FLASHBACK #33

This time we flash back not very far. Here is a snap taken in September 1984 at the Foryd in Rhyl (who could mistake that Ocean Beach Fun Fair background?)

It was taken by a passing stranger. Lined up, left to right, we have Frank Lomax, Basil Connelly, Ray Pearson, "Sandy" Powell and Sam Caruth. They are ex-Harrison Line relief staff.

The Harrison Line was based in Liverpool and ran cargo and passenger services from 1869 until the year 2000 when the business was absorbed by P&O Nedlloyd.

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This seems as good a place as any to squeeze in an image of the harbour that has not appeared previously in Rhyl Life.
It is on a card postmarked 1980 but the photo must have been taken years earlier because in the background on your left is the old domed Pavilion which was demolished in 1974.

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Don't forget Rhyl Life's YouTube channel featuring Rhyl videos and slideshows. The channel is named RhylTime. Click here to see RhylTime's Top Ten:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7BKgZiQNRSaVpnyTl8PgEpPusmd3dl_z

Only YouTube items labelled RhylTime are mine.

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FLASHBACK #31

Many readers would remember Charles Jones timber merchants at Foryd Harbour. In days of yore the harbour was a hive of activity. According to the postcard / business card below, the Charles Jones company was established in 1870. (It closed down in 1988.)

"From SHIP to RAIL"
This would refer to nearby Foryd Railway Station aka Kinmel Bay Halt about which you can read on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foryd_railway_station

"RHYL HARBOUR"
This was a name in common use for Foryd Harbour even though most of it is in Kinmel Bay. Foryd is an old name for Kinmel Bay.

This part of the card's text is repeated here for indexing purposes:

Archangel Reds, Floorings, Bathurst Spruce, Mobile Pitchpine & English Cement.

Vessels discharging at Messrs. Charles Jones and Sons, Ltd.,

Timber Importers & Sawmill Proprietors, Foryd & Rhyl.

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A reader got in touch to say she had searched Rhyl Life for an old picture of St. John's Church, Wellington Road, and failed to find one. What? Can this be true? Hereby I make amends:

St. John's, a Grade II listed building, held religious services from 1887 to 1997 and is now a private residence named Churchill House.

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FRI 16 NOV 2018 UPDATE: Mike Theaker reports that Churchill House is now a Bed and Breakfast business. See Trip Advisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g616283-d2077168

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FLASHBACK #30

The old toll bridge that preceded the present Foryd Bridge is always an item of interest. The image below tells us little or nothing about the bridge but it has a certain charm. Views from downriver looking northwards to the harbour are quite rare.

The image has been re-shaped slightly Yours Truly. It is from a card postmarked 1916. Printed on the back of the card is a copyright notice by
A. Netherwood, Conway. Arthur Netherwood was an English artist who travelled in Wales. He died in 1930.

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Well boys, we men seem to be boxed into a corner: no longer able to take hold of children and – thanks to predatory film producers and the like – no longer able to take hold of women either. We’ll have to learn to hug each other.

A long way from the dark side is this depiction of a young lady landing in Rhyl and being pursued by interested parties while a policeman looks on. Women would send this kind of card to each other.

This is postmarked 1903. It is intended to be humorous and I hope most sincerely that it offends nobody.

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MON 15th OCT 2018 UPDATE: Ditto the following item, a card postmarked 1910.

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

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FLASHBACK #27

Above is a reminder that in the 1920s the fun fair at Marine Lake was sometimes known as Ocean Beach before the newer site was developed.
Westbourne Cafe is just about discernible centre left.
The remarkable Figure Eight Rollercoaster would have been fairly new when this aerial photo was taken. On its far side, Oakland Avenue seems in the process of being created.
There is something peculiar built on decking over the water centre right.

Below is ostensibly a shot of Foryd Harbour but shows how the fun fair eventually reached West Parade. This is a card postmarked 1961.
By that time, Marine Lake Fun Fair and Ocean Beach Fun Fair were both operating. The clanking, the swirling, the screams . . .
Bottom left corner of the picture would be part of Ritz Ballroom, and the 'Casino' to your left of the Big Wheel would be an amusement arcade.

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TUCK IN

London-based publishers Raphael Tuck & Sons started producing picture postcards in 1900 and continued for more than half a century. The Tuck company lost a lot of its original material during World War 2 and merged with other companies in 1959.

The following are Rhyl examples of Tuck cards - Foryd harbour, the pier, Open Air Bathing Pool ('The Baths') and sandhills opposite East Parade. The photos would have been taken circa 1950.

From the same source and of a similar date are these shots of Palin's Ideal Holiday Camp, Towyn near Abergele:

The camp certainly looks a lot different now and has been renamed Palin's Holiday Park:
http://www.palinsholidaypark.co.uk/

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WED 26th JUL 2017 UPDATE:  Here is a rare aerial shot of Palin's:

And for good measure, an undated postcard of Cambria Holiday Camp in Towyn, with intriguing reference to Radio Cycles bottom left:

This camp is still operating as Cambria Caravan Park:
http://cambriacaravanpark.com/

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FOR SEA DOGS

As far as I can tell, none of the following nautical images has appeared previously in Rhyl Life.

Perversely we start with an item that may not be Rhyl. Certainly we had plenty of pleasure boats like this 'City of Birmingham', I'm just not sure the pier is Rhyl's. Anyway, the postcard is circa 1900:

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

Above is a card postmarked 1905. The painting is by Warren Williams (1863-1918); far right would be the toll bridge that preceded the present Foryd Bridge.
Mr. Williams produced work elsewhere in North Wales including Conwy, Llandudno and Snowdonia.

These two show in the foreground the remains of the ship 'City of Ottawa' which came aground before World War 1. The colour card is postmarked 1906, the other is from early 1930s:

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Above is the PS (paddle steamer) Rhosneigr previously named Prince Leopold. The Rhosneigr paddled cheerfully in and out of Rhyl during the 1906-1907-1908 summer seasons until wrecked near Rhos-on-Sea and the Little Orme on 20th July 1908.

Now for a couple of rare shots of Rhyl harbour and estuary from 1920s -

L. S. Lowry made this sketch of the harbour in 1925 -

Here, a night shot of the present Foryd Bridge in its pre-blue days:

Below: an amateur snapshot from the 1960s:

Next is an unposted card. What shall we say for this – 1980s?  

A comparatively recent composition by Rhyl photographer Jo Jenner:

Foryd Harbour is where the township of Rhyl began and where the present wave of regeneration started in 2013 with Pont y Ddraig, the new swing bridge for cyclists and pedestrians.

Copyright in the following photo belongs to cyclingnorthwales.co.uk:

Regeneration continues at long last across the road from the harbour, on the former Ocean Beach Fun Fair site. Further east our Sun Centre is being replaced by something more up-to-date.

The harbour and promenade must be kept shipshape. The seafront, as far as the outside world is concerned, is Rhyl.

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THU 12th OCT 2017 UPDATE: Just arrived here at Jones Towers - an undated shot of boats for pleasure/fishing near the harbour.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 160

Quiz Question # 160 was the last in this second series of the quiz. It comprised the following eight questions:

1. Below is a photo taken not many years ago. The building's name has been obscured by black dots.
The question: What is the missing name?

2. Below is a group of Edwardian gentlemen and a lady outside a Rhyl building.

The question: What is the name of the building?

3. Below is a shot taken in January this year. On nearest side is The Bike Hub, on far side is The Harbour Hub Cafe.

The question: What is the building inbetween used for?

4. Below is a photo of unknown date taken in the London Transport area.
The question: What has it got to do with Rhyl?

Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

5. Above is a part of a photo of unknown date, obviously not recent.

The question: Where in Rhyl was it taken?

6. Above is a shot taken this year with a place name blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?

7. Above is an image of a Crosville bus loading in High Street.

The question: Would the nearest date be 1930, 1940, 1950 or 1960?

8. The above is part of a photograph taken this year.
The question: Where in Rhyl would you see this construction?

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HERE ARE THE ANSWERS:

1.  The Abbey Vaults (in Abbey Street). Photo supplied by Dave Williams. Thanks Dave!

2.  The original Rhyl Pavilion. Photo was taken in 1908 on opening day. Here is the full picture; the gent in the light-coloured trilby hat would be Lord Mostyn, L.N.V. Lloyd-Mostyn the 3rd Baron Mostyn (1856-1929):

   
3.  Harbour Master. Behind the black dots are signs saying Harbwr Feistr/Harbour Master. Photo taken in January 2016 by Fred Burns.

4.  The white coach belonged to Brookes Bros of Rhyl. It is a Leyland Lioness with registration number DM6228.

5.  Grange Court (near Rhyl High School).

6.  The Conservatory, Botanical Gardens. Here is the picture complete with its caption:

7.  1950. The image of a bus loading in High Street is an amateur shot dated 1950.
   
8.  Westbourne Avenue. Here's a wider view of the construction:

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Scoring 1 win for each correct answer plus 2 wins for getting all 8 right:
Jane Shuttle 10, The Great Gareth 10, Dilys Bagnall 5, Richard & Ceri Swinney 10, Sue Handley 4.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 159

Last Sunday I posted the above image of a Rhyl character circa 1900 on Foryd bridge, not the present one but the one before (a toll bridge 1861-1932). The question: Is she most likely to have been a Fisherwoman, Fortune teller, Nanny or Postwoman?
The answer: Fortune teller.
I lifted the image shamelessly from Philip Lloyd's excellent book 'Glorious Rhyl' published 2002.
Of the figure in question, Philip says: "The late Eric Foulkes who gave me this and many other lantern slides believed that she was part of Rhyl's c.1900 holiday 'scene', telling fortunes with the aid of a canary which selected cards in its beak."

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Also I posted the following aerial shot which had been taken in the 1920s and was blurred deliberately. The question: What is the name of the street marked by red dot?

The answer: High Street.
Here is the restored picture. The white car has just crossed the Alexandra Bridge aka Vale Road Bridge:

The date I have been given for this is 1923 so the scene may have been part of the build-up to the ceremonial opening of the present coast road from Rhyl to Prestatyn.

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Scoring 1 win for the Fortune teller and/or 1 win for High Street: Dilys Bagnall 2, The Great Gareth 2, Sue Handley 1, Jane Shuttle 2, John E. Davies 1.

John Davies is a new player. He says, "I was very pleased that I got High Street right first time of looking.
"I am a Rhyl lad born and bred and our family home was at Morfa, 60 Warren Road, which my paternal grandparents purchased new in the 1920's. I am an only son with four younger sisters, Lesley, Margaret, Janet and Kathleen.
"The latter two still live in Rhyl and the other two live down south. You featured the Close where Janet lives on Rhyl Life a few months ago with a blanked street name - Eleri Close.
" I met my wife of almost 50 years in 1967 at The Schooner pub when she was holidaying with a friend in Towyn. We now live about 52 miles away in Warrington with our family.
"My grandfather was a steam locomotive driver and was on the rails for 49 years. He drove the Royal Train when George V and the present Queen and her sister Princess Margaret were with him on a visit to North Wales in the 1930s.
"He was the first driver to take the controls of the Welsh Dragon in 1951."

[The Welsh Dragon was a push-pull train that went back and forth between Rhyl and Llandudno in 1950s & '60s. - Ed.]

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MON 17th OCT 2016 UPDATE: John Davies writes, “In the newspaper cutting below, Miss Nan Williams in traditional Welsh costume shakes hands with the driver of Welsh Dragon holiday special, Mr. R.J. (Jack) Davies of Rhyl – my grandfather. The picture was taken at Rhyl station:

“When the train reached Llandudno on its first journey it was welcomed by radio comedian Cyril Fletcher and his wife Betty Estell.

“In the photo above, my grandfather is standing second from left (in black overcoat) with his four brothers. I don't know the year but I think the London & North Western Railway used this mode of transport in towns where there was no railway line. The town in this case may have been Mold but I am not certain.”

Further info welcome at: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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FLASHBACK #19

It is a while since we had a portrait of a Rhyl May Queen. Here is Gladys May Polkinghorne who was our May Queen in 1912 when King George V was monarch.

George V was of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha which during World War 1 changed name to House of Windsor to play down its German connections. The House of Windsor has continued to today, but I digress.

Getting back to Gladys May Polkinghorne, I remember seeing the name J.D. (Jay) Polkinghorne in the annual Rhyl tourist guides as the author or editor. I believe he was a journalist running the publicity side of things for Rhyl Urban District Council way back when.

Early May Queens were helped by knowing influential people and having in the family enough money to cover the cost of the regalia. It was not a poor girl's game.

To see all posts about MAY DAY & ROSE DAY please click here:
https://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/MAY%20DAY%2FROSE

Please send any similar pictures and/or information to me at:
rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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JOHN POVAH

I note with sadness that John Povah, well known to the fishing and Lifeboat fraternity, died last Sunday in Rhyl, aged 80.

     I first met John in the year 1999 while I was planning to form a voluntary group named Rhyl Seafront Association. I went to his home and saw archives of photos he had taken himself over many years in the Foryd Harbour area.

     John was an interesting and amusing character and his reactions were sometimes unexpected.

     Years ago I asked him whether he thought that the forthcoming wind turbines would spoil the sea view. The old fisherman replied, “Who wants to see the sea? It’s bloody boring!”

More in the Daily Post:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/rhyl-man-john-povah-rnli-11546712?

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QUIZ ANSWER # 127

 

Last Sunday I posted this drawing of Rhyl Pavilion by J.A. Elliott-Jones. It looks as if it dates from early days of the Pavilion, possibly before World War 1. The question: Was the artist facing north, east, south or west?

The answer: North.

The drawing shows the front of the Pavilion which, strangely enough, was illustrated less often than views from the sides.

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Also I posted the drawing below of a scene near Foryd Harbour by J.A. Elliott-Jones.

Click on it to see a bigger version.

The question: Was the artist facing north, east, south or west?
The answer: South or East.
Either answer was acceptable. To view those buildings including the Packet Inn at the junction of West Parade and Quay Street, from across the estuary, you would be facing South East.

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Scoring 1 win for the Pavilion and/or 1 win for the other answer: Dilys Bagnall 1, The Great Gareth 2, Jane Shuttle 2, Sue Handley 2.

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For 'artist'  read 'original artist or photographer'. Thanks to Sue Handley and Bill Ellis (both alumni of Glyndwr School, Rhyl) I can report that in late 1950s/ early '60s Mr. Elliott-Jones was an art teacher there.
So he was copying from old pictures and could have been facing in any direction!

Mr. Elliott-Jones self-published some drawings including the two above, and some are on display in the permanent collection of the museum at Rhyl Library.

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SAT 17th NOV 2018 UPDATE: Below is another drawing by J.A. E-J. This one is of the western promenade and appears to be copied from a photograph, perhaps with artistic licence. The drawing appears on a card postmarked 1946.

The Pavilion's dome certainly gave artists some problems.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 118

Last Sunday I posted the photo below which was taken this month in Rhyl by Yours Truly. The question: In what road/street was I standing?

The answer: Kinmel Street.
I was looking down the alley between Edward Hughes solicitors (on your left) and the offices of Welsh Assembly member Ann Jones.

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Also posted was this photo taken not long ago by Dave Williams. Among the various markings is the phrase monitoring well. The question: Would you find this item to the east, to the south or to the west of High Street?

The answer: To the west.
It is one of several on the footpath between Foryd Bridge and Marine Lake. In Rhyl you can't get much further west!

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Scoring 1 win by sending correct answers to both questions: Dilys Bagnall and The Great Gareth.

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