Contact us Via
PORTHCAWL MUSEUM
  • Home
    • Latest News
  • Museum Newsletters
    • Monthly Newsletter 2022
    • Monthly Newsletter 2021
    • Monthly Newsletter 2020
    • Monthly Newsletter 2019
    • Monthly Newsletter 2018
    • Monthly Newsletter 2017
    • Monthly Newsletter 2016
    • Monthly Newsletter 2015
    • Monthly Newsletter 2014
    • Monthly Newsletter 2013
    • Monthly Newsletter 2012
  • Monthly Events
  • Past Events
    • 2015-2019
    • Medal returns home.
    • Latest Cannon News >
      • STORMY DOWN RAF BASE
      • Small Cannon
      • SAMTAMPA
      • Porthcawl's Archaeology
    • Queen's 90th
    • carnival 2016
    • The Somme Evening
    • Brentwood Hotel & Bridgend Awareness Day
    • Afternoon tea
    • Private John Campbell
    • Open Doors 2016
    • Welsh Museum Festival Week 2016
    • Three Castles Tour
    • Halloween 2016
    • CWGC Champion Award
    • OPEN DAY 1st April
    • Carnival 2017
    • Victorian Open Day
    • MUSEUMS WEEK 2017
    • Votes for Women 1918 - 2018 >
      • The March
      • We Were There.
  • About Us
    • Plan Your Visit
    • GROUP VISIT
  • Museum Shop
  • Gallery
  • Photo Gallery
Picture
Picture
Picture
Through researching the history of RAF Stormy Down strong links have been discovered to the Dambusters mission during World War Two. 

As a result the Museum received a special donation from the London Mint on Saturday 11th August 2018.

​

Porthcawl Museum, i
n Bridgend county, also received replicas of blueprints, photos, maps, plans and other documents that once briefed Squadron 617 for the historic mission.

ALL are on display at the Museum.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Belinda Brown, Gordon Yeo's second cousin presents Paul Joseph, Chairman of the Museum, with part of the fuselage from Gordon's plane. Gordon Yeo is known as The Welsh Dambuster.
Picture

The cannon has left the water tank!

There's still a lot more to do before it is preserved completely, but it has now on view. First time since its initial immersion into water in January 2014. click here for more.
Picture
Picture
Picture

Did you miss the Victorian Day? (view photos)
​Don't worry they are back!

Picture

We Will Remember Them

Picture
Picture

Just to let all of you,  who are interested in Porthcawl during World War 1, that the second compilation of monthly articles is now on sale at the Museum.
Porthcawl and The Great War - Part 2 - 'Mud and Men' 
​

All proceeds to the Museum. 

Thanks to all of you who have already bought Part 1.
I hope you'll enjoy this edition too.

Picture
Picture
 Sunday 2nd July 2017
​Dedication of the Memorial.
In honour of all those who served at RAF Stormy Down
in World War 2.
Picture
Four Air Cadets holding the wreaths that were later placed by honoured guests.

Picture
Picture
Pictured above.
​Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Mid-Glamorgan , Mrs Kate Thomas  First Minister Mr. Carwyn Jones,
Secretary of State for Wales Mr. Alun Cairns, 
Air Commodore David Williams Air Officer for Wales
Wing Commander lisa D'Oliveira  RAFNZ.
centre - Flight Lieutenant Robert Taylor RAF VR(T)  
who, with his wife Ann,  organised the event.
Both are 
valued members of Porthcawl Museum
Picture
Picture

 Saturday 1st July 2017
Museum Official Opening 
Celebrating the completion of 
the Museum refurbishment.

Exhibits and Displays in Every Room.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Mayor Lorrie Desmond-Williams and Consort Cllr Graham Walters arrived in style, chauffeured by Mr. Harold Wilson in his 1927 Morris Cowley.
Lorrie officially opened the building following a welcoming speech from Museum Chairperson Paul Joseph.

Picture
Picture
This event celebrates and concludes two years of a lot of hard work put in by Museum members, volunteers and tradesmen. All made possible through the financial assistance of the Porthcawl Town Council. 

To commemorate 202 years since Waterloo;
The 41st Foot visited the Museum
17th June 2017
A Waterloo Medal was on view.

Record number of visitors for the Museum!

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

  Museum Honoured at Brookwood

Picture
On Friday 18th November, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission hosted an event, at Brookwood Military Cemetery, to mark the end of the centenary of the 141 days of the
​Battle of the Somme.
Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, who is the CWGCs Vice Chairman, was joined by a host of community groups who took part in the Commission’s Living Memory Project, which encouraged the people of the UK to rediscover their war heritage and remember those who gave their lives.
In partnership with the Big Ideas Company, and funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the aim of the Living Memory Project was to raise awareness of the 300,000 war graves and memorials in the UK and encourage community groups to discover, explore and remember their First and Second World War heritage.

The challenge set was to mark the 141 days of the Somme Campaign to encourage 141 groups to hold 141 events.
Consequently, an amazing 260 groups held events of which 19 were presented with CWGC Champion Certificates in recognition of their contribution to the project.
Paul Joseph, Chair of Porthcawl Museum, on behalf of the museum, was honoured to be receiving this prestigious award for the Service held on 24th August, to commemorate the centenary of the death of Private John Campbell, 5th Cameron Highlanders; who is buried in St John’s Church, Newton, Porthcawl.
Picture
Private Campbell, had been wounded at the Somme, transferred to Cardiff’s 3rd General Hospital and eventually to The Rest Home, Porthcawl to convalesce. Tragically, the day before he was found drowned, he had been told that he was fit to return to the Somme battlefield. Studying the inquest, you cannot fail to note the tragic effect of shellshock.
click here to hear Ceri explain how Private John Campbell's grave became part of The Living Memory Project.
Picture
Picture
Picture
CWGC's Director General, Victoria Wallace, greets Sir Tim Laurence on his arrival at Brookwood.
Picture
Colin Kerr, Director of External Relations for CWGC, said that the Living Memory Project has proved that you don’t need to travel to the Western Front to pay your respects. We must make sure that those who died during both world wars, and are buried or commemorated in the UK, are never forgotten.

Picture
Colin Kerr addressing some of the community groups
​who had taken part in 'The Living Memory Project.'
Picture
The day closed with a piper leading the community groups to the First World War Memorial, in remembrance of the fallen.
A  2 minutes silence was observed, in  commemoration of the end of the 141 days of the Battle of the Somme. 
​                                                                                                                                                                                       Photographs by photographer Andy Ash.
Porthcawl Museum would like to thank the Porthcawl Branch of the British Legion for their support in August; and member Mrs. Elaine Newman who has liaised with the CWGC and arranged for their attendance at ‘our Living Memory project.’
Picture
Ogmore Castle
Picture
Coity Castle
Picture

Excellent '3 Castles Tour'
A group of enthusiasts braved the weather to visit Newcastle, Coity and Ogmore Castle.
A big thank you to Ian Hutchinson, our guide.
click here to view more photos.

Newcastle, Bridgend
Founded by Robert FitzHamon c1106

Picture
Picture
950 years ago, on October 14th 1066, William of Normandy defeated Harold Godwinson, the most powerful English Lord, at the Battle of Hastings. Within four years Anglo-Saxon England had been conquered. What about Wales?
Noting that Wales was ruled by many kingdoms , with their respective kings constantly at war with each other, and lacking the men and finance to invade Wales, successfully, William established the Marcher Lordships of Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford along the Welsh border.
William FitzOsborn, Earl of Hereford was the first Norman Lord to cross into Wales. At Chepstow, FitzOsborn oversaw the building of the first stone keep in Britain, 1067. Following his death in 1071, his son Roger de Breuteil inherited the title. However, not a supporter of the crown, he ended up fleeing to France.
Next, in 1093, according to legend, Robert Fitzhamon, a favourite courtier of William II and having gained the title Earl of Gloucester, conquers Glamorgan, with the help of twelve knights.
The roads on the ‘Forty Acre’ site in Porthcawl, display the names of some of these Norman noblemen. To find out more visit the museum.
Picture

FOR ALL
​2016 EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
click here

Halloween 2016  click here

Picture
Available from the Museum £10. Limited number left.
Picture
Available from the Museum. £5
Picture
Accommodation in Porthcawl has considerably improved since 1880
Picture
Picture
There is a great time to be had in Porthcawl.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Henry Study's Fairground 1908. College Field. (Today Picton Avenue.)
Picture

  THIS WEBSITE WILL DISPLAY LATEST MUSEUM NEWS AND PRESENT THE HISTORY OF PORTHCAWL THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS, DOCUMENTS, RESEARCH AND RELEVANT ARTEFACTS.                             

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
It used to look like this
Picture
And now it looks like this.

John's visit to BBC Radio Wales

Picture





Picture
Private John James Thomas is seated in the middle row.
Picture
Picture
John told Roy how his father's life was saved at Gallipoli.
 (Roy Noble Show
​10th August 2015.)



Cigarette Case Saves Soldier’s Life at Gallipoli

The life of Private John James Thomas, 4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, was saved by his cigarette case at Suvla Bay, August 1915.

John James Thomas was born in the village of Penygroes, Near Llanelli. Although he had begun an apprenticeship at a draper’s shop, he was more concerned with the war. John’s neighbour, who had enlisted in 1914, had allowed him to try on his uniform and hold his gun, whilst on leave. This affected John to such an extent that one particular day in January 1915, instead of going to work, as his mother had thought, he got on a train to Brecon and joined the 4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, having lied about his age. Private John J Thomas, Service No 813, was 15 years old.

Following training, the battalion left from Devonport on 19th July aboard the SS Mauritania, bound for the Mediterranean. On the 9th August, as part of the 53rd (Welsh) Division, John’s battalion landed at Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The division soon suffered over-crowding, chaos on the beaches, and constant sniper fire from Turkish batteries, positioned on the cliffs above. Many casualties occurred in those first few days and had it not been for his cigarette case, Private Thomas would certainly have been one. A bullet aimed at his heart struck the cigarette case positioned in his breast pocket. 

John’s son, also, named John Thomas, commented, “It is said that it was the first time such a thing had ever happened in British military history.” Mr. & Mrs. Thomas, from Bridgend, had visited the Porthcawl Museum recently, during which time this remarkable story was revealed to the staff on duty. Later, Mr. Thomas returned to the museum with his father’s medals and that infamous cigarette case. Paul Joseph, Chair of the Museum, stated ,”We feel very grateful and privileged that Mr. Thomas has allowed us to display his father’s memorabilia.”
Picture
Picture
Picture
Click on photo to visit WalesOn Line
Find out how this cannon looks 2 years on!  Click here.

Stormy Down RAF Base

Picture
Picture

The target observation tower on Kenfig Sands.
It was part of the Stormy Down
Airfield Gunnery School section.
photograph by 
Steve Jones - Porthcawl RNLI.

Picture
Picture
Picture

PORTHCAWL DOCK

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Welsh Museums Festival Week at Porthcawl was a huge success!
click here for photographs and info.
Picture
In June 1915, Elsie Thomas of ‘South View’ Victoria Avenue, Porthcawl, on completion of her 3year training at the Great Northern Hospital, Holloway Road, London, qualified as a Staff Nurse. Before the month was out, she had applied to the War Office to serve in the Queen’s Alexander Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve. 
Picture
Two of the Nurse's Uniforms on Display
Picture
Where is this?
Picture
Picture
Picture
What are these?
Picture
1919-1925
Picture
1929
Picture
1929
Picture
Proposed layout of Porthcawl. c 1875
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Passenger traffic stopped running on the 9th September 1963. . Freight trains ceased to operate on the line on the 1st February 1965.
The museum holds over 500 postcards of Porthcawl in its collection.
When you visit us, ask the museum staff if you wish to view the albums.
Picture
Aerial view of the trainline
To visit the Porthcawl and the Great War website click here. porthcawlandthegreatwar.com
About Us
Visitor Information
Contact Us
Disclaimer
Aims