News

Prestigious dolls’ house collection bequeathed to Pembrokeshire

Published

8 years ago

September 8, 2017

A MAGNIFICENT dolls’ house and toy collection rivalling the best on public display in Britain will be given to the people of Pembrokeshire thanks to a special lady, Val Ripley.

Val, aged 93, has generously bequeathed the private collection to Pembrokeshire County Council, which will create a new permanent gallery suite to house it at Scolton Manor, the county museum.

The collection was built up over many years by Val and her late sister Pam, who grew up in Surrey and Sussex together before moving to Newport in later years.

It was inspired by the discovery of a childhood treasure of Val’s – a dolls’ house called ‘The Gables’ which her parents gave her for Christmas 1932, when she was eight.

“I’d been hoping for a dolls’ house, and I’d been eyeing up a wonderful one in the Harrods catalogue, but it was rather big and I didn’t think I’d get it,” recalled Val.

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“I couldn’t believe it on Christmas morning when I saw this huge present waiting for me to open!”

From then on, Val played with the house constantly and saved up her pocket money to furnish it with miniature items, with birthdays and Christmases bringing more tiny gifts from family members.

But in July 1939, Pam and Val’s father took a commission in the Royal Artillery and the family house was let. The dolls’ house was put into store ‘temporarily’. But eight weeks later came the onset of the Second World War and the house remained in store for the duration – and was then forgotten about.

It was only after their mother died in 1977 that Val and Pam found the dolls’ house in the attic of their parents’ home, perfectly preserved in its original storage crate.

Not only that – they also found their mother’s dolls and toys dating back more than a hundred years, and their own childhood treasures.

“Imagine unpacking those!” said Val. “It was a magical moment. And I’m afraid my sister and I were off collecting!”

Over the following years, Pam and Val built up a famous collection of dolls’ houses of every period from 1840. Each house is furnished only with items produced at that time, and offer an intriguing glimpse of family life at home.

“We deliberately collected houses from every era,” explained Val. “Individually they’re not so interesting, but together they present a complete social history from the early Victorian era onwards.”

The sisters also sourced miniature toy stables, shops, theatres, and many toys and games – including rare vintage mechanical toys.

In 2010, the sisters opened the collection to the public for the first time at ‘Ty Twt’ in Market Street, Newport.

“It’s quite funny seeing fathers coming in with their children, because you can tell they’re not particularly into dolls’ houses,” said Val.

“But by the time they get to the WWI house, they are really interested and telling their children all about the things inside!”

The collection has featured twice on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow and includes treasures such as a miniature dog which once belonged to Margot Fonteyn, and doll dresses given to Val from her childhood friend’s father, who happened to be Gone with the Wind star Leslie Howard.

It also features ‘St Edwards Junior School’, a charming teddy schoolroom created by the sisters when they were children, saving their pocket money to buy the tiny teddies at nine pence each.

Cllr Paul Harries of Newport, who was instrumental in bringing Val together with the Pembrokeshire Museum Service, said the collection was a ‘real treasure’.

“This is a wonderful gift for Pembrokeshire, and we are so grateful to Val and her late sister Pam,” said Paul, who is also Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council.

“Together they created a collection of national importance, and we will be honoured to display it one day at Scolton Manor. It will prove a real legacy for them.”

Cait Hilditch, Collections Officer, said they were incredibly appreciative of Val’s generosity, and that the collection was fascinating in many ways.

“There’s the social history – with its amazing attention to detail throughout – the development of play, the wartime changes, and then there’s Val herself and her personal stories,” said Catriona.

“It’s a fantastic record of the changing styles of the family home.”

The creation of a new gallery suite at Scolton Manor will be funded through a Welsh Government grant of £77,500.

News

Amber weather warning as ‘danger to life’ rain set to hit Pembrokeshire

Published

2 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Dyfed-Powys Police and council teams prepare as Monday deluge expected

COMMUNITIES across Pembrokeshire are being urged to brace for severe weather after the Met Office issued an amber “danger to life” warning for heavy rain, covering the county from 4:00am to 9:00pm on Monday (Dec 15).

Up to 80mm of rain is expected widely, with 100mm possible on higher ground in north Pembrokeshire and the Preseli foothills. With rivers already running high following weeks of persistent wet weather, Natural Resources Wales says there is a heightened risk of flooding in low-lying areas, including parts of Haverfordwest, Remington Bridge, Merlin’s Bridge, Tenby, Neyland and along the Western Cleddau.

Travel disruption likely

The Met Office warns that fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life, with road flooding likely on key Pembrokeshire routes such as the A40, A487 and A478. Bus and rail services may face disruption.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers would be monitoring known flood hotspots throughout Monday and urged drivers to avoid non-essential travel during the worst of the downpours.

A police spokesperson said: “Please plan ahead. Do not risk driving through floodwater. Conditions may change very quickly.”

Yellow warnings already in place

A yellow rain warning is active for southwest Wales from midnight tonight (Sun 14 Dec). A separate yellow warning for mid and north Wales began this afternoon.

Pembrokeshire County Council said its highways and emergency planning teams are on standby, with extra staff monitoring river gauges and drainage across the county. Sandbags are available where required.

Residents urged to prepare

Natural Resources Wales is advising residents in flood-prone areas to take precautions today, including:

Checking local flood alerts
Moving valuables upstairs where possible
Securing outdoor items against strong winds
Checking on vulnerable neighbours

The Herald understands that emergency services expect the heaviest rainfall between 6:00am and 3:00pm on Monday, with further unsettled weather forecast later in the week.

More updates to follow

This is a developing story. The Pembrokeshire Herald will bring live updates as information comes in from the Met Office, NRW, PCC and emergency services.

Health

Major investment confirmed for GP services in Wales

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Government unveils £41m boost, but practices warn pressures remain acute

MORE than £41m in extra funding will go into general practice in Wales this year following a new agreement between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and GP leaders. Ministers say the deal provides stability at a time of rising demand — but the settlement comes against a backdrop of sustained pressures, recruitment challenges and concerns over patient access.

The package includes a 4% uplift to the General Medical Services (GMS) contract for 2025-26, in line with independent DDRB pay recommendations, and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent uplift from 2026-27. The Welsh Government says the multi-year commitment will allow practices to plan ahead, modernise systems and strengthen community-based services.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the investment showed an “unwavering commitment” to general practice, adding: “The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country. Multi-year funding gives practices the confidence to invest in the transformation primary care needs.”

However, the announcement comes at a time when many Welsh practices continue to report severe workforce pressures, rising demand, and longstanding challenges in recruiting new partners. GP numbers have fallen over the past decade, with some practices handing back contracts or operating list closures because of unsustainable workloads. Patient satisfaction with access has also declined, according to the latest Welsh GP Patient Survey.

What the deal includes

The settlement for 2025-26 comprises £37.9m of new investment and £4m in re-invested capacity funding, with the key elements including:

A 1.77% uplift in expenses, intended to help practices manage inflationary pressures in energy, staffing and running costs.
A recurrent £20m stabilisation fund to support practices facing immediate operational pressures and to prepare for wider reform under the incoming Sustainable Farming Scheme model for health.
An increased partnership premium, aimed at retaining experienced GPs and encouraging new partners into a model that some say has become less attractive due to financial and regulatory risk.
A full review of the GMS allocation formula — the first in more than 20 years — which determines how funding is distributed between practices. Some rural and deprived communities have long argued the current system does not reflect the complexity of local health needs.

Wider context

General practice remains the foundation of the NHS, accounting for around 90% of patient contacts, yet it receives a proportionally small share of the overall health budget compared with hospital services. Both the Welsh NHS Confederation and GPC Wales have repeatedly warned that without sustained investment, primary care risks being unable to meet increasing demand from ageing populations and rising chronic illness.

The Welsh Government’s own “community-by-design” programme relies on shifting more care closer to home, reducing pressure on emergency departments and supporting earlier intervention. For that to be achieved, GP leaders say investment needs to be matched with workforce expansion, improved digital systems, and clear strategies to retain experienced clinicians.

Working groups will now be set up to examine access standards, diabetes prevention and new service models.

Mr Miles said he was pleased that GPs would be “actively contributing to creating innovative care models that enhance access, improve outcomes and deliver care locally.”

GP representatives broadly welcomed the deal but have stressed that it is only one step in addressing the scale of challenge across primary care.

Community

Narbelles WI support Food Bank with festive donation

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)