Summary of Oral History Mr. Ken Frederickson, b 1927, recorded 31/10/2013
- Grandparents were first residents at newly built Windmill Terrace, Grenfell Park Estate.
- Grandfather Dai Clarke ferryman at White Rock having followed his half brother John Llewellyn. All lived originally in Samlet Row, White Rock
- Ferry started each day at 6 a.m.
- 1d single (c1935); 11/2d return; 41/2d weekly fare.
- Accompanied his grandfather weekly to the White Rock Estate Office to collect fares due for workers who had used the ferry that week.
- Allowed to scull the boat only at low tide until he could swim.
- At very low tide possible to walk across at White Rock.
- Thrown into Weaver’s basin by his uncle as a swimming lesson!
- Uncle worked the ferry after his Grandfather until 1942.
- Grandfather Clarke earned money as a boy soprano singing from pub to pub in Foxhole and Pentrechwyth in late 1880s.
- Large families in Foxhole and with infant mortality children would move between relatives to balance out numbers.
- Recalls young boys regularly jumping from Rifleman (Row) wall into empty coal wagons, riding to a curve and slower section of the track and switching to full wagons from the collieries, dropping off lumps of coal to cottagers along the line.
- Still has scars from boyhood air rifle fights across the river!
- St. Thomas and new housing in 1920’s viewed as well to do, but Danygraig school children often did not have shoes.
- Sunday School at All Saints, Kilvey and outings by train to Glais from St. Thomas Station or from East Dock Station to Jersey Marine.
- Conscripted on 18th birthday and joined Welsh Guards until 1945.
- Remembers lead workers from White Rock who had lost their sight through lead poisoning.
- Memories of WW1 veteran amputee carrying hose pipe and broom over his shoulder in his round cleaning urinals in Pentreguinea Road, Bonymaen and Llansamlet.
- Recalls foul nature of the river and debris from the glue factory derived from cattle hooves!
- Payment made weekly to friendly society.
- A van called each Thursday at the home-6d payment for a fresh accumulator for the radio set!
- Aware of illness and death from tuberculosis.
- Grandfather and Uncles worked ferry on behalf of Vivian and Sons and their successors.
- Mrs. Frederickson’s family were of farming stock, but worked for the Vivians also at Singleton Abbey as dairy maid, coachman and gardeners.
- Remembers women workers at Hafod Isha Works, sitting on wooden ledge dangling their legs during their break. Large female working population using ferry.
- Boathouse above ferry stage on east bank housed equipment and oars. Bricks kept to weight down sculling oars in water to straighten bent oars.
- Ferryman had a refuge making tea. Well acquainted with passengers and their lives-source of information.
- Spare boat anchored below boat house.
- High Street the shopping centre………..made ferry a convenient and cheaper means of access.
Tjp 03/11/2013