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Memories of Caerau

By Les Phillips

Dear Delia – if I may. Thank you so much for contacting me and I’m very grateful to Paul for passing on my details. I have read your website with enormous interest. Clearly a great deal of work has gone into it. It brought back many happy memories.

My parents and I moved to Caerau from Roath in 1956 or 7 as my Dad bought Hill Dip Shop. Along with Tony and Roger I assisted Father Jones to build the Vestry which I was very sad to see when I visited on 18 July no longer exists. What was also so saddening was to see the state of the church and surrounds. You clearly have a major task on your hands. I spent many happy hours on Caerau Hill not only on the building work but also scouring the molehills in the hill fort for pottery and found a few sherds of glazed mediaeval ware. As I was able to tell the Director of the excavations. I read archaeology at the then University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire hence the time spent in the hill fort. I was in Cardiff in the middle of this month for my daughter’s graduation and had read in SHARE of the excavations and decided to pay a visit. My Mother attended St Tim’s regularly and she and my Father had their funeral services there. So the July visit was very much a trip down memory lane. Very little of what I remember of Caerau Village now remains.

One thing I didn’t recall was one of the gravestones with a Star of David on it. Can you throw any light on it?

I wish you all success in your efforts to have what is left of St Mary’s saved. I only wish that I was nearer to assist.

With very best wishes and all good luck

Les