Ystradgynlais & District

Mr D H Griffiths was Headmaster of Maesydderwen School from April 1952, upon the retirement of his predecessor D H Griffiths, until 1973. Upon Alwyn Thomas' retirement as Headmaster of Maesydderwen after over 20 years in the post, Marcel Williams took over as Headteacher.

By April 1954 new extensions to the school had been completed at a cost of £180,000 and with the start of the Summer term additional pupils were taken on. Gurnos Secondary Modern Boys School and Ynyscedwyn Secondary Modern Girls School now merged their pupil rolls into Maesydderwen, and from September 1954 all children who had attained the age of 11 within the Ystradgynlais district would now be admitted to Maesydderwen, which was organised as a Comprehensive School.

Much of the information on our page about the History of Maesydderwen School comes from the 1957 publication 'Secondary Education in the Ystradgynlais School District 1907-1957' by Alwyn Thomas, Headmaster.

From the 30th December 1960 edition of the Llais newspaper upon the Centenary of Ebenezer Chapel, comes some background on the personal history of Alwyn Thomas:-

Three Ebenezer members who became ministers have passed away, Rev D P Hopkins Shropshire, Rev Morgan S Hopkins Eli Cardiff, and Rev Lewis Thomas, who was ordained in 1918. He was a Deacon, County Councillor and active in trade union affairs until his death at the early age of 39. His son is Mr Alwyn Thomas headmaster of Maesydderwen Comprehensive School and a daughter is Miss Doris Thomas Tai Gwalia.

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