The Clergy of Parish of Caerphilly

Father Robert was born in Neath and after leaving school studied as a metallurgist in the Briton Ferry Steel Company Neath, eventually becoming a Metallurgical Inspector. It was while working there that he felt called to the priesthood and entered his first college – St. John’s College Ystrad Meurig, in Mid-Wales.

Then he undertook three years of training at St. Michael and All Angels Theological College in Llandaff. Here he took a newly formed Diploma Theology Course and after completion was ordained deacon in June 1974. His first curacy was the Parish of Mountain Ash followed by a second curacy at the Parish of Coity with Nolton, Bridgend.

His first incumbency was the Parish of Oakwood, better known as Pontryhdyfen near Port Talbot. This was followed by an incumbency at the parish of Aberaman with Abercwmboi which eventually incorporated the Parish of Cwmaman creating the new parish of Aberaman & Abercwmboi with Cwmaman.

Following this he moved to the Parish of Penarth with Lavernock which later incorporated the Parish of Llandough with Leckwith to create the new parish of Penarth & Llandough. It was while serving in Penarth that the Archbishop installed him as a Canon of Llandaff Cathedral to the stall of Llangwm.

He moved to the Parish of Caerphilly in December 2008. He is married to Val who is a teacher and has two adult children, Symon and Rebecca. He is enjoys cookery, gardening, opera and writes poetry. He loves all things Spanish and studies eschatology and ufology.

I was born in the Royal Gwent in Newport and have spent most of my life in South Wales. As a family we moved around quite a bit because my father is a priest, when I was born he was Vicar of Caldicot, we moved to Monmouth when I was 4 and Ebbw Vale when I was 10. Finally we moved to Llandaff in 1993, where my father was Dean until he retired in 1999.

The move to Llandaff took place while I was still at University in York, studying Biochemistry. I then stayed in Cardiff and studied for a PhD, the research I undertook was to investigate the hormonal control of the processes of Salmon smoltification, there are a number of biochemical changes that juvenile Salmon have to undergo as they migrate out to sea.

I then moved in to medical research, investigating Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, and Heart Disease. I have always been actively involved in the Churches I have attended and if I am honest I have felt a call to the priesthood since I was a young girl. It has been a slow process for me to get to this stage. However, there came a time in my scientific career when I needed to make a decision, I either had to concentrate solely on science in order to progress, which would have meant that my church life would suffer, a compromise that I wasn’t willing to make.

So, I decided that is was time to answer ‘the call’. Of course the decision was more than just a career choice, there have been a number of changes in my life in the last few years that have focussed the mind. My mother died after a short illness in August 2003. She is greatly missed, but a conversation I had with her shortly before her death has stuck with me, she suggested that I should consider offering myself for ordination.

So, here I am. My family have been incredibly supportive over the last few years, becoming a full-time student again has not been without its difficulties. I have a twin brother, Paul, who is a bell-ringer (as is my father), he got married on 25th July 2008 and Rachael has been a very welcome addition to the family, they live in Taff’s Well. My father continues to enjoy his retirement in Llandovery, and is still very active in ministry.

I am at the beginning of my time in Caerphilly, and greatly looking forward to this new chapter in my life.

To begin at the beginning - I was born in Longton, one of the ‘Five Towns’ of Stoke-on-Trent, in the Potteries. (Although my accent has largely disappeared, for better or worse, it does occasionally slip out!) After school I went to university in Swansea, where I studied Politics.

It was here that Laurie and I met and we married in 1969, whilst we were still students. After a couple of years in London, where I did my PGCE at the Froebel Institute and began teaching in Brockley, Lewisham, we moved to Caerphilly. We have lived in the same street since 1973 and have been blessed with wonderful friends and neighbours.

In 1974 our first son, Christopher was born, followed over the next few years by Paul, Lisa and Laura. More recently we have become very proud grandparents to Ben. I have taught in a number of infant and primary schools in the Cardiff and Caerphilly areas – the reception class being my favourite!

It was not until 1980 that we began attending St. Andrew’s church, primarily to give our children a Christian background from which they might have some understanding of God and faith. Through this our faith grew, and Laurie and I were confirmed together in 1981.

Clearly it did not stop there, since in 1998 I was accepted for ordination training at St. Michael’s College, Llandaff as a non-residential student and was ordained in 2002. Since then I have been NSM curate in the parishes of Gelligaer and Eglwysilan, coming to Caerphilly in 2007.

We have a large dog called Chloe, and two cats – Dandelion and Daisy. In my ‘spare’ time I enjoy gardening (attacking weeds is great therapy), and since we will be moving house soon I am looking forward to planning a new garden. I also enjoy reading and spending time with family and friends.

I was born in Clydach Vale in the Rhondda Valley in 1946 and educated at Porth County Grammar School and Treforest Polytechnic (now the University of Glamorgan). I started work with the Wales Gas Board in 1963 as an Apprenticed Gas Fitter in the Rhondda Undertaking and married Brenda in 1966 at St. Matthew’s Church Treorchy, where we worshipped with Brenda’s grandmother.

We moved to Caerphilly 1968 as my career with British Gas developed, and our daughter Victoria was born in 1969 with Matthew our son coming along in 1972.

We began worshipping as a family at St. Andrew’s Church, Penyrheol, and so began a long and happy church life in the parish of Caerphilly. It wasn’t long before I was elected to the P.C.C and served as Church Warden and Secretary to the St. Andrew’s Church Committee for many years.

I was licensed as A Reader in 2006 and retired from full time employment a year later to spend more time in this rewarding ministry.

I have 4 grandchildren (2 girls and 2 boys) who bring much joy. I enjoy gardening, cooking and D.I.Y.