This week's nostalgia picture is Trosnant in 1947.

Trosnant was one of the earliest residential parts of the town of Pontypool. It is also the site of the earliest known Japanware decorating workshop, in a cottage like those shown on the right of the picture. In this workshop, the rolled tinplate would have been varnished and painted by skilled painters or ‘limners’ and re-varnished with the ‘secret recipe’ varnish that gave a similar sheen to Japanese lacquer and was discovered by the local Allgood family.

These cottages, with the upper story windows in the roof is the ‘vernacular’ architecture or typical building type of the town and many examples still survive today such as those on The Clarence, in Churchwood and at Pontymoile.

During the later nineteenth century though, Trosnant became one of the poorest areas of the town with the canal and then railway running alongside, the brewery being replaced by the gas works and with lots of employees of the Gas Board living there. Until well into the mid twentieth century, like many working class housing, the rows of cottages like those in Mill Road had no electricity or bathrooms.

During the late 20th and into the 21st centuries the landscape of Trosnant changed radically including; the railway and the gas tank disappeared, the Free Press overlooking Trosnant from the Clarence came and went, the Leisure Centre & car park were built and then later refurbished as The PALC, the cottages disappeared and the Settlement was (re)built (now Torfaen CBC Offices), Trosnant Villas have been built.

Picture curtsey of Torfaen Museum.