The photos in this gallery aren’t particularly crisp and big. They won’t blow up well to hang on the wall in your kitchen diner. But as photojournalism showing us how we used to live their high value is apparent. This was an era of war, when sugar was good for you (just look at the size of that spoonful in the picture below), boxing was taught in schools, careers in the mines were expected – although 50 collieries closed in south Wales between 1957 and 1964 – and thousands of children evacuated from British cities arrives in the Welsh countryside. Each evacuee escaping the German bombs came with three items: a suitcase, their name and address on a tag worn around their necks and a gas mask.
As ever, if you or anyone you know is in these photographs, please get in touch.
A New Year party for the children of Brithdir near Dolgellau
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Parti dydd Calan i blant y Brithdir ger Dolgellau
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: January 7, 1955.
The Urdd camp, Llangranog
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title:Gwersyll yr Urdd, Llangrannog
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: August 22, 1947
Barber’s chair at Menai Bridge in the shape of a small car
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Cadair Barbwr ym Mhorthaethwy mewn siap car bychan.
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 01/09/1958
Children outside air raid shelter, Gresford
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Plant tu allan i gysgodfa rhag cyrchoedd awyr, Gresfordd
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles (1909-2002)
Dyddiad/Date: November 10, 1939.
Many of these images were taken by Geoff Charles (1909 – 20012).
From the 1930s onwards he worked extensively in north and mid Wales for newspapers such as The Wrexham Star, The Montgomeryshire Express and Y Cymro. On his retirement in 1975 he gave his collection of about 120,000 negatives to The National Library of Wales.
A boxing school established in Llanarmon by W G Buchanan, an ex-air force boxing champion, and the Rev T D Williams. Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 13/11/1958
Colliery boys holiday camp, St Athan’s
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Gwersyll wyliau i fechgyn ardaloedd glofaol, Sain Tathan
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 3/8/1951
Proclamation of the Urdd National Eisteddfod 1964 at Porthmadog, June 1963
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Cyhoeddi Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd 1964 ym Mhorthmadog, Mehefin 1963
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 20/6/1963
Singing class at Gobowen Orthopaedic Hospital
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Dosbarth canu yn Ysbyty Orthopedig Gobowen
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 1/6/1954
Girl patient at Gobowen Orthopaedic Hospital with pet lamb
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Merch sy’n derbyn triniaeth yn Ysbyty Orthopedic Gobowen gyda oen anwes
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 1/4/1954
Christmas party for evacuees and children in Llanidloes
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Parti Nadolig ar gyfer faciwîs a phlant lleol yn Llanidloes
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 23/12/1939
Evacuees arrive
Harlech bonfire ready for 5th of November.
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Coelcerth Harlech yn barod ar gyfer y 5ed o Dachwedd
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: 01/11/1958.
Cwmbach Street Party
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Parti stryd Cwmbach
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: September 14, 1951.
Standard Eight road test
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title:Prawf ffordd i’r Standard Eight
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: September 23, 1953
Sea-side views from around the North Wales coast for a pictorial supplement
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Golygfeydd glan môr o amgylch arfordir Gogledd Gymru ar gyfer atodiad darluniadol
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: August 1, 1959
Irish gypsies in Anglesey
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Sipswn Gwyddelig yn Sir Fôn
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: November 1, 1963.
Evacuees
Llandudno Sea Fishing Society competition
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Cystadleuaeth bysgota Cymdeithas Bysgota Môr Llandudno
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: September 20, 1962.
Wem schoolchildren learning domestic skills and gardening
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Plant ysgol Wem yn dysgu sut i arddio a gwneud gwaith tŷ
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: December 1, 1947.
![Harlescott [Junior] School Sports Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Mabolgampau Ysgol [Gynradd] Harlescott Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles (1909-2002) Dyddiad/Date: July 1, 1952](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Wales-children-1940s-1950s-world-war-2-27.jpg)
Harlescott [Junior] School Sports
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Mabolgampau Ysgol [Gynradd] Harlescott
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: July 1, 1952
Llangefni children enjoying the sun with their pet rabbit
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Plant Llangefni yn mwynhau yr haul gyda’u gwningen anwes
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: July 1, 1964
The McGrath Family emigrating to Canada from Wrexham, 1948
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Teulu McGrath oedd yn ymfudo i Ganada o Wrecsam, 1948
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: September 6, 1948
British Legion carnival in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Carnifal y Lleng Brydeinig yn Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: May 24, 1956
Geoff Charles’ children wearing their St David’s Day leeks
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Plant Geoff Charles yn gwisgo’u cennin Dydd Gŵyl Dewi.
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: March 1, 1957.
![Whitchurch [War Memorial] Hall Chrysanthemum Show Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Sioe Eurflodau Neuadd Goffa Whitchurch Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles (1909-2002) Dyddiad/Date: November 4, 1949.](https://flashbak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Wales-children-1940s-1950s-world-war-2-21.jpg)
Whitchurch [War Memorial] Hall Chrysanthemum Show
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Sioe Eurflodau Neuadd Goffa Whitchurch
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: November 4, 1949.
Girls carrying water, Anglesey
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Merched yn cario dwr yn Sir Fon
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: December 1, 1962.
Children building an igloo in the snow
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Plant yn codi iglw yn yr eira
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: January 1, 1955
Children of Moss Valley, near Wrexham
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Plant o Ddyffryn Moss, ger Wrecsam
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: August 25, 1953
Derek Hopley, winner of the Midland Area final of the National Association of Boys Clubs flyweight championship
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Derek Hopley, enillwr rownd derfynnol y canolbarth yng nghystadleuaeth pwysau pryf y Gymdeithas Cenedlaethol o Glybiau Bechgyn.
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: March 12, 1952
Dolgellau Fair
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Ffair Dolgellau
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Nodyn/Note: Robert Keith Jones with a toy gun
Dyddiad/Date: April 26, 1956
A tame fox cub at home with Mr and Mrs Gordon Jones, Talysarn
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Cadnawes ddof yng nghartre Mr a Mrs Gordon Jones, Talysarn.
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Nodyn/Note: Mr and Mrs Jones’ son, Heddwyn, sitting on the kitchen table holding the cub.
Dyddiad/Date: July 16, 1959
Llanelwedd School activities
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Gweithgareddau yn Ysgol Llanelwedd
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Nodyn/Note: Group portrait of Llanelwedd School gymnasts.
Dyddiad/Date: November 1, 1953.
Longden Bay Go-cart Racers
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Raswyr Gwibgerti Longden Bay
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: September 8, 1953
Craftwork at Newtown Church School
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Crefftwaith yn Ysgol yr Eglwys, y Drenewydd
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles (1909-2002)
Dyddiad/Date: November 18, 1939
Ian Williams of Trewern, Welshpool who dug up a “V-shaped” for victory potato
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Ian Williams, Ysgol Trewern, Trallwng a ddarganfu daten siap ‘V’ (am fuddugoliaeth).
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: November 1, 1941.
Boys of the Newtown Scout troop collecting waste paper
Teitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Bechgyn mintai sgowtiaid y Drenewydd yn casglu papur gwastraff.
Ffotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles
Dyddiad/Date: November 4, 1939
Evacuees in MontgomeryshireTeitl Cymraeg/Welsh title: Faciwis yn Sir DrefaldwynFfotograffydd/Photographer: Geoff Charles (1909-2002)Dyddiad/Date: September 9, 1939.
Via: National Library of Wales
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