LAST week we featured a picture of the Great Western Railway (Pill Bank branch) level crossing at the junction of Commercial Road, Newport, before 1900.

THIS picture is the bottom end of Pill. In my time, the little place on the left is a toilet – still being used now. The building at the back was a chemist. Around the top/middle there was the Plaza cinema and also a sweet shop called Christophers.

Jack Hartshorne, Newport

THE Now and Then is of Pill where the was a level crossing on the right was Tredegar Dry Docks and the Tredegar Arms was near. Also there was a building for bed and breakfast for Merchant Seaman then it was turned to a pub called the Mariners. On the left was toilets and a big pub called The Kings Arms on the corner of Temple Street. Also there was a YMCA. Also there was a bridge going across in the area. There also used to be a corona pop factory near by.

M Reardon, Newport

THE picture is of the end of Commercial Road near the railway crossing by Alexandra Road, Pill. Why do I know? I’ve lived at Mill Parade which had a dry dock where the ships used to come in for repairs. Not many folk could say they had a large ship in their street. A small building near was a gents toilet still there but not in use – how it used to pong!

The first building was Giles, the chemist, then an old post office, then a large shop selling seaman’s wear. Opposite was a lovely sweet shop, which we could not afford, called Christophers, and yes we had a cinema called the Plaza. Years later this was turned into a DIY shop. On the corner of Mill Parade was a large public house called the Ship Hotel. Was later filled with Americans who used to give us “life-saver” sweets, much like a spangle and chewing gum. I do have good memories but was not very good times for us growing up.

Mrs Mary Stock, Newport

THIS picture shows the railway crossing at the bottom end of Commercial Road. All mainly modernised now. In those years it was pretty busy part of the road with the docks trains passing back and forth, the bows of ships close in the Mountjoy Dry Dock and the workers scurrying about. The picture was taken from the Alexandra Road side facing what used to be Giles Chemist on the left and the Cambrian pub. Just out of the picture on left is the Listed Tilets building. Opening and shutting those gates must have been hard work as the road was pretty wide and rail traffic heavy.

Jim Dyer, Newport