Florence Pearce was born in Long Row at The Race not long after the tin church was constructed.

All her life she was a supporter of the Race Methodist Church as a congregant, organist and preacher.

Florence, a beloved and respected member of the community, passed away a few years ago on her 91st birthday.

She taught generations of local children not only with Sunday school but with piano lessons. She was also a poet of some local renown.

She is remembered as ‘always smiling’ and tales are told about her piano lessons in her home in Blaendare Road whilst she was cooking her husband’s tea and how she would shout from her kitchen if her pupils hit the wrong note whilst her back was turned.

The photograph shows Florence (Auntie Floss) at the organ at one of the first weddings to be held at the church in September 2000.

At the beginning of July this year, when the museum wrote the Nostalgia piece on the Race Methodist Church, many comments were by former pupils and congregants remembering her, which highlighted how popular she was in her lifetime, and afterwards.

Stories about Auntie Floss and others are included in the story of the church by Neil Waite, which is for sale in the Torfaen Museum shop, all the proceeds of which go to the church.

Nostalgia is provided by Torfaen Museum.