CALDICOT Community Hub has hosted a special event to mark the success of a project in which people recorded their personal memories of life in the town since the 1940s.

The year-long oral history project - with participants aged from 11 to 94 - was conducted by the Friends of Caldicot Library with support from the hub’s staff. 

Forty people born in Caldicot were asked to recall their childhood memories there while those born elsewhere were asked why they came, and their experience of living in the town.

One of those interviewed was Peter Bartlett, brought up on a smallholding north of Caldicot, who recalled German prisoners-of-war and land-girls working on his father’s land during the Second World War.

Among the documents collected were the memoirs of the late Ernie Jones who farmed Court House Farm - now Castle Lea housing estate - with his wife Winnie. 

Winnie remembered the times before they were married when cattle were driven through the centre of the village to reach fields on the nearby moors.

Just after the Second World War six families lived in flats at Caldicot Castle and Wilf Wilshire resided in the keep above a dungeon. 

The records and recordings have been uploaded to the People’s Collection Wales website, curated by the National Library of Wales.

The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which financed the provision of recording equipment, and professional training by Dr Beth Thomas of the Oral History Society.

The recent celebratory event at the hub followed a series of presentations to Caldicot History Society, the town’s U3A history section, and pupils of Caldicot School’s History Club.

Bernard John of the Friends of Caldicot Library thanked the people of Caldicot for embracing the project and “speaking freely of their lives”. 

The Friends, who organised the project, were also very grateful to the staff and management of Caldicot Hub and library for their support, he said.

Councillor Bob Greenland, Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for community hubs said: “I’m delighted that Caldicot Community Hub and its staff have been instrumental in helping to produce a fascinating oral history of the town. Our community hubs support local communal activity of this type which contributes to people’s well-being and helps them identify with their locality.  My grateful thanks go to the Heritage Lottery Fund for its contribution to make this project possible.”