Lewis School, Pengam is a comprehensive school, founded in 1729 in the parish and village of

Gelligaer Gelligaer ( cy, Gelli-gaer ) is a community in the County Borough of Caerphilly, Wales, in the Rhymney River valley. As well as the village of Gelligaer, the community also includes the small towns of Hengoed and Ystrad Mynach. The population ...

and, later, moved to the nearby village of

Gilfach Gilfach is the small district that lies between Bargoed and Pengam, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, seven miles north of Caerphilly, within the historic boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales. The Bargoed ward had a population of 2,062 at the ...

, in the

Rhymney Valley The Rhymney Valley () is one of the South Wales valleys, with the Rhymney River forming the border between the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. Between 1974 and 1996 a Rhymney Valley local government district also existed (one ...

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

. It was founded and funded by a legacy of Sir Edward Lewis of Gilfach Fargoed in the Parish of Gelligaer, a knight, landowner and captain of industry who died in 1728. It became comprehensive during the 1970s.

Location

The building currently occupied by the school was opened in 2002, in Gilfach at the northern perimeter of one of its former Pengam sites. Before 2002, the campus was in Pengam, across two sites, with a bridge spanning the main road between them. This bridge is still used to connect the new site to a collection of sports facilities located across the road. A third site, at the former Graddfa Secondary Modern School in

Ystrad Mynach Ystrad Mynach is a town in the Caerphilly County Borough, within the ancient county of Glamorgan, Wales, and is north of the town of Caerphilly. The urban area has a population of 19,204, and stands in the Rhymney Valley. Before the Industrial ...

, provided for around 300 younger secondary pupils between 1973 and 2002. This third site was purchased in 2003 by

Ystrad Mynach College The College Ystrad Mynach is a former college of further education based in Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly county borough, Wales. It had over 13,000 students ranging from school leavers to adult mature students. It taught mainly vocational course ...

, whose Ystrad Mynach campus lies adjacent to the Graddfa site. Until circa 1848, the school was wholly located in

History

Lewis School was established as a school for poor boys of the parish of Gelligaer, as can be seen from this extract of Sir Edward Lewis' will, "That they in the first place out of the profitts of the Wood and premisses Build a School near the Church of the value of forty pounds And also every year after the Building of the said School that my said Trustees pay to a School Master yearly out of the rents and profitts of the said premisses the sume of ten pounds per annum and likewise that my said Trustees lay out fifteen pounds yearly for Coats and Caps for fifteen poor Boys of the said parish to be taught by the said Master to Read write and cast Accompt, And the rest of the profitts for the improving that Charity for the use of the said Master and Boys", Lewis' School was originally a school for boys founded in a time when girls rarely received an education so no distinction of gender was needed in its title which was simply Lewis' School. So from modest beginnings the school was moved and enlarged, 1848, later to become a grammar school, though always maintaining the simple title, Lewis' School, eventually extending its catchment to other parishes, Bedwellty, Mynyddislwyn and St Ilans and more and more in the late 19th century to girls of those parishes. The school is associated with Lewis' School for girls originally opened in Hengoed near Pengam in November 1900 but later moved to a new, larger facility in the town of Ystrad Mynach. Once again Lewis School Pengam became a boys' school, hence, since there were now separate Lewis schools for boys and girls, local people started to refer to the Pengam school as "Lewis' Boys" which was much frowned on by successive headmasters and staff. Both schools became comprehensive schools under subsequent educational reform. Lewis School Pengam remains an all-male school until the end of year 11, as Lewis Girls' School remains an all-female school until the end of year 11. However, both schools share a mixed-gender 6th Form Consortium for years 12 and 13. Two other nearby schools, Heolddu Comprehensive School and Rhymney Comprehensive School, are also included in this consortium. Both institutions during their times as grammar schools were renowned for consistently excellent standards of education and the high attainments of many of their pupils. In 1986 the school was criticised by STOPP for its use of corporal punishment (caning), after an inspectors' report stated that 60 out of 360 boys in the lower school had been caned in the course of one year.

Trivia

*Once described by

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...

as "the

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

of the Valleys".

Notable former staff

* Alfred Evans (politician), headmaster, 1966–1968 * Alun Lewis (poet), teacher * David Wynne (composer), teacher

Notable old Ludovicans

Wayne C Jenkins, Rugby Player, teacher and family man * Paul Atherton, television and film producer *

Ray Bishop Raymond John Bishop (born 24 November 1955) is a Welsh former professional footballer. During his career, he played over 150 games in the Football League for Cardiff City, Newport County and Torquay United. Career Bishop, a forward, began hi ...

, footballer (Brighton, Cardiff and Newport County) *

Mervyn Burtch Mervyn Burtch MBE (7 November 1929 – 12 May 2015) was a Welsh composer, best known for his work with children's music projects. Life and career Burtch was born in Ystrad Mynach, Wales. Except for his two years of National Service in the RAF, ...

, composer *

Douglas Davies Douglas James Davies, (born 11 February 1947) is a Welsh Anglican theologian, anthropologist, and academic, specialising in the history, theology, and sociology of death. He is Professor in the Study of Religion at the University of Durham. ...

, theologian *

John Dawes Sydney John Dawes (29 June 194016 April 2021) was a Welsh rugby union player, playing at centre, and later coach. He captained London Welsh, Wales, the 1971 British Lions and the Barbarians. He is credited with being a major influence in th ...

, international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

player *

Bradley Dredge Bradley Dredge (born 6 July 1973) is a Welsh professional golfer who plays on the European Tour. He has won twice on the tour, the 2003 Madeira Island Open and the 2006 Omega European Masters, both by 8 strokes. He also won the 2005 WGC-World C ...

, professional golfer, European Tour winner *

Geoff Eales Geoff Eales (born 13 March 1951) is a Welsh jazz pianist, improviser and composer. Music education Eales was born in Aberbargoed, Wales. When he was eight years old, he learned 12-bar blues from his father, a pianist in a local dance band. In sch ...

, jazz musician *

Iorwerth Evans Iorwerth Evans Evans (23 May 1906 – 18 September 1985 (aged 79)) born in Trelewis, was a Welsh rugby union footballer who played in the 1930s. He played at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Bedford Athletic RFC, Bedfo ...

, rugby player * Jonathan Evans, politician * Jonathan Evans, rugby player * George Fisher, dramatist, director *

Julian Hodge Sir Julian Stephen Alfred Hodge (15 October 1904 – 17 July 2004) was a London-born entrepreneur and banker who lived in Wales for most of his life, from the age of five. Background and beginnings Julian Hodge was born on 15 October 1904 in ...

, financier *

Peter Hubbard-Miles Peter Charles Hubbard-Miles (9 May 1927 – 1 October 2005) was a British Conservative Party politician. Early career Hubbard-Miles was educated at Lewis School in Pengam. From 1967 onwards, he was a member at various times of Glamorgan Count ...

, politician * E. John Hughes, diplomat and former H.M. Ambassador to Argentina. * Berwyn Jones, athlete, rugby player *

Humphrey Owen Jones Humphrey Owen Jones (20 February 1878 – 15 August 1912) was a Welsh chemist and mountaineer. Life Jones was born at Goginan, Cardiganshire, and educated at Lewis School, Pengam, and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He subseque ...

, chemist and mountaineer *

Morgan Jones Morgan Jones may refer to: *Morgan Jones (actor, born 1879) (1879–1951), American silent film actor and screenwriter *Morgan Jones (actor, born 1928) (1928–2012), American film and television actor *Morgan Jones (broadcaster), Welsh television ...

, politician and conscientious objector * Thomas Jones, civil servant, academic and founder of

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* Geoffrey Thomas, pastor *

Neil Kinnock Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock (born 28 March 1942) is a British former politician. As a member of the Labour Party, he served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995, first for Bedwellty and then for Islwyn. He was the Leader of ...

, politician * W. John Morgan, academic, Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, and Chair of the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO. * Rev. Frederick A. G. Mudge, former Minor Canon at Llandaff Cathedral, Rector of Llandough with Leckwith and Hospital Chaplain, Vicar of All Saints, Penarth & Chaplain to the Welsh Guards Association *

Victor Erle Nash-Williams Victor Erle Nash-Williams (21 August 1897 – 15 December 1955) was a noted Welsh archaeologist. On the death of his father, Albert Henry Williams, his mother, Maude Rosetta (née Nash) Williams, formally adopted the surname "Nash-Williams". ...

, Welsh archaeologist *

John O'Shea John Francis O'Shea (; born 30 April 1981) is an Irish professional football coach and former player. He was known for his versatility in playing several positions on either side of the pitch or the centre. Born in Waterford, O'Shea joined Man ...

, international rugby union player *

Berwyn Price Berwyn Price (born 15 August 1951) is a former Welsh international athlete. Price was born in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, and studied at Lewis School, Pengam Craig Roberts Craig Haydn Roberts (born 21 January 1991) is a Welsh actor and director. He is best known for lead roles as Oliver Tate in the coming-of-age comedy-drama film '' Submarine'' (2010) and David Meyers in the series ''Red Oaks'' (2014–2017), and ...

, Welsh actor *

David Rocyn-Jones The Reverend Sir David Thomas Rocyn-Jones, CBE, K St J, DL, JP (16 November 1862 – 30 April 1953) was a Welsh medical officer of health and servant of multiple professional bodies within Wales. Professional career Rocyn-Jones was born in Rh ...

, medic, former president of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running ...

* Richard Vaughan, badminton player, 2000 and 2004 Olympian *

Simon Weston Simon Weston (born 8 August 1961) is a Welsh veteran of the British Army who is known for his charity work and recovery from severe burn injuries suffered during the Falklands War. Early life Weston was born at Caerphilly District Miners Hos ...

, Falklands War veteran, charity worker * Phil Williams, politician, scientist *

Zephaniah Williams Zephaniah Williams (1795 – 8 May 1874) was a Welsh coal miner and Chartist campaigner, who was one of the leaders of the Newport Rising of 1839. Found guilty of high treason, he was condemned to death, but his sentence was commuted to l ...

, chartist campaigner; one of the leaders of the Newport revolt * Sheep & Mash (Connor J. Ford & Joe Lloyd-Allen) music comedy act * Ashley Thomas-Evans, Welsh actor * REES Peter Maxwell;International rugby union player * Morgan W.G.D.;International rugby union player * Adam Wiktor Williams.; Professional Esports player (Rocket League) * Jake Merriman.; Architect, noteworthy accomplishments: Ikea (Birmingham)

External links

Lewis School page

References

* ''The History of Lewis School Pengam''; Sir Arthur Wright B.Sc.; published by the author, 1929 {{authority control Secondary schools in Caerphilly County Borough Educational institutions established in 1729 Boys' schools in Wales 1729 establishments in Wales