Queen Street was probably named in honour of Queen Victoria even though there is no record of Victoria ever having made an official visit to Rhyl. Queen Street was the place where movie pioneer Arthur Cheetham had a gramophone shop, the first premises in Rhyl to be lit by electricity. Later in Queen Street, Albert Gubay (Kwik Save) had his first Rhyl shop.The item above (TOP) is from George Owen; it is a detail from a card postmarked 1904. The square at back of the Town Hall was on the photographer’s left and Market Street on right.
The middle photo is from Peter Trehearn and shows the prom end of Queen Street decked out for ‘Sunny Rhyl’s June Carnival 1929’, an event featured last week on this blog. Top of the street on the right was Savoy Cafe. On the opposite corner was Rhyl & Potteries Motors a coach hire/day trip company; the art deco Robins Corner Café materialised there four or five years later.
The colour picture was taken a few days ago by Yours Truly from a similar but safer position. At present much of the right-hand side is boarded up but Savoy Enterprises are still on the corner, operating an amusement arcade. Across the road the old Robins place has been restored and is now Les Harker’s Corner Cafe. Down the left-hand side you would find a cluster of good restaurants.
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TUE 28th APR 2015
UPDATE: Just arrived here at Jones Towers is this Queen Street view from opposite direction, i.e. the photographer had his back to the sea. On your right is is a sign for Queen Street Baths (known as Astle's) where the Victory Club is now. The card's postmark is 1906.
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