Biography - Glenda Dummer (1934-2013)
Glenda Keturah Elizabeth Dummer (nee Griffin) was born on 1st January 1934 at Grandison Street, Briton Ferry, and was the second child of Mabel and Idris Griffin. Glenda had an older brother (Cledwyn, born 1931) and a younger sister (Christine, born 1945), all attended Neath Road Primary School, later named Ynysmaerdy Primary School.
Ynysmaerdy Primary School, Neath Road, Briton Ferry.
Glenda had a happy childhood with her brother at their Grandison Steet home (left) where they had a play den at the bottom of their garden which was a brick built shed with a slate roof. Inside was a Victorian cast iron fireplace and oven, which gave the building a little character.
At the age of eleven, Glenda went to the Central School at Court Sart (right), later to be known as Court Sart Comprehensive School, where she studied for a year before going to Neath Grammar School for Girls, now known as Neath College.
In 1945 Glenda was baptised at Jerusalem Baptist Church, Briton Ferry (left), by the late Reverend Trevor Evans and had a strong link with the church for many years. At home, Glenda and her brother had a new baby sister, who was given the name of Christine Mary.
At the age of sixteen, Glenda went to Redlands Teaching College in Bristol (right), taking a two-year course on teaching, after which she had a teaching post in a Bristol primary school until she moved back to Wales when a vacancy arose at the Hengwrt Primary School (below) at her home town.
Later Glenda moved to at the Brynhyfryd Primary School, Giants Grave, Briton Ferry, and remained there until she reached retirement age.
Brynhyfryd Primary School.
In 1970, Glenda married Graham Dummer at the Briton Ferry Jerusalem Baptist Church and moved into a house they bought at Elmwood Drive, Briton Ferry (right), which was within walking distance of the school where she worked.
Glenda and Graham had no children of their own and she often said that “her children” were those in her class.
Glenda followed in her father’s footsteps and invested in the stock market, 
in which Graham also took an interest When they both retired they bought a brand new house at Rowentree Close, Bryncoch (right), where Glenda loved sitting her large conservatory, which had a lovely southern aspect.
Graham sadly died in February 2012 and Glenda was lost without him as he did everything for her. After his death she became a recluse, not answering her door to anyone and letting her telephone answer-service deal with the calls.
The late councillor Janice Dudley, was helpful with Glenda’s visits to see Graham in hospital, as was her brother and sister. Janice made an effort to establish regular contact with Glenda after the death of Graham but said that she failed with her efforts.
A neighbour living opposite Glenda became very concerned with the situation and Glenda was admitted to Neath Port Talbot Hospital for a mental assessment in the early autumn of 2013, where she kept telling the staff that she had no family. No-one in her family was therefore aware of her hospitalisation.
In November 2013 Glenda developed pneumonia while at Neath Port Talbot Hospital and was transferred to Morriston Hospital where she sadly died on 16th November 2013.
Her family only found out about her death when two police officers called to her brother’s house the following day to tell him of the occurrence.
Just before her death, Glenda made a new will on 18th September 2013, and arranged for someone by the name of Timothy Michael to be the executor. The witnesses were Helen Sian Michael and Jonathan Clarke of Howard Evans Financial Services Ltd, Victoria Gardens Neath, where Timothy Michael was also based. The will was made by Howe & Spender at Courtland Chambers, Station Road, Port Talbot.
Timothy Michael, a Neath-based financial advisor. was allegedly recommended to Glenda by Dr Derrick Lewis who was born on the same day as her in 1934. Dr Lewis, had retired from his GP Practice in Briton Ferry and took a special friendly interest in Glenda because he considered her a ‘birthday twin’.
In her will, Glenda left her estate worth over two million pounds, with her house and heirlooms included, to five charities, namely:
1) RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
2) RNIB - Royal National Institution for Blind People.
3) CRI - Cancer Research Institute.
4) Stroke Association.
5) The Cat Protection League.
Sadly valuable family heirlooms, including her mother’s wedding and engagement rings, were never passed on to her younger sister, Christine, as they should have been.
At the inquest at Swansea Civic Centre on Thursday, 20th March, 2014 at 10:30am. when only the relatives were present, Mr Philip Rogers, the H.M. Coroner for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, looked at written statements by Dr. Andrew Williams and Dr. Michael Rydzewski realating to the mental health of Glenda Dummer, and after switching off his recording machine, shook his head and made an off the record comment that he was unhappy with the case. Although the medical reports stated that Glenda’s death was a natural one, which he officially established, the facts leading up to it were troublesome.
Glenda’s surviving relatives were also not happy but decided to let her rest in peace, knowing that her money went to worthy charities. It was just a pity about the family heirlooms that went to persons unknown.
The Funeral Director was Les Davies of Cadoxton Neath who dealt with the cremation at Morriston Crematorium on 4th December 2013, because the Margam Crematorium was out of service due to a fire.
Glenda’s remains are buried at St. Matthews Church, Dyffryn, Bryncoch, along with those of her husband, Graham.
St.Matthews Church, as seen from the road.
St. Matthews Church - a closer view.
St. Matthews Church - an aerial view.
