Schooldays! The Avonian Magazine, December 1937
Background note
'The Avonian' was the school magazine for the Port Talbot County School. The school opened on 28th September 1896 with 123 pupils aged between 10 and 18, mostly from the Borough of Aberavon. It was a Grammar School and by 1935, under the headship of W.H Gibbon , the roll had risen to 351 pupils aged 11-18, and the buildings had expanded to cope with the increased numbers. The school later changed its name to Glan Afan Grammar School but it 1965 became Glan Afan Comprehensive. It remains so today. Both my father and my father- in -law attended the school; my father in the 1930s and my father- in- law during the late 1940s. Please note, however, that I have no other connection with the school, past or present.
My late Father, author John James , attended Port Talbot County School in the 1930s. Amongst fellow pupils was Trade Union Official Clive Jenkins. Whilst sorting through Dad's possessions I found a copy of the School Magazine, 'The Avonian' for December 1937. This makes for fascinating reading as a piece of social history and makes you wonder if, 60 years on, things have really changed so much!
Glan Afan Comprehensive School has its own website - see Glan Afan School.
Contact: helen at sign dorsetbay dot plus dot com. Please use . in place of dot and @ in place of 'at sign'! Please note, however, I have no connection with the current school and no other historical information about Port Talbot County School.