Penyrheolgerrig

Mr Thomas, Post Master

Over the last 18 months my work has been based around life in the valleys. It started with the people who frequent pubs like The Belle Vue, J.D Wetherspoons, The Red Lion and Six Bells on weekends in my home town of Merthyr Tydfil as there are a lot of characters and known men & women who make an avid appearance in said watering holes.
Last summer I decided to start looking more closely at my village of Heolgerrig after being heavily influenced by Robert Haines, local photographer who photographed around town during the 70’s and 80’s. I decided I was going to create a body of work to document village life as it stands today. Photographing the Post Office, pubs –Red Lion, Six Bells and Heolgerrig Club, scenes and surroundings where buildings once stood or miners were busy in the Cwm Du Drift and Upper Cwm Glo workings which were both associated with the Cyfarthfa Coal Iron Works. Also photographing the old Heolgerrig primary school before it is knocked down and they make way for a school yard or car park, not forgetting the new school being built on old playing fields I spent countless hours on when I was a child.
Inspiration for this body of work came from spending so much time at home after declaring that I was never going to live back in Merthyr Tydfil after I moved away for university. It took me about a year or so to realise the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and Swansea isn’t all as good as I initially thought. Having spent 3 years living as a student, November last year, 2009, I decided enough was enough and I was moving home. I was home every weekend and often not coming back to my student house only going straight to Uni. I was wasting time and money when I could be concentrating on my work at home where it was based.
Since moving home I have had all the time in the world to connect with my subject matter and start to create images I’m happy with. Most villagers are used to seeing me with a camera around my neck or in my hand and often stop and ask how it’s all going. It’s lovely to see that people are interested in what I’m spending a great deal of time and money on.
I’m going to continue with this project for as long as I can. A lot of things are changing lately from the new school being built to Mr and Mrs Thomas announcing their retirement from Heolgerrig Post Office and redevelopments in the way of shops and housing. I intend to someday publish these images for the people of the village to enjoy and hopefully look back on in years to come and reminisce



'Johns Travel'





Owned by the Thomas' since 1878


Mrs Thomas with Mr Thomas in the background working


Inside Heolgerrig Post Office


Mrs Thomas, retired teacher & Post Mistress


Ron the bus driver...


Ron...


A local watering hole, The Red Lion


Paul Black, a man of many talents.


School


Packing up


Mrs Gaynor Evans


Mrs Enid Cleary


Heolgerrig Primary School


The new Heolgerrig Primary School


Mr Caseys house


Heolgerrig cottage








Red Lion Bar


Cephas Chapel