A very interesting aerial photograph from the 1950s showing the annual Bridgend Show in progress. This photograph is one of a series privately commissioned by a Cardiff-based photographic company.

(Courtesy of the John Lee Photograph Collection)

The Paddling pool with the bandstand in the background. In the foreground is the sand pit. All of this has now disappeared under the raised flood embankment.

(Photo from a 1950s Bridgend Guide Book
M J Stokes Collection)

The Open-Air Swimming Baths. The current Leisure Centre is now on this site. The Indoor Bowling Green was built on the site of the open green in this picture.

(Photograph by the Late Glyn Miller)

A postcard photograph of the Bandstand in Newbridge Fields. This view is taken looking towards Town, the open-air swimming pool is just behind the trees on the left of the picture.

(M J Stokes
Postcard Collection)

The Ogmore River in 1974 at Newbridge Fields before the days of the flood embankment.

Behind the photographer is the slow running section after the White Bridge.

To the left is the field with the Gorsedd Circle. Just out of view is the Bailey Bridge where the Parc Brook joins the river from the right.

Photograph © M J Stokes

On the opposite bank to the last photograph and looking towards the White Bridge, two boys study the slow moving section of the river, probably watching for fish, their bikes can be seen dumped on the side of the road.

This 1974 view is now history as this embankment has been sanitised by the flood prevention scheme.

My house was just yards from this scene just behind the Tennis Club on the right of the roadway and this section of the river was well known to me.

The boys are in wellingtons, but the river here was far too deep for wading, ocassionally in the summer boys could be found swimming here! Photograph © M J Stokes

This photograph was taken in April 1975 and shows part of the major excavation work necessary to install a main sewer for Bridgend.

The location is very close to the previous two photographs with the White Bridge just behind the photographer and looking towards the Band Stand.

In the previous photo work has just begun on the sewer and part of the earth works are visible.

Photograph © M J Stokes