A look back at Pembrokeshire (From Western Telegraph)

A look back at Pembrokeshire

A 90-page booklet, produced by the Pembrokeshire U3A (University of the Third Age), is a fascinating and useful addition to local historical knowledge.

With 20 contributors, Looking Back At Pembrokeshire opens windows on different eras, when working and living conditions were in complete contrast to those of today. The value of a book like this is that it gives glimpses of the lives of ordinary people, getting away from the well-recorded official history and legend.

An interesting thread running through the book is provided by extracts from a diary kept by Mr Thomas, of Cuckoo Grove, Haverfordwest, in 1913, which chronicles the hard but happy life of a countryman and makes interesting price comparisons with present-day income. For example, a pork pig was sold for the equivalent of £1.99 in 1911, compared with around £120 today and three heifers cost £23, compared with £1,436 in current prices.

The personal accounts of life and events in the towns and villages of Pembrokeshire, of markets and fairs, life during the two world wars, cycling and Sunday school, coal mining and fishing, make fascinating reading.

Sadly, there are a few inaccuracies, which need correcting - the Royal Welsh Show was never held on the Bridge Meadow, and Haverfordwest RFC was at Fishguard Road for some years after leaving the Rifleman Field.

Small points, but accuracy is vital when recording local history.

Pictured is one of the images featured in the book.