Ode to my Cupcake

You came to me from Greggs

The bakery in town

Dressed in a silver paper case

With sponge so soft and brown

Your icing, lovingly swirled

Raspberry, pink and vanilla.

I bite you, a strawberry melts

I sit, I smile and savour.

Your delicious mouth-watering frosting

Crumbling sponge melts on my tongue.

Then when your gone, I sit

I remember and I wish

That I'd bought another one

carol ann lewis2021

Thoughts at 3 am

Awake again at 3 am

North wind howling through the trees

I turn and touch an empty space

So in love but sick with fear

You've only been gone a little while

But my soul feels ripped in two

How did I become a helpless child

Unable to function without you

Every second of the ticking clock

Sends a chill through my heart

While my spirit cries silent tears

Because we're so far apart

I lie exhausted from the need

To be held tightly in your arms

Feel your breath fall on my face

And hear the beating of your heart

I fill my day as best I can

Your presence haunts me to the core

I just want to be one with you

Now and forevermore

copyright carol ann lewis 2020

My Holiday is Shite!

My day is going fine

But my holiday is shite

I should be on the beach

With seagulls in full flight

But coronavirus it said 'no!'

You wont be lying in the sun

There's only thirty on the trip

And you're number thirty-one

Now this caused a bit of a problem

Between my boyfriend and me

Because on the list of passengers

He was number twenty-three

Surely he wont go without me

I thought inside my head

Well let me tell you people

The age of chivalry is dead

A knight in shining armour

He most certainly was not

Cos home he went. packed his case

And without me, buggered off

After calling him some unprintable names

I wondered what I should do

So for something to end the silence

I turned on the evening news

New virus restrictions were announced

By morning theyd all be in place

No mingling with more than six people

Masks permanently on your face

Don't sit there, cant touch that

Meet with seven, there'll be fines

Take temperature, wash hands

And don't forget - Sanitize!

No singing, music or dancing

No entertainment at all

It sounded like there'd be more fun

Watching paint dry on a wall

Then a smile crossed my face

As I opened a can of his beer

No face masks needed at my bar

No virus here to fear

I'm much safer sat on my own

Than chancing a virus ridden crowd

So I opened his bottle of whisky

And turned the music up loud

Now Im singing along to Bailamos

And dancing the night away

Russ Abbott's been here twenty times

For an All Night Holiday

Club Tropicana Ive drunk there

Having Sex on the Beach

Ive laughed and laughed to the Chicken Song

Til my cares are out of reach

I realise then my holiday

Isnt so shite after all

I might not be in a hotel but

I have freedom within my walls

The boyfriend rang, he's not happy

He wishes he hadn't gone tonight

Hotel has rules like North Korea

All in all, his holiday's shite!

Drink! A Walk Around the Historic Inns of Cwmbran - Out Soon

This is my latest book.  Its been a long time in the making and a lot of hard work and research.  I've even learned how to add photographs!  So I'm really proud of it

A long time ago, when Cwmbran was just a group of scattered villages and farms, it had thirty-eight public houses. Had you gone on a pub crawl and tried to have a pint in each, you probably would not have made it.

The public house was the hub of the community, it provided an income for families, refreshments for travellers and workers. It was a meeting place for clubs and associations. It was a place for people to meet, not just to drink but to talk, play sports, sing, dance, play music. hold competitions, fall in love, have wedding receptions. They were places that treated the injured, that took in lodgers, that held inquests on dead bodies.

With the building of Cwmbran New Town, many of these old original pubs were demolished and a lot of history was lost.

Today there are just thirteen left and even some of the new pubs that replaced them have been demolished or turned into housing.

This book takes you on a journey around them all.

kindle version

paperback version

Pubs include - The Squirrel Inn, Moulders Arms, Miners Arms, Greenhouse, Three Blackbirds, Queen Inn, Crown Inn, Morning Star Inn, Moon Inn, Mount Pleasant Inn, The Wheatsheaf, Hollybush Inn, Mill Tavern, Oddfellows, Halfway, Pontnewydd Inn, Cwmbran Gardens, The Terrace and many more ....



Available soon on Kindle or paperback from Amazon

The Teazer (The Upper New Inn)

The Upper New Inn was built in the mid 1830's.  It was mentioned in the Monmouthshire Merlin of 23 April 1836 -

"To be sold at the Full Moon Inn, Pontypool on 30th April.  A new house called the Upper New Inn with stable and an excellent garden containing a quarter of an acre and in the occupation of the widow of Mr George Prosser.  Situated on Turnpike Road and being on a great thoroughfare, might be continued as a public house or would suit a retired tradesman or farmer as a private residence".

The Upper New Inn was mentioned again in the Monmouthshire Merlin of 18th August 1838 when a coach accident occurred on the road outside.  A packet coach being driven by Mr Rowberry was travelling to meet the Newport Steam packet.  There were ten passengers plus luggage on board.  Road works were taking place by the Upper New Inn, the hills were being levelled up and the road had become narrower.  Mr Rowberry was driving too fast, the coach overturned and caused all passengers to sustain injuries, some serious.

In June 1845 the 'long established' Upper New Inn, occupied by William Evans was advertised to let.  It's location was described as desirable with a large and productive orchard and garden attached.  Interested tenants were to apply to Elizabeth Prosser of the Old New Inn.

On Monday 12 November 1849 in the Monmouthshire Merlin it was listed to be sold again -

"...by auction at the New Inn a dwelling house with two front parlours, four bedrooms, kitchen, brew-house, orchard, cellar, stable and large garden well stocked with fruit trees - now let as a retail beer house called the Upper New Inn producing an annual rent of £18.

Another sale took place on the 18th November 1853 though now it was being described as an actual public house rather than a dwelling.  It also had a stable, coach house together with two adjoining cottages and large garden.  The house contained a parlour, bar, kitchen, cooking kitchen, brew house, four bedrooms, club and dining room.

Counterfeit money was causing a problem in 1856.  In December of that year George Skinner and George Room went to the Lower New Inn, ordered beers and then drank about half.  Then then asked to be served another.  Room gave half a crown to landlord Henry Williams and received change.  They drank some more then left.  Williams was alerted to the fake coin and followed the men to the Pineapple Inn.  Room then returned the good coin and had his fake one back.  Meanwhile, Elizabeth Vaughn, landlady of the Pineapple had sent her daughter to the Upper New Inn.  The two men had ordered beer but could only pay with a half sovereign and she did not have enough change,  Alice Jones, landlady of the Upper New Inn gave change to the half sovereign which was also fake.  The two men were later apprehended heading towards Newport after police were alerted.

Alice Morgan was landlady of the Upper New Inn in 1869.  She applied for a license to sell spirits which was granted in August of that year.

Thomas Carter, landlord in 1891, gave notice to apply at the next licensing meeting for Pontypool on 22 August for a license to sell all intoxicating liquors to be drunk in the house and on the premises.  He intended the Upper New Inn to be kept as an actual 'inn' instead of just being a beer house.

Robert Jarrolds, the landlord in 1906 was charged under the Food and Drugs Act for selling adulterated whisky on 13 November.  Analysis showed the whisky was 33.3 under proof.  He was fined 20 shillings.

An inquest was held in Abersychan in June 1909 by F.H Edwards, deputy coroner regarding William Owen of Newport who was fatally injured while cycling through New Inn.  John Sullivan, a labourer said that around 9 pm he was going to the Upper New Inn for a beer when he was knocked down by a cyclist.  He saw the cyclist fall to the ground.  He was then taken inside the inn, unconscious.  The cyclist was examined at Pontypool Hospital at midnight and it was found the base of his skull was fractured.  He also smelled of drink.  He regained consciousness four days later but eventually died.

The Upper New Inn was eventually renamed The Teazer, referring to the nearby Pilkington's Glassworks and an old technique in glass making that teases glass up a wall.

For more history of old Pontypool and surrounding areas check out my book Victorian Pontypool available from Amazon as a printed copy or E-book from Kindle.

John Hancock, Royal Field Artillery, Cwmffrwdoer

Back in 2014 I published a book called 'Tell Them of Us', detailing my ancestors involvement in the First World War.  One of the chapters concerned my great grandfather John Hancock of 42 Plasycoed Rd, Cwmffrwdoer who had won a Military Medal for bravery in 1917.  However his service records didn't give any information as to why he was awarded the Military Medal but recently further information has come to light, this was published in a local newspaper.

Driver J Hancock MM

The gratifying news was received by his wife on Saturday morning

that Driver J H Hancock, 29953, Div. Ammunition Column, RFA, was awarded the Military Medal

for 'gallant conduct and devotion to duty in the field on

October 7th 1917 near St Julien', a report of which from his

Regimental and Brigade Commanders was read 'with great pleasure', by

Major General R P Lee, commanding the division according

to the parchment certificate to hand.  Going up the line the truck was blown up and 

Driver Hancock, by means of a pontoon bridge got his horses

and mules safely over.  Driver Hancock who is 32 years of age, has

a wife and four children  residing at 42 Plasycoed Rd, Cwmffrwdoer, and so far as is known

he is the first one at Cwmffrwdoer to win the MM. He voluntarily joined

the army on September 2nd 1914 and 

went out to France in July 1915.  He was recommended

for distinction once before.  He was formerly a timberman's helper

at Blaenserchen Colliery and his many friends will

offer him congratulations on the official

recognition of his bravery. He was home on leave about three months ago"

The closest battle I could find prior to his being awarded the MM is the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Third Battle of Ypres.  It commenced on 4th October 1917 when the 7th Division units attacked the Germans at 6 am.  Over the next five days they suffered 1500 casualties. 

You can read more about him in "Tell Them Of Us"

You can buy 'Tell Them of Us' from Amazon or download it to Kindle.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tell-Them-Carol-Ann-Lewis/dp/1495442802/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428682247&sr=8-1&keywords=tell+them+of+us

The Cwmffrwdoer Inn

The Cwmffrwdoer Inn

The first landlord of the Cwmffrwdoer Inn appears to have been my 3 x Great Grandfather, Thomas Jones.  There is little mention of the inn in newspapers prior to 1872 when the  Pride of the Valley Lodge, number 110 of the Loyal Order of Alfreds, celebrated their fourth anniversary.  Their meetings were held at the home of Mr T Jones of the Cwmffrwdoer Inn and it seems to have been quite a spectacle.  A procession left the inn at eleven o clock one morning in July 1872.  A brass band of the 3rd Mon., Newport headed the procession and behind followed King Alfred and two courtiers, on horses and in full costume.  The procession headed off to their sister lodge at the Railway Inn and onward to other neighbouring lodges.

A year before this event, the 1871 census shows Thomas Jones living at no 3 Cwmffrwdoer Road with his wife Mariah.  Thomas had two occupations, that of a collier and a licensed victualler.  In 1871, he had three children, Margaret, who would marry John Lewis to become my 2 Great Grandmother, Ann and Henrietta.

Thomas and Mariah  are also recorded on the 1861 census, at this time though Thomas's occupation is just that of a coal miner.  They also have a son, William, who is not mentioned on the 1871 census at their address.

Inns at this time were not just places to drink.  They were also used to perform inquests on  dead bodies such as in this report from the Free Press in 1881.

"On Wednesday morning last, Mr E D Batt the coroner for the district  held an inquest at the Cwmffrwdoer Inn upon the body of a child, George James Hancock, a month old which had been found dead in bed on the previous Sunday morning.  The mother was called and stated that the child had been healthy from birth.  The jury returned  a verdict to the effect that the deceased had died from suffocation"

The next mention in the news for the inn is on 22 August 1890 also in the Pontypool Free Press.  Mr Evans had mentioned at the Abersychan Local Board meeting that Plasycoed Road was in a very bad state and he presented a petition signed on behalf of 24 rate payers who were also of the opinion that a horse trough was needed close to the old spout near the Cwmffrwdoer Inn.  It was decided to build the trough first and then repair the road.

By 1901 Margaret Jones had married John Lewis and they lived at the Cwmffrwdoer Inn. John died around 1904 and it is not clear at this time who took over the running of the inn.  It may have been Margaret, or one of her children.

The inn is mentioned in the papers once again on 25 August 1906
"Mark Harvey, haulier of Cwmffrwdoer was summoned for being drunk at the Cwmffrwdoer Inn.  P C Shott said that at 9.15 pm on August 11 he saw defendant asleep at the inn.  When witness put him on his feet, he fell to the ground.  Defendant, who denied being drunk, was fined 10 shillings"

 By the 1911 census both Margaret Lewis and Thomas Jones have different addresses.  Margaret is living at 18 Plasycoed Road with five of her nine children, Thomas at Glyn House, Cwmffrwdoer.  He is 82 years old and gives his employment status as a retired publican.  He also has his daughter, Annie Shearn Thomas living with him and a grandson, Thomas Shearn.


sources
Pontypool Free Press
Monmouthshire Central Advertiser
Thanks also to Caroline Leigh Price for information on her line of the family tree :)

A Sexy Poem

I'm writing a sexy poem
But it's not easy at all
With my neighbour banging his tool
Against my living room wall

From the noise I must assume
He has an enormous drill
But the only vibrations I can feel
Are not giving me any thrills

Oh I wish he would shut up
I could concentrate then
He's ruining the creation of
A sex god coming through my pen

I just need to drift to a fantasy
And not be wide awake
But once I'm there my sexy god
Needs tablets for a headache

The buzzing is driving me bonkers
I'm nearly close to tears
I want to hear sensual whispers
Not sanding in my ears

So thank you D I Y'er
I've put my pen back on the shelf
And my sexy god has disappeared
To go and play with himself!

copyright 2020 carol ann lewis

The Workplace Bully

The workplace bully

Is a nasty little creature

But you can spot one easily

By recognizing its features

It'll have its own little gang

Just like when in school

It'll snigger as you walk past

Because it thinks its cool

The workplace becomes its kingdom

Where your presence is despised

And it rules like a communist tyrant

Cos its got bugger all else in its life

It gives itself airs and graces

As if its better than you

It'll sometimes try to be your friend

But it isn't, so don't be fooled.

It has a multitude of faces

To go with the humanity it lacks

One to extract information and

One to spread it behind your back

There's one that spews out sarcasm

Another that makes up lies

There's one to stab you in the back

And one to antagonise

Then there's its face of workplace flirt

This one really is a bore

It'll try and steal your partner

Even though its a hundred and four

It'll gather all its cronies round

To have a bloody good laugh

As you struggle with ten times the work

While it sits there on its arse

It'll blame it on its mental health

But wont give a toss about yours

The fact it made you cry today

And knock your self worth to the floor

It wont care about the dread you feel

Having to face it again next day

As you hold it together for one more shift

Though you feel like running away

It doesn't care about worries you have in life

The ones when in work you put aside

It loves to feed on your weaknesses

So it can be even more cruel and snide

But it also didn't see the strength

It took to get out of bed today

Or the courage to ignore an abuser who

Didn't evolve beyond age eight

Now the trouble with these creatures is

You have something they don't have

So next time don't run, stand up tall

Look them in the eyes and laugh

Perhaps its jealous of your money

Or because you have loads of friends

Maybe you're more popular

Its insecurities never end

Perhaps it's got a crap relationship

Or no relationship at all

But why should you suffer for that

So just love your partner more

Be yourself because that's what it hates

Be proud of who you are

Then tell it to take its school bully shit

And shove it up its arse!

copyright 2020 carol ann lewis

image by pixabay free images

Wishing

Under this jewelled summer sky
I dream a wish and let it fly
Out of my room up to the stars
Over landscapes to where you are

Inside your house by the light of the moon
It flies quietly into your room
Where it whispers once again
The things we wished when we were friends

Unlike a dream when night is done
It will not die with the morning sun
Though fate may never cross our paths
It will find a way to stay in your heart

The gap between us may be too wide
But you carry my dreams concealed inside
Asleep until the time is right
Your wish for me brings them to life

copyright carol ann lewis

Image by pixabay free images

Eerie Sundays

Autumn, Sunday teatime
The veil is wearing thin
Scents from the past
Slowly meander in

Stealthily they creep
Upon the fragile air
I look around and half expect
To see you standing there

Among the shadows and dying light
In the place that was your home
A sense of presence fills the air
A touch so slight and cold

They say I ought to be afraid
Having spirits in my home
But I quite like these eerie Sundays
When you stop by to say hello

copyright carol ann lewis 2020