Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - Growth and development at Cogan . .

Cogan Row was expanded and led off Cawnpore Road and finally Cawnpore Street had evolved in time for the 1920 OS map [010] survey. No.1 Cawnpore Street was bombed during WWII and the Thomas twins used to play in the ruins of the house when they were younger – a lot younger! 1940 - Tuesday night June 25th a very serious Air Raid occurred over Penarth and Cogan. One street was badly hit. A piece of shrapnel fell through the roof in one cloakroom of the school. - Cogan Infants School. [599]

During 2015, Julie and I made contact with the little boy who used to live at the house prior to having its roof blown off by a German mine. The young man was named Clive Spencer and he contributed a great deal to this website - its a small World since he now lives in New Zealand! See 'Boyhood Days on the Bristol Channel.'

left - 1955 - OS Map of Cogan – housing development continues on Andrew Road. The sidings to the coal tips are disappearing fast.

Life in Cawnpore Street in the early 1950's meant internal lighting by gaslight in the houses, a gas water geezer over the sink, and the W.C., complete with spiders and other wildlife, was at the bottom of the garden. Toilet paper being invariably the South Wales Echo or the Western Mail cut up into 6in. squares, punched thru at one corner and hung up on a loop of string.