QUIZ ANSWER # 183

Last Tuesday's question was: Where in Rhyl would you find this sign saying Cardigan Terrace?

The answer: Vezey Street.

It is on house No.3 which is on your right as you enter from Marsh Road. The sign is beneath the green dot in this photo by Yours Truly:

That was quite a difficult question, so if you got the correct answer you can award yourself a win and a cake. Only a small cake, mind!

If you know why Cardigan Terrace is so named and/or why Vezey Street is so named, do let us all know.

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

--

LIFE GOES ON: FEB 2017

Rhyl Life's all-time number of pageviews has now exceeded 448,000. During February 2017, ten old posts were updated. They are as follows:

David Trehearn -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/song-of-david.html 

Glanmorfa/YMCA -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/wellington-and-kings.html

Grand Theatre -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/grand-times.html

Hovercraft -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/back-to-drawing-board-2.html

Rae Pickard -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/mr-pickard-is-out_17.html

Rhuddlan foundry/ iron works -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/take-five-rhuddlan.html

Sea paddlers -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/the-paddlers_27.html

Unknown shops -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/dont-know-everything-yet.html

White Lion Hotel -

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/grand-times.html

--

This amateur snapshot would be hard to beat for nostalgia. Dated 1949 it shows visitors in West Parade crossing Water Street. A note on the back says they were staying at Edwards Camp.

Edwards Camp may have been an earlier edition of the present Edwards Leisure Park in Towyn near Abergele:
http://edwardsleisurepark.co.uk/

--
The following references are added here for indexing purposes: Red & White Milk Bars, Parker's ice cream.

--

FLORAL HALL TOP-UP

Duplicate pictures are becoming harder to spot but I believe these three haven't appeared before in this blog.

 Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

The little boy's sombrero takes me back. I used to have one. No, honestly.

To see all posts relating to the Floral Hall please click here:
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/FLORAL%20HALL

--

QUIZ QUESTION # 183

CARDIGAN TERRACE

Attention, all quiz players! Where in Rhyl would you find this sign saying Cardigan Terrace?

No need to send me an email - just check your answer against mine on Tuesday 28th February 2017 after 12 noon.

--

INTERESTING TIMES # 2

DUMPING DONALD?

US President Donald Trump continues to embarrass the ‘free world’ with talk of banning people and building walls. Internationally, he seems to be talking himself into a war without being sure who with.

It shows the folly of electing non­-politicians such as Mr. Trump to high political office. Businessman he may be, and media personality he may be, but politician he is certainly not.

His connections with Russia, real and imaginary, are causing alarm in the US and already there are mutterings about pressuring him to resign or removing (impeaching) him.

In my seven decades I can never remember an American President being so thoroughly disliked for so many reasons.

A list of Anti-Trump demonstrations appears in Wikipedia: https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_protests_against_Donald_Trump

--

DUMPING BREXIT?

Extreme right-wingers within the Conservative Party, and the ‘hate’ newspapers such as Daily Mail, are trying to railroad us out of the European Union before full implications of leaving are understood by the British public.

This Brexit idea is undermining the value of the pound and eventually might destabilise our economy. Two thirds of exports from Wales go to the EU. It’s time to say, “Hell no, we refuse to leave!”

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair (not one of my favourite politicians) has at least had the guts to speak out against Leavites and try to provide a new focus for those of us who wish to remain in the EU.

We should not be conned into thinking that leaving is inevitable. People who voted Leave have a right to change their minds.

Photo of Tony Blair © The News Tribune

--
SUN 5th MAR 2017 UPDATE: Mrs. Petra Williams who is doing media studies says Daily Express is even more of a ‘hate’ newspaper than Daily Mail. She has got to read both of these and other rags as part of her coursework.
“After a while the relentless foreigner-bashing goes in one eye and out the other,” says Petra. "Another known offender is The Sun. Luckily I don't have to read that one as well, let us all be thankful for small mercies!"

Yes indeed, yes indeed . . .

--

AN ALEX GALLERY

On this Valentine's Day here is a bouquet for the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Rhyl, which is held in affection because of its function and because it still looks good despite inevitable alterations.

Images in this post are from the very early days, probably first decade.

The Alex is on a site previously occupied by a house named 'Plastirion' which had been built as a seaside home for Dr. Stephen Warren and his family. Dr. Warren was a physician to Queen Victoria.

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

The Alex opened officially in 1902 as a children's hospital. There were no miracle drugs for kids who were afflicted by illness, but plenty of fresh sea air and TLC!

Whether the patients were local or from industrial cities far away, the main cause of their maladies - directly or indirectly - was poverty.

Initially there were 160 beds. As time rolled by the capacity expanded and the Alex became a General Hospital. Now it is classed as a 'community hospital' and comes under occasional threat of closure.

The Alex is such an important institution in Rhyl that closure should never be contemplated - not even for a moment! Its services are too valuable and its historical significance really quite considerable.

To see ALL posts relating to hospitals please click here:
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/HOSPITALS

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

--

DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING YET

Many mysteries here at Jones Towers such as these three images of  shops with no information to explain when or exactly where they existed. They are captioned as being Rhyl pictures and I have no reason to doubt.

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

Firstly, Stott & Owen, newsagents tobacconists sweets chocolates. Something about this suggests possibly Wellington Road. Next door bears the name Westward House, and this may be a clue.

Next is F.H. Homan, hairdresser and tobacconist. I have seen seen Mr. Homan's name in old Rhyl newspapers and wonder where the shop was. Bill Ellis thinks Kinmel Street:

Finally, Hughes's Service Café & Stores, fish & chips groceries provisions. Possibly not a town centre shop. Twist my arm and I'll say Wellington Rd or Vale Rd but I could be wrong. The width of pavement may be a clue.

--
More is known about the following picture. It was taken in 1921 in Rhyl and is a typical shot of a coach party.
Far left: love the knitted hat with pom poms.

The untypical thing is that this is neither a Brookes Bros White Rose nor a Rhyl & Potteries Primrose. It is a Royal Blue coach - a company based in the South and West of England.
Where is it parked? Rhyl west end obviously, but what street? Younger legs than mine could go and investigate.

More info about Royal Blue Coaches in Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Blue_Coach_Services

--
TUE 7th FEB 2017 UPDATE: Gareth Morris reports that the coach was parked in Seabank Road opposite the present Rhyl Bowling Club. Thanks, Gareth! Circumstantial evidence suggests that the party was on a visit to Marine Lake Fun Fair.
On your right in the image below is the Fun Fair's first novelty ride known as the Canadian Water Chute. On your left is the spectacular Figure Eight Rollercoaster which was built where it stood in 1920, the year before the coach picture was taken.

--
Re: STOTT & OWEN. Mike Davies reports that the building in question is 177 Wellington Road now occupied by Coastal Homes letting agents. It is near the junction with Palace Avenue. Thanks, Mike.

--
THU 17th MAY 2018 UPDATE: Another mystery shop! Below is an amateur snapshot of a business named Quality Photos, slightly blurry and dated 1954.

On far right is the building number, 36. But what street – anybody know?

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

--

YEAR OF THE DEAD DOG

The Brexit bandwagon rolls on. Formal ‘leaving’ negotiations between UK and the rest of EU may now begin thanks to the Labour Party rolling over and playing dead dog instead of fighting to stop the process starting.

Government is stuck with the result of last year’s public referendum and feels obliged to try and leave even though leaving is a bad idea. Prime Minister Mrs. May has to find a way of leaving without actually leaving.

In recent Parliamentary debates much was said about our need to leave EU to restore our sovereignty. [Don't be fooled. That would make the British Government more powerful, not make the British public any better off.]

There is an even bigger farce on the other side of the Atlantic where Mrs. May’s ‘special friend’ President Trump has managed in a remarkably short time to aggravate half the world and bring the US and its allies (including the UK) into disrepute.

Following Mr. Trump’s antics is like watching a Family Guy special where Peter Griffin becomes the President. American houses of government are rolling over and playing dead dog instead of reining him in.

--

SPORTY SCHOLARS

From Dave Williams come these images of sports teams at Rhyl County School. County School was the pre-World War 2 forerunner of Rhyl Grammar School (now incorporated into Rhyl High).

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

The photo of the football/soccer team is dated 1928-29; the cricket team is dated 1930. From the same source comes this picture of County School boys of same period:

Thanks, Dave!

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

See my Rhyl videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RhylTime
Only the videos marked RhylTime are mine!

--

WATERPARK

Yesterday, Denbighshire councillors agreed to a new attraction for Rhyl described as a Waterpark, This is to be sited near the Skytower as shown in the designs above (which are not precise in every detail).

The Waterpark is a kind of replacement for the Sun Centre. Jamie Glover, one of Denbighshire's unelected officers, says the Sun Centre ". . . didn't really provide a significant economic return to the town given it was far removed from the town centre."

Hmmmm. That's not what shopkeepers were telling me when it closed. Prestatyn's Nova Centre is being hailed as a success after a £4-and-a-half million makeover – not exactly in Prestatyn town centre, is it?

Anyway the fun and games at Rhyl's new Waterpark should pull in the crowds at least while the attraction remains a novelty. I welcome it with open arms; Rhyl needs to be refreshed by something new.

The Sun Centre cost just over £4 million in 1991 (not much more than £6 million in today's money). The new water park is estimated at £15 million. I wonder how Denbighshire is going to pay for it.

--

FRI 3rd MAR 2017 UPDATE: The official name of the project is Rhyl Waterpark and Leisure Attraction (RWLA) aka Aquatic Centre. For our purposes Waterpark will do.
As for the cost, Rhyl Town Council has put £2 million in the kitty, and there will be £800k from the Tourism Investment Support Scheme (TISS) operated by Welsh Government. Denbighshire County Council will borrow the remainder of the required £15.4 million.
Cost of relocating the present skateboard park is included in calculations. Even so, the Waterpark will by far the most expensive item in the history of Rhyl. I hope that councillors have compared costs with other waterparks to ensure that we are not getting ripped off.
There are more than a dozen waterparks in UK and the number is steadily increasing. By the time ours opens in 2019 it will not have much in the way of novelty value.
Failure to attract a sufficient number of users will put Denbighshire’s budget under strain, so let’s cross our fingers and hope for a big success.

--
SAT 21st OCT 2017 UPDATE: Further to Mr. Glover's comment about the Sun Centre being "far removed from the town centre", this postcard is a reminder of how near/far it actually was - the roundabout on your left is at top of High Street.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RHYL SCHOOLS

Ysgol Llywelyn is spelt Llywelyn so I have corrected previous mentions in this blog that referred to it as Llewelyn. The confusion arises because Ysgol Llywelyn is in Trellewelyn Road. 

Occasionally, spellings can cause confusion. The former school in Vaughan Street was Christ Church (2 words); the current one is Christchurch.

Recently the primary schools Llywelyn, Emmanuel & Bryn Hedydd were in the highest possible grade of Welsh Government rankings.
Da iawn!

--