50 years ago

Extracts from the Barry & District News of March 5, 1964:

• Described by a spokesman of the Glamorgan Fire Service as the “quickest and fiercest” in his experience, a fire which broke out at the stores of H E Paul and Son Limited, builders’ merchants, on Friday caused damage estimated at £50,000. A spokesman for the Glamorgan Fire Service headquarters at Pontyclun said yesterday (Wednesday) that the cause of the fire was still unknown.

• The 468 residents in the Pontypridd Road area who sent a petition to the Town Council protesting against a move to increase the speed limit from 30mph to 40mph have won the first round. On a majority vote members of the Public Works and Planning Committee recommended on Monday that the speed limit should not be raised at Pontypridd Road or Port Road East.

• Once again Barry Town are without a full-time manager following the resignation on Saturday of Leslie Jones who took over the reins of the club for the second time at the beginning of the season. Mr Jones who announced his decision on Saturday, is clearly despondent that his efforts to revive the club have been completely ineffective.

• Barry ballet pupils are to take part in the Welsh National Ballet to be held in the New Theatre on March 26. The girls who are aged approximately 14 and 15 are Gilliam Lewis – Faning, Lynne Davies, Dorothy Jones, Kathryn Williams, Helen Irwin and Pamela Gay, all pupils of the Joyce Marriott Dancing School.

• Eileen Leahy of Atlantic Place, Coldbrook, Cadoxton struck lucky on Sunday night when she amassed a mammoth total of £1,400 10s. Of this she received £1,380 from the National Golden Scoop and £20 10s from the ordinary game in the hall. This is the third time a large amount of money has been won at the Romilly Bingo Hall within a few months.

• The Guinness Clock, for many years an integral part of the Barry Island scene will only be on display or just under three months this year. This was because the company now had fewer clocks, two of the older ones having been scrapped.