About Us - BGHF

Committee Officers 2024-25

Martyn Morgan Jones

Chair

Treasurer

Martyn became involved with the Forum thanks to his late father, Peter Morgan Jones.

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His infectious enthusiasm for all aspects of history, especially regarding the area in which he lived rubbed off on him. Plus, as a Tredegar boy, with a great affection for the Valleys he wanted to maintain links with his hometown. He has a passion for the wonderful and significant industrial history and archaeology of the Blaenau Gwent area.

Rodger Burchell

Vice-Chair

Journal Editor

Rodger was brought up in Ebbw Vale and spent much of his life working at the Ebbw Vale steel works.

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He has worked as a lecturer in Archaeological fieldwork and Practice, spent 5 years as a geophysical specialist for SiteScan Archaeological, as a field archaeologist for Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust, (GGAT), Church & Site Archaeology and CADW among others. is an active member of several history and archaeology societies and is a practitioner of the ‘Chartered Institute for Archaeology’. His studies included Welsh History and its sources, manuscripts, maps, etc, Archaeology, Industrial Archaeology, Local History, Landscape History and Archaeology. His MA (Wales) focussed on the history of Milling in Gwent and he has written several ‘historic’ walks for the surrounding area.

Janet Karn

Secretary

Sub Journal Editor

Janet worked as a librarian for Tredegar library and Local Studies Librarian for Blaenau Gwent.

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Since leaving Blaenau Gwent she has been employed by Monmouthshire County Council. Janet is particularly interested in genealogical research and has her own business where she may be hired to research family history.

janetsancestryresearch.com

Carolyn Jones

Website Administrator

Social Media

Carolyn worked as a Literacy teacher for pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties.

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Since retiring, she has focused on her interests of walking and local history. She has developed the website to make the work of Forum members easily accessible to the public.

Current Projects

New Logo

Publication – Places of Worship in Tredegar and the Upper Sirhowy Area

Join Us

Free membership

You do not have to pay a membership fee to join the Forum. If you are interested in local history and would like be involved, then just come along to one of our meetings or talks, and you will be made to feel very welcome.

Meetings

3rd Monday of each month

We meet in one of the rooms upstairs in Tredegar Library. (NP22 3PS) MEETINGS start at 10.00am and last for an hour.

Talks

2nd Thursday of each month

Why not pop along to one of our interesting FREE TALKS? They take place in Bedwellty House once a month and last for about an hour. We hold a raffle and have a pop-up shop. Refreshments in the Orchid House tearoom are always a nice addition, either before or afterwards.