. He had been a cook in the army. He later worked at Pengwern.

My father worked on delivery for the railway. He was one of those called out to the rail crash.

My mother worked for the Winsors of Tyn y Wern. At this time Tyn y Wern was considered to be very special. They had their own jersey cows for cream, made their own crisps, and had private shooting and fishing. They used to do a special sweet-Pear Conde---rice, pears and cream---- If we were given the opportunity, as children, we would eat the top and leave the rice below.

I remember that Rachel Wilson used to work at Tyn Y Wern.