A landlady known for chasing unruly drinkers out of her pub with a broom is to pour her last pint after 53 years.
Pamela James moved into the Forge Hammer in Machen with her husband on April Fool’s Day in 1962 and has been there ever since – although no longer doing weddings for half a crown a person as she used to.
Pamela and Islwyn married in 1956, shortly after her husband left the Navy, and were helped in the pub by her family over the years, including current barman, her nephew Luke Jones, 26, and his sister Rebecca, 32.
The remarkable pub holds many tales, including Pamela buying sleeping bags for customers who wanted to enjoy the atmosphere all weekend and legendary backgammon games between Islwyn and anyone who dared challenge him.
Islwyn survived being hit by a bus in Cardiff after a Wales rugby match, saving his friend from the vehicle in the process and being presumed dead.
Pamela said: “I was in the hospital corridor crying, with Islwyn covered by a blanket, and all of a sudden heard this enormous scream.
“All the nurses ran to him seeing he was still alive and he was given three months to live.
“He was in his mid-40s then and died ten years ago.”
Having survived a near miss trip to the morgue, Islwyn suffered six fractures to his skull and a loss of taste.
His niece Rebecca said after that it was dangerous to test the food he cooked, with his famous chillis laced with Tabasco sauce so that he could get a hint of flavour.
The pub is cosy and family orientated with pictures of friends, relatives and musicians who have played there hanging on the walls.
The bar is a stone pulpit that used to stand in a monastery on Caldey Island in Tenby and the pillars of the lectern are also on display.
Pamela will continue to live in the pub and said regular family get-togethers on a Sunday morning will continue, with draught beer replaced by wine and the option of her two-year-old great niece Ffion taking her out to lunch.
Explaining her decision to leave, Pamela said: “I’m tired. I wouldn’t want to say that we will shut indefinitely but I need a break.
“I might think about opening between Easter and September or something like that.”
The Forge Hammer will be closing on October 31 with a Halloween party featuring music from Mad Tom’s Crowd ensuring it gets the send off it deserves.
I was a regular in the very early ’60s. Driving out from Cardiff in my father’s car with young friends. Am I mistaken, but was closing time a moveable feast in those far-off, carefree days?
Very happy memories from Manchester and best wishes.
i was a regular there back in the 80s loved being there lovely friendly landlady and landlord god bless you for so many happy memories all the best from glenda roberts x