HISTORY

WOMEN OF COURAGE HEROINES OF SOE

Peggy Knight completed her SOE training in only two weeks. In April 1944, after a single practice jump, she parachuted into France as ‘Nicole’ to work for the highly compromised Donkeyman network. Following D-Day, Peggy crossed the battle lines many times, carrying intelligence messages and gathering vital information. She did this by travelling vast distances on her bicycle. She also participated in an attack upon a Nazi military convoy, firing her Sten submachine gun. Later in 1944, Peggy narrowly escaped capture and execution when one of her colleagues, Roger Bardet, betrayed her group of resistance fighters to the Nazis. One of thirty people, Peggy fought her way out of a forest through the encirclement. Bardet was later arrested. Although sentenced to death as a collaborator, he was released from prison in 1955. Highly praised by the SOE for her bravery and commitment, after the war Peggy settled down to a life of domesticity. Later, she told a local newspaper that her main concern was ‘getting enough soap during austerity to keep the family clean.’

Hannah Howe, international bestselling author of Ann’s War (set in Porthcawl) and Eve’s War (set in France). https://hannah-howe.com

MORE FROM THE MUSEUM ARCHIVES

In the early 1930’s the main grocer in John Street was ‘Langdon’s.’ Young men were apprenticed, or indentured, and served five years in the trade. Weekly, they had to visit houses for family grocery orders often trudging as far as Maudlam, Ton Kenfig, Pyle and Kenfig Hill. Langdon’s occupied three premises in the street with the main shop originally being where Super Value and Price Carver are today. Taken in 1935 the photo shows Hillier’s Pork Butchers (now Fone Excellence) and another of Langdon’s Grocers (now Shireen). The shop to the right is Thomas & Evans, which had moved into the present-day Price Carver premises. To the left and on the first floor are the Celtic Cafe and Tea Rooms, which had been used for a short time in the late 1920’s by non-conformists. Welsh Congregationalists originally had a base in Hope Chapel Newton, but wished a presence in Porthcawl itself and settled in the café awaiting the building of Tabernacl in Fenton Place in 1931.Incidentally, to accommodate the chapel a few houses had to be demolished, one of which, No 18, was Captain Ralph Picton Daniel mother’s Naomi. Captain Daniel, who died 31st July 1917 at Passchendaele, is on the Porthcawl War Memorial.

Ceri Joseph

THE RESTORATION OF SKER HOUSE

I thought maybe your readers would be interested in this photograph of Sker House, which I found while sorting through photographs during the lockdown. My father was Captain Mark Dawe of the 24th Porthcawl Mounted Home Guard who patrolled the perimeter of the town on horseback. He used to tell us that when they patrolled the coast in the evenings they would refresh their horses at Sker House and then they would be invited into the Great Hall where the owner refreshed them also!

Sue Waters, Porthcawl

WWI - THE BELGIAN REFUGEES IN BRIDGEND

In August 1914 German forces demanded safe passage through neutral Belgium on their way to attack France, but the Belgian government refused. As the Germans forced their way through, cities were burnt and civilians were murdered. Terrified Belgians fled in their hundreds of thousands, and many came to Britain, including the cities, towns, and villages of Wales. For many people in Wales helping the ‘plucky’ refugees was their way of contributing to the wider war effort, and the Belgians were greeted with open arms. By early 1915 about 1327 refugees had made their way to the Glamorgan area. Around 15 people were accommodated in ‘Glenavon’ (now Riversdale Surgery) and the Kerkoff family were in Brewery House as the guests of Newcastle Church. To read about the experiences of some of the refugees that came to Bridgend and the surrounding area visit: https://bridgendhistorysociety.wordpress. com/2021/02/03/bridgends-belgian-refugees/ At the end of the war most of the refugees left has suddenly as they had arrived, and soon their presence was largely forgotten. If you are aware of any legacy items or stories locally, or any continuing connections to the refugees who came to Bridgend, the History Society would be interested to hear from you: committee.brid.hist.soc@gmail.com

Rowena Williams Bridgend & District Local History Society