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Growing up in Summerland Lane, Newton

by Peter Holbrook

I was born in St Thomas and moved to Summerland Lane in 1937, when I was five. Summerland Lane and the whole of Newton, has changed much since then but my abiding memory is of green fields, nursery gardens and allotments.

Picket Mead

So many houses now stand, where there were then fields—Picket Mead Road, Woollacott Drive, Milland’s Close and Long Shepherds Drive have all been built on the fields of 1937. Summerland Lane itself was much narrower, cobbled, and rough. It was known as the ‘Drovers’ Road’, because cattle passed down it daily.

St Peter’s Road was by then complete.

From the top end and looking to the right, there was a market garden, run by Isaac Rosser, where the new terrace-of-four now stand. Where Frank Beynon now lives, at No 17 Summerland Lane at the bottom of the lane, was my father’s allotment. Beyond that, there was the Ship and Castle, now renamed the Newton Inn (photo). The Rock & Fountain, owned by Mrs Woollacott, had a farm, stable and outhouses behind it, and a cottage alongside.

OS Map 1921

Ed note: Summerland Lane in marked in red.

Reproduced by permission of County Archivist at West Glamorgan Archive Office, Swansea.

Looking left from the top of St Peter’s Road, there was the house of Mr Johnston – Seedsman, Florist and Bulb Importer. They had a huge nursery garden behind and to the right of their house. During the War, a bomb damaged the stained-glass windows to the rear, a crater appeared in the road and some of their glass-houses were affected. I also remember a tomato shortage, with queues stretching from Johnston’s well down Summerland Lane.

Caswell Avenue and Caswell Drive were in position, but had not been built up as far as Summerland Lane. The approach to Caswell Avenue from Summerland Lane was barred by a locked gate, to which only residents had the key. Where Picket Mead now stands, I spent a lot of time horse riding over extensive fields. Every summer, I used to help with the hay-making in Milland’s Field and another summer memory is of ‘Big Boys’ Pool’, an inlet just to left of the main Caswell Bay with a very deep pool. We used to walk across the golf course, then down over the cliffs to what is now the main cliff path between Langland and Caswell. At high tide, we could dive into the deep pool, direct from the rocks. It was one of our main summertime activities.

I lived in Summerland Lane throughout the Second World War. Mr father was an ARP Warden, and the ARP Centre was in Nottage Road, where Roger Woollacott’s shop now stands. The Army was stationed in St Peter’s Church, with Nissan huts housing the soldiers. Because of the Swansea blitz, and its effect on St Thomas, my Aunties Mary and Win moved from St Thomas and came to stay with us in Summerland Lane. Auntie Win met Malcolm, one of the soldiers stationed at St Peter’s Church, and they got married at St Peter’s. (Also see My Mother was an Air Raid Warden at Thistleboon )

The Blitz on Swansea also affected us in other ways. The chalets on Milland’s Fields were occupied by those from Central Swansea who were bombed out, and tents also accommodated ‘refugees’ from Swansea. At certain times we had no water, and went to Bryn Adrem, the big house at the bottom of Nottage Road, to draw water from their well.

Newton School, Nottage Road

I attended the primary school at the Old School House in Nottage Road, and then went on to Dynevor School, via Oystermouth School. That meant using the famous Mumbles Train. From St Peter’s Church, we caught the No 6 bus – double-decker TDS Leyland Titans—to Oystermouth, using our season tickets, then the Mumbles Train to the slip at St Helens —it was an 8-minute service at peak-times, and a 16-minute service off-peak. We then took another bus to Dynevor School. On the train, we caught up with our homework on the curved seat at the top of the stairs, which provided a kind of table. A toy gramophone gave us ‘music while we worked’! At 4.15 p.m. we caught the Train again at Rutland Street back to Oystermouth, then the No 6 bus home.

On one occasion, icy roads made it difficult for the bus to get up to Langland Corner. Using the rear entrance, many of us jumped off and pushed the bus! We made it to Langland Corner, but got no further. The poor driver was stranded with the bus until 2.00 a.m. the following morning, before he was rescued! Later in the 1950s, the introduction of the No 85 Bus Service from Caswell to Swansea (via Sketty) meant that we did not need to use the Mumbles Train at all —we could use our season ticket on that, paying just a two-penny ‘Excess’ fare.

These are some of my memories. Newton has changed much since 1937, but it is still a good place to live – warm and friendly, with a good cross-section of people.