South Wales 1970s

[@TS-bn7zt]

The very last image of the video is Dowlais Top Merthyr . If you look closely you will see the sign “ Fish Bar” That was my brother in laws shop, I spent a lot of time there in the 70’s. It was indeed gloomy but I also have fond memories of better days back then. Thank for the video , much appreciated.

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

What was the fish and chips like

[@TS-bn7zt]

@@Gunnar_Gunnarson Outstanding!! Although it was quite gloomy, the people eluminated the place. Honest hard working with principles. Earthy , which quite easily could be misunderstood for rough but quite the contrary . These people and the era of have long since disappeared unfortunately and have been superseded with what we have today…………… in my humble opinion not even a pale reflection. No rose coloured spectacles, it’s just time and change. Inevitable really , but oh how good it was! Happy memories for me at Dowlais Top back then even though the video would give a completely different perspective. And to cap it all, the best fish and chips you could imagine. Once again thank you for the video, iv have saved it to my favourites. Hope you in return have enjoyed my memories of my younger days.

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

@@TS-bn7zt I assume the chip shop is now closed. Like a lot of these traditional establishments, such as pubs, they are all going by the wayside. I’ve done a few videos on the pubs of London.

[@TS-bn7zt]

@@Gunnar_Gunnarson Yes I believe the shop closed down some years ago. The building is still there as is the shop shown in the same frame but as you said so many pubs and small businesses have closed down which does diminish the social fabric of an area. I spend some time in London with work and have seen so many of the old cafes and pubs shut down. Sign of the times. I have subbed to your channel , many thanks 👍

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

Thank you for the subscription. The closure of restaurants is something you see another places as well for example, I’ve seen it in the United States when I’ve been there. I’m not sure what’s going on.

[@dismalfinance3002]

South Wales in the 1970s was a region experiencing significant industrial change and social upheaval. The decline of coal mining and heavy industry, which had long been the economic backbone of the area, led to widespread unemployment and economic hardship. However, this period also saw a strong sense of community resilience and activism, with many locals engaging in efforts to revitalize their communities and preserve their cultural heritage. The era was marked by a blend of challenges and transformations, shaping the modern identity of South Wales.

[@kelvinlewis4065]

I,m a very proud ,,,,,,,Rhondda boy ...now 63 years old .....Men were Men and sheep were worries !..

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

To be honest, I’m not very familiar with South Wales. Has it changed much since the 1970s?

[@iantobanter9546]

Most of the tips have been reclaimed and landscaped. Wind turbines now litter the hillsides and job opportunities congregate along the coastal belt. Mass immigration is now affecting south Wales and is being encouraged by the Welsh government. ​@@Gunnar_Gunnarson

[@MrBadBean]

Growing up in wales in the 70s, this brings back memories A Pontypool Boy

[@Mandie.s.m.s]

Wow that blew me away ..... Blaina🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

Thank you. I have to admit that I’m not very familiar with Wales.

[@thecelticdruid7707]

@@Gunnar_Gunnarson My grandfather Bill grew up in Blaina before moving to Bargoed and meeting my grandmother Rita. They married in Cardiff in 1949 .

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

@@thecelticdruid7707 I have to confess, I tried to get a translation of Blaina. I thought it might be a welsh word so I gave Google Translate a go. Nothing. I realise it’s actually a town.

[@Straightshooterx71x]

Cwmcelyn newydd ❤

[@drychaf]

@@Gunnar_Gunnarson It's a colloquial version of the standard Welsh word 'Blaenau' (here meaning 'heads' of the valleys).

[@shaunlaverty8218]

Depressingly beautiful 😍

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

I know what you mean

[@iandavis-fj2ty]

The kids on the wrecked car are in Pill, Newport.❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@ghl3488]

What choir was that?

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

Not sure. I found it on a website.

[@ghl3488]

@@Gunnar_Gunnarson Not a Welsh one thats for sure. The pronunciation is awful but the tempo is exactly as it should be. Lots of choirs sing the Welsh anthem very slowly, like a dirge. It is not that. It is a song of lovbe for your homeland and of its beauty. Thanks for the video though. I'm a 68 year old valleys boy, from the Rhondda.

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

Thank you for the kind words. I am, unfortunately, not an expert on the Welsh national anthem. I will defer to you on that issue.

[@thecelticdruid7707]

Any photos of Bargoed ? ​@@Gunnar_Gunnarson

[@Gunnar_Gunnarson]

You got me there. I’m not sure where that is.

[@neilthomas9244]

I was there! What a miserable time.

[@johnnyb8825]

So was I (as a child). It was only towards the end of the decade that things went pear-shaped (Winter of Discontent and all that). The early to mid-1970s seemed fine.

[@robertevans6596]

Not my experience mate, loved it.

[@iandavis-fj2ty]

Love the Valley s ❤

[@franceskronenwett3539]

Everywhere looks so grim and poor.

[@damianbylightning6823]

Keep voting Labour , it'll get grimmer and poorer - and it's never Labour's fault!

[@iandavis-fj2ty]

@@damianbylightning6823 fifteen years of Tory incompetence hasn't helped either....

[@damianbylightning6823]

@@iandavis-fj2ty 3 decades of Welsh Labour rule? Forgot about that did you? Also, these crooks have been in charge of Wales for more than a century. It's clear that the UK is now ungovernable and Tories did nothing to reverse Blair's idiocies which made the problems worse. Hopefully, both Labour and Tories will be rinsed and then we can move forward. Sadly, the whole UK seems to have lot of dipsticks like you - 'it's the Tories that did it'. A claim that'll be echoed by Tories who'll blame Labour as the empty shell that is the UK becomes so glaringly obvious that even people like yourself will have to take note.

[@stephendavies6209]

Better dressed than today

[@drychaf]

Black and white pics will do that. Which is not to say it wasn't grim and poor too! I was a teen in the 70s, and miss the freedoms and community of those days, of being out and about, exploring, chatting to people, having friends and family gatherings. Everyone's on the internet even in the streets these days. I'm still in the Cynon Valley where I grew up, and it's beautifully green now, with forests all over the once barren hills, but people are all boxed up in their houses, online. Hardly anyone gets together any more.