Here is Miss Pitt-Williams on the occasion of her retirement from Glascoed School in approximately 1960/61. The photo was kindly provided by Olwen Hughes (nee Robinson) who is seen presenting the flowers, as the youngest child at the school.
BIRTH: 16th March 1900.
FATHER: William John Pitt (1859-1945) a Steel Smelter from Sebastopol. William was born at Panta House, Glascoed and lived his early years at Rose Cottage.
ADOPTIVE FATHER: Alfred Williams (born 1869 at Rose Cottage). Alfred was William’s half-brother.
MOTHER: Emily Ada Williams (1871-1951). Born at Sebastopol, Monmouthshire.
ADOPTIVE MOTHER: Elizabeth Ann (I’m not sure of her maiden name). Born 1871 at Neath, Glamorgan.
SIBLINGS: All surnamed Pitt. Florence May (b. 1892), Ada Sarah (b. 1893), Gladys Elizabeth (b. 1895), William Richard (1897-1982), Gertrude Emily (1899-1977),Cyril Frederick (1901-1954), Doris Laura (b. 1903), Nelly Beatrice (b. 1905), Elsie Edna (b. 1908), Vera Ethel (b. 1910), Aubrey H. (1916-1920).
Occupation(s): School Teacher. In 1921 at Coedypaen school. For much of her working life, Miss Pitt-Williams worked at Glascoed School.
MARRIAGE: Agnes did not marry.
CHILDREN: No children, although she looked after many in her role as a Teacher.
DEATH: 1995, (July to September Quarter), Pontypool Registration District.
BIOGRAPHY
Pupils from Glascoed school through the mid 20th century will probably have their own memories of “Miss Pitt-Williams”. Agnes was my Grandfather’s first cousin.
Agnes was born on 16th March 1900 to William John Pitt and Emily Ada Williams at Sebastopol, near Pontypool and at this point was named Agnes Pitt. The Williams suffix I believe came later. Agnes was christened at Panteg Parish Church as a baby, on 24th April 1900. She was living with her birth parents at the time of the 1901 census.
By 1911 Agnes was living with Alfred Williams, her father’s half brother at 2 Cross Street, Graig, Pontypridd and Alfred’s wife, Elizabeth Ann. Agnes carried on living with her adoptive parents after they moved back to Rose Cottage, the house that both of Agnes’ fathers had been brought up in at Glascoed. On the 1921 census, Agnes was recorded as Agnes Maud Williams (daughter, adopted) and was working as a School Teacher at Coedypaen school.
For the record, William Pitt and Alfred Williams were half-brothers – their mother was Sarah Davies. William’s father was John Pitt and Alfred’s father was James Williams.#
I assume that the Pitt-Williams moniker would have come from Alfred (who I assume adopted Agnes to ease the parenting burden on William and Emily, who had many children!).
They were also living together (Alfred, Elizabeth Ann and Agnes) at Rose Cottage, Glascoed, in 1929, according to the Register of Electors. On this document, Agnes is known simply as Agnes Maud Williams. Alfred and his wife Elizabeth also appeared on the 1922 Register of Electors. They would have come to live at Rose Cottage in 1913, when Alfred is recorded as having purchased the property from John Lewis.
I’d be interested to hear from former pupils’ memories of their teachers and school days at Glascoed: see the Glascoed School page for other memories of the school.
One pupil (from a Friends Reunited discussion) remembers: “She was in charge of the Infants and when I was there the class was only 7 pupils.”
Gwyneth Spadaro-Dutturi recalls:
“When I started school, there were 7 children in the Infants and 14 in the Juniors (just 2 rooms). Miss Williams was a very kind lady and very strict. I remember once, when we were lining up to go in from “play”, a little girl commented on Miss W’s new hair cut. She was told off in no uncertain terms “Dont be personal” As an ex-teacher myself, I would love to have said that as kids were always commenting (nicely) on your clothes, hair, earrings etc.
I think she was quite a prim and proper lady, had a twitchy mouth, but a caring person who did her best for us. One awful memory I have of the class was the fact that you had to collect toilet paper from the inside of the cupboard (toilets outside of course) and you were only allowed one sheet!!!!”
Olwen Hughes wrote:
“On browsing the Glascoed site today, I was interested to read about the school and in particular Miss Agnes- Pitt Williams. I was four or five when I started school, but Miss Williams only taught me for a short time before she retired, either in 1960 or 1961. She had taught my mother, so had been a feature of the school for a very long time. On her retirement, I was selected to present her with flowers, as I was the youngest child in the school.
The photograph was taken in the playground, even though I was obviously wearing my “Sunday best” dress, the state of my hair and lopsided bow make me look though I’d been dragged through one of the hedges in the background! After her retirement Miss Williams went to live in the Tower block in Cwmbran town centre, then the height of luxury living and a sought after residence. Eventually she went into a nursing home, my mother used to go and see her until she passed away (in 1995)”.
Records
Census:
1901 – at Canal Bank, Sebastopol, Monmouthshire
1911 – at 2 Cross Street, Graig, Pontypridd, Glamorgan
1921 – at Rose Cottage, Glascoed.
Register of Electors:
1929 – at Rose Cottage, Glascoed.
