Folk of the Footbridge

Jonathan Sherwood's paintings of the Usk The footbridge takes you from the City centre to the relatively newly developed riverbank on the other side. The footpath winds past blocks of flats and the Old bus depot then under George St Bridge. For a short distance the route is litter strewn until you reach more modern flats. The rest of the way to Spytty, Lysaghts Institute and the White City bridge that you glimpse across the river in front of you. As you approach the bridge along the riverbank, partially hidden by bushes and trees, you might notice that as the river flows to the right towards the City Bridge, it appears to split into two, the larger course towards the bridge and the smaller to the left of a large tree topped outcrop. This virtual island splits the river in two and is surrounded by river mud. The left hand course of the river is a narrow stream that surrounds the outcrop on one side nearest to the riverbank. The unusual feature is about a quarter of a mile long and

I was born in 1938 and have always lived in Newport. As a child I lived with my parents and brothers, Terry and Michael in our home at Windsor Road in Beechwood. Crossing the River Usk to the other side of Newport played a part in my childhood fascination with cinema and theatre, my entrance into the world of work and my love of drawing.  When we were children, our mam used to take my brother, Michael and myself on paddle steamer trips on the river. Perhaps the Glen Usk but there were other paddle boats. I don't think it was The Waverley. I loved it. We went to Penarth and over to Weston-super-Mare. On other trips we would sometimes go to Ilfracombe. I remember Dad taking us down to the engine room, watching these enormous levers rotating up and down, keeping the paddles turning and the smell of hot oil down there. Beautiful. And back on deck, chucking crusts of bread to the seagulls. Great memories.  When the war was on, my mother used to take us over Newport Bridge on the bus o

                     Having lived all my life on the west side of Newport, the River Usk has always seemed like a border that leads to the 'other side', a part of Newport that's largely unknown to me. It's just as well that the three significant things in my life that have required me to cross Newport Bridge are within a stone's throw from it - albeit a mighty stone's throw! The first trips across the River Usk would have been to go to the Odeon cinema as a child to see the occasional film, a treat reserved for birthdays or school holidays. If memory serves me correctly the first film I saw was Disney's 'The Aristocats', at about five, old enough to be able to concentrate on a lengthy film without fidgeting too much! 'Herbie Rides Again' and 'The Amazing Mr Blunden' are two other films I recall from the time but I especially remember seeing 'Towering Inferno' one April evening in 1975 on the occasion of my ninth birthday,

  Newport Pedestrian Bridge and its importance for f ootball fans What do fans want? Good refreshment before the match, a good chat on the way and a win! What do we get from Newport and the County? Dozens of places to get together beforehand whether your tastes are alcoholic or not, a ground almost in the City centre, and matches that are in turn absorbing, exasperating, a waste of time, a marvellous spectacle or very occasionally even boring. Until recently, the match routine was to meet a mate or two in town for tea or coffee, a cake, a good moan about the last match and a look forward to the next match with the unbridled optimism of true supporters. Eventually, we set out for the match. This used to involve walking over the Town Bridge and shouting a conversation in defiance of the traffic, breathing in the fumes, then on to the ground. After many years, the Council has provided us an elegant alternative to the noise and fumes - a shiny new pedestrian bridge. From a distance it look

  A dinosaur family on Newport City Foot Bridge A dinosaur family on Newport City Foot Bridge The Dino Saw family – consisting of Stomp (an orange T-rex), Spike (a young spinosaurus), Rella (aged 13) and Mini Rex (aged 12) enjoyed the sunshine in Newport city centre in March. Previously only seen in St Julians as lockdown has eased they are going further afield.  They were seen crossing the Newport City Foot Bridge  and if you want to be seen crossing this bridge is a definitely the the thing to do. The dinosaurs idea is a brilliant and they are spreading a little bit of joy in difficult times. Two of the dinosaurs are aged 13 and 12 and this lockdown has been so difficult for children and especially teenagers used to freedom and fun. As they stated in The South Wales Argus ; "As lockdown is easing the Dino Saws are able to explore more of the city bringing some much-needed moral for us and for anyone who has struggled this past year.  Our intentions are to put smiles on people

A Transporting Interlude In the years 1966 and 1967 I was a fresh faced, cocky, and somewhat naïve college student.   My father, then an accountant with Newport Borough works department, viewed me with a jaundiced eye.   Economically non-viable, a trifle on the spend thrift side and all in all a drain on the bank balance.   Particularly in the vacations when I could be found spending the mornings / afternoons in bed and the evenings with friends in the local.   Solution? Find the wretch a holiday job.   So it was that in the Christmas and Easter vacations of those years I was to be found labouring away as a relief conductor on the Transporter Bridge. In those days the bridge was still busy, even with the George Street Bridge and motorway being newly available.   It provided an easy and short route from Pill to places of work on the other side.   Notably the Orb steel works and the two Uskmouth power stations.   From memory it crossed 4 times an hour and there were often queues of v

 Peter's Poem   Thoughts   when crossing the Bridge The waters flowing fast beneath, mud glistening, the wharves brooding silently. What sights what sounds they’ve seen.   If only they could speak! The eye rested on the riverfront and this came into my mind:- A Gift from Neptune In fourteen hundred and sixty eight Sore wounded by capricious fate Shelter she sought in a Newport pill And there remained for good or ill   600 flew in the proverbial blink When an orchestra pit they sought to sink Rescued from a dark and murky grave This wonder of her age was saved   A relic of a trading past Connecting us to a world so vast People, goods, ideas, in they came Giving Newport worldwide fame. pgh

   In Memory of Glenys Silverson and her Involvement in the Discovery of the Newport Ship When it came to my Mum and myself, the saying about apples not falling from the tree could not have been truer. My inspiration for pursuing a career as a Museum Curator has its origins in all those family holidays and trips where, as a family, we would immerse ourselves in culture and heritage. That is why it came as absolutely no surprise to me that when the Newport Medieval Ship was found during an excavation back in 2002, my Mum Glenys Silverson was immediately enthused by and engaged with this archaeological discovery. I was working as a Curator for the Isle of Wight Museum Service and I remember the night my Mum telephoned to tell me about what archaeologists had just found in Newport. Mum was really excited about the discovery and was adamant that this heritage be preserved for Newport. She was quick to put me to work and knowing that at that time I was working with a Conservator with conn

ON THE BANKS OF THE USK:  Buffalo Bill visits Newport on 16th July 1903 and put on a show in Shaftesbury Park.  Buffalo Bill had been persuaded to come to Wales by the famous opera singer  Adeline Patti , who lived in Craig y Nos Casle in the Swansea Valley to visit Britain. Newport Parks Committee decided in February 1903 to permit Colonel Cody's Wild West Company (Buffalo Bill) to use a section of Shaftesbury Park on 16 th July, subject to the Council agreeing that this did not fall within the definition of circuses or menageries, which the Council had decided in April 1900 would not be permitted.  The highlight of his shows was Buffalo Bill riding at full speed across the arena shooting targets thrown into the air. He went on to Cardiff where over four days, he performed to 126,400 people, with families coming from the Valleys and beyond to see the spectacle. Evening Express 17 th July 1903 THE WILD WEST SHOW. INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH COLONEL CODY AT NEWPORT. Colonel