- HOW THE FAMILY CAME TO MOVE TO CAERLEON -

As the winters in the Brecon Beacons were so severely cold, the farmers sent all lambs born in the Spring of the year to the low lands on tack, the same applied to mares and foals too. Granch for many years had brought his stock to Caerleon and district on tack. They would be walked the forty miles from Blaentaff to Caerleon. They would stay overnight at the Lamb and Flag, Abergavenny. Granch would rent a field in which to turn the sheep to rest overnight and the men stayed in the pub. They would then carry on next morning to Caerleon. The farmers, with whom it was arranged to take the sheep, were paid so much per head for sheep to be kept and looked after for the winter from October to May. They were then collected and taken home again. Granch followed them down in a pony trap, picking any lambs that were becoming foot-sore on the way; the poor shepherds having to walk all the way.

After delivering to the various farms, the men would return to Blaentaff in the pony trap. Granch would return home by train to Torpantau Station. On one occasion Granch's own dog, Yarrow, refused to board the train so he just said, "Home boy," and sure enough Yarrow arrived home next day all forty miles.

Granch had for many years brought his stock to Caerleon so, when he left Blaentaff, he rented the Tan House, the Race Course and Broadway from Sir Humphrey Mackworth's Estate and bought a small farm on the Usk Road called the Glebe. But he did not live many years in Caerleon for he died. My mother inherited from him, and the family moved to Caerleon. Apparently I was about two years old so unfortunately I did not know my grandfather. I gather he was much liked by the family.