THE BRICKIE

Rhyl is not usually associated with heavy industry. From before the town existed there was ship-building at the Foryd and, by 1848 when Rhyl got its railway station, we had a brick making industry too. There were brickworks at Cefndy Road to the south and at Tynewydd to the east. The images below are from a unique 2-volume set of information about Rhyl brickworks compiled by Diana Hannam who has a brickworks family background.

Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

This sepia photograph shows a competition winner in the 1924 May Day celebrations.

To add to her collection Diana Hannam would like to hear from anybody that may have some unpublished material relating to Rhyl brickworks. Meanwhile, as a former town and county councillor and former Mayor of Rhyl, she is an Independent candidate in the forthcoming by-election in Rhyl South West ward which is where she lives. Polling day is Thursday 19th March 2015.

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SUN 15th MAR 2015 UPDATE: From files of the late Glyn Rees here
is a cutting from the Jan 18th 1978 edition of Rhyl Journal.

Click on the picture to read text.

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TUE 17th MAR 2015 UPDATE: Diana Hannam reports that the crusher was offered for sale to Rhuddlan Borough Council to stay on site as an ornament for their forthcoming aquapark (a proposed redevelopment that never reached fruition). The council declined the offer, the crusher went to Rhydymwyn but didn’t survive – it was scrapped.

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PEST CONTROL

Shopping in Rhyl town centre remains my habit despite psychopathic cyclists on the pavements and silly unsheltered benches in High Street (useless when raining). Another obstacle to enjoyment: people trying to sell you something as you walk along. They don’t want cash; they want you to sign pledges to give money later.

These pests are rather like cold callers and spammers. Sky sellers in White Rose Centre are comparatively well behaved. I remember saying, ‘I don’t want Sky TV – too much American stuff on there.’ To which they replied, ‘But American TV is better!’ Are these people trained to say things like that are or they just making it up as they go along?

Last year a chap walking in front of me encountered a pest calling out, ‘Sir, will you support our soldiers overseas?’ The chap replied ‘No, they are only making things worse.’ Well, why should we be called at (and asked questions of) as we struggle to remember what was on the shopping list we left on our kitchen table?

In Rhyl High Street you can see pests at a distance and take evasive action – not so easy in White Rose Centre, but I find that dodging in and out of Iceland via B&M Stores reduces the risk of encountering them. Some pests employ aggressive tactics like handing you an item such as a ‘welcome pack’ but not letting go of it while they hit you with their spiel!

Illustration: Parasites by German artist Katrin Alvarez. Find out about her here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katrin_Alvarez


Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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SAT 28^th FEB UPDATE: Mrs. M. of Rhyl East, a wheelchair shopper, uses Poundland as a pest-free route to and from White Rose Centre’s Supernews (was Supercigs) and Sayers café.

Instead of Poundland, Mrs. M. would rather get to her destinations via Boots chemist where she usually has to go anyway, but the stairs at the back exit of Boots are too much of an obstacle.
"The exit is owned by White Rose Centre who are too mean to put in a ramp," says Mrs. M.

She needs assistance in some places in town centre because of closed doors that are too stiff to open. I know what she means, there are some real shoulder-wrenchers!

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OLD - BUT NEW TO ME

These two images were sent by email from a reader on behalf of somebody who wished to remain anonymous. The picture at the top (Young Women’s Christian Association Home, Rhyl) was dated 1912.
The picture underneath (Swanswell House, Tel. Rhyl 691) was undated.
I didn't know these buildings - or thought I didn't!

Jane Shuttle has identified the one at the top as being in Elwy Street, adjacent to the dentists'; it may still have a Christian connection because the name is Holyrood House.
Jane has identified the other as part of East Parade Apartments, 46-48 East Parade, flats belonging to Haigh Properties. 

Jane was joint-winner of our quiz last time and will be a formidable participant in the new series. We had better all get our act together including me.

Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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MON 27th APR 2015 UPDATE: A note by the late Glyn Rees says that in the 1930s the Young Women's Christian Association was at Bron Haul, Brighton Road, which is now a care home.
In more recent times YWCA was at 17 Bedford Street which is no longer used for that purpose. At present the organisation does not have a base
in Rhyl.

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MON 5th DEC 2016 UPDATE: Confirmation that Bron Haul was indeed a YWCA Hostel. See lower part of the following image.

The upper part, a photo of ladies with a fox terrier dog is unrelated to the building's time as a hostel. It would be later, care home days (1950s?)

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CREDIT UNION

Mrs. Margaret McCarroll of Rhyl South West ward died this year, on January 4th. Margaret was a friendly Irish lady to whom her family, her Catholic faith, her membership of The Labour Party and membership of the town and county councils, were all important.

Margaret’s legacy in Rhyl is the existence of the credit union which she worked hard with others to establish and promote. Originally called Clwyd Coast Credit Union, it is now part of North Wales Credit Union and continues to offer affordable loans – a better option than loan sharks!

She was one of the few councillors that could be seen shopping often in Rhyl town centre. She nagged I mean persuaded me to become a member of the credit union, and I bought my first ever computer with a loan from there. So you see, if it hadn’t been for Margaret there might never have been a Rhyl Life blog at all!

If you are on a low income go and discover what the credit union is all about; you won’t regret it. The office is at 17-19 Bodfor Street, Rhyl, and the telephone number is (01745) 361274.

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WED 14th DEC 2016 UPDATE: Since the above post was written the credit union has undergone a change of name to Cambrian Savings and Loans. In addition to the Rhyl branch are offices in Denbigh, Wrexham, Llandudno and elsewhere:
https://www.cambriancu.com

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PRINCES STREET, 1953

Dave Williams, who has contributed soccer material to this blog in the past, has sent this photo of a Coronation party outside Presbyterian Church, Princes Street, Rhyl.

In the front row, left to right, we have Don’t know, Ian Dickenson probably, Barbara Carrington, Don’t know, Alan Roberts, Dave Williams – the lad himself, his cousin Ian Williams and Horace Johnson.

Of the three ladies at the very top, the one on the far right is Dave’s mother Lillian. The one on the far left is thought to be Mrs. Morris the mother of former Rhyl Town Clerk Oscar Morris.

Somewhere in the middle – hard to describe exactly where – are Dougie and Olive Hughes and Dave’s other cousins Terry and Janice Barnes; Janice married Tony Tinker.

Click on the picture to see a bigger version.

What a wonderful photo, thanks Dave!

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MON 22nd MAY 2017 UPDATE: Val Johnson writes, "Just a minor point that the boy on front row far right is actually my husband Paul Johnson and not his brother Horace."

Trouble with boys is that they pull faces. Thank you, Val.
More identifications welcome.
Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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KEEP ON TRUCKING

A few days ago David Thomas took the following photos of the current Sea Defence scheme on the western seafront; the workers are based on the former Ocean Beach Fun Fair site. Their work involves widening the promenade at that end.

Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

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Do have a look back through old posts occasionally - and don't forget there is a search box at top left of the page. If you can't see a search box maybe you haven't clicked away the Google banner about cookies.

For me to update any post in this blog is a quick and easy matter, so don't be afraid to suggest alterations or corrections. Constructive comments are always welcome!

Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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LEONARD HARMAN JONES

I note here the passing of my father; he died last night at St. David’s Residential Home in East Parade, Rhyl, after a short illness. At the age of 99 he must have outlived most of his friends and colleagues, but if anyone does remember Len Jones of MANWEB and would like more information please get in touch.

The photo above was taken in 1947 outside Rhyl Pavilion. It shows my late mother Vera (a Rhyl girl) and father Len (a St. Asaph lad) and the bundle of joy on his knee . . yes you guessed . . it's Yours Truly winning
a Children's Beauty Competition . . and I've heard all the jokes already.


Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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NOBODY LIVES IN THERE

The photo above was taken through my bedroom window in Plas y Brenin off Kings Avenue, Rhyl. Often I have wondered what the old brown-walled building is and why it is still there.

It is located at the rear of 103 Wellington Road (opposite the studios of Point FM). The owners of the property are Pennaf/Clwyd Alyn. I asked one of their housing officers about the building and all he said was, “Nobody lives in there.”

Yes, well perhaps it’s a punishment cell for bad tenants. I can hear an occasional scream in the night. 

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WED 11th MAY 2016 UPDATE: Whatever the building is, it's getting a new roof - and not a moment before time!

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SUN 15th MAY 2016 UPDATE: A neighbour says that it is an ex-workshop being converted into a store room for the Wellington Road business Davy Jones Locker.

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MYSTERY PUB

Dr. James Davies of Prestatyn sent the above photograph which he thought may have been of a Rhyl pub.

Maggi Blythin of Rhyl History Club has identified it as the original Mill Bank Inn. Thank you, Maggi. Stay tuned, I may need you again!

Maggi can't remember what the tents are all about. My guess would be boy scouts and/or girl guides.

These references are added here for indexing purposes: Burton brewery, Ind Coope brewery.

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Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

Incidentally, James Davies is a candidate in the forthcoming General Election in opposition to Chris Ruane MP. Good luck, James. I would be pleased to see the back of Mr. Ruin for reasons that I will expand upon before the election.

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CAN YOU DIG IT?

What is going on in this 1993 Rhyl promenade photograph? Click on the following link to see it in context in a slideshow video that I uploaded last week to YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iSv2D-7vqQ

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Click here to see ALL my videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/RhylTime

There are hundreds of Rhyl videos on YouTube. Only the ones labelled RhylTime are mine - don't blame me for the others!

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RETURN OF THE QUIZ

As you can see, this blog is waking from a long sleep. When it closed in September 2010 some of its most recent posts were lost or damaged. Now a magic wand has been employed to put them right as Rhyl rain.

The quiz ended with a dead-heat between Jane Shuttle and The Great Gareth (Gareth Morris). The runner-up was Sue Handley and there were strong performances from Richard & Ceri Swinney and Dorothy Jones.

A new season of the quiz starts soon. The score counter is set back to Nil so that everybody taking part will have a chance of being the winner. What does the winner win? Why, accolades of course!

The first question will appear on this blog on St. David’s Day, Sunday March 1st around Midday. Doan miss it!

And remember . . . 

Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

See my Rhyl videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RhylTime

There are hundreds of Rhyl videos on YouTube. Only the ones labelled RhylTime are mine - don't blame me for the others!

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QUIZ QUESTION AND ANSWER # 80

On Wednesday 22nd September 2010 I posted a larger version of this photograph. Subsequently the post disappeared, but never mind!

Right of centre in the picture is a street name blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Thorpe Street.

The winners:
Geoff & Sandra Luckhurst, Manchester (1st win for Geoff & Sandra), Dave Rowlands, Dorothy Jones, Jane Shuttle (26th win), Mike Demack, Pauline Hammans, Phil Hughes, Richard & Ceri Swinney, Sue Handley, and The Great Gareth (26th win).

Incidentally, since the photo was taken the house has been repainted and the side wall now looks less forbidding and much better. My compliments to the owners.


Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

See my Rhyl videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RhylTime

There are hundreds of Rhyl videos on YouTube. Only the ones labelled RhylTime are mine - don't blame me for the others!

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