QUIZ ANSWER # 195

Last Sunday I said that in the late 1950s this entertainer topped the bill at a Sunday concert in Rhyl Pavilion. The question: What is her name?

The answer: Jill Day.
She was Brighton-born, mainly a singer, tried her hand at acting. She was popular on TV before most of us had a TV. As a song stylist she was knocked out of the game by the advent of rock 'n' roll. She died in 1990.

The photo is from Bill Ellis who says her Sunday concert in Rhyl Pavilion was in 1958. This information helped me to date the following, one of my own pix in which Jill Day poster is centre left.

Wow, the roller skating rink looks busy!

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Also I said that in the early 1970s the entertainer below topped the bill at a Sunday concert in Rhyl Pavilion. The question: What is his name?

The answer: Jimmy Tarbuck.

Like other Liverpool comedians, JT played Rhyl more than once. The Sunday concert in question was 1971.

Below: A recent picture of yer man with his wife Pauline after they had been married for 50 years.

Daily Mirror / Getty Images

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RHYL SCORES TWICE
Daily Post has chosen 13 of the best places to get a Sunday roast in Denbighshire. Rhyl is there with Barratt's at Ty'n Rhyl, 167 Vale Road (Tel: 01745 344138) and The Bistro Restaurant, 215 Wellington Road - corner of Westbourne Avenue (01745 344333).
Click here if you wish to see the full list:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/best-sunday-roast-lunch-denbighshire-13875288

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THU 8th FEB 2018 UPDATE: In a Daily Post list of best Chinese restaurants and takeaways in North Wales, Rhyl scores twice again with Laughing Buddha, 88-90 Rhyl Coast Road (Tel: 01745 332163) and Yeung Sing, 133 Wellington Road (01745 350773).
Also listed are one in Rhuddlan and one in Prestatyn.
The full list:

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/chinese-restaurants-takeaway-north-wales-12517341

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QUIZ ANSWER # 194

Last Sunday I listed some Rhyl places with every other letter removed.
The question: What are the full names of the places?

The example given:

-e-l-n-t-n / -o-d = Wellington Road

The answers:

1) -u-l-n-t-n / -r-s-e-t = Burlington Crescent

2) -a-n-l-a / -o-r- = Magnolia Court

3) -a-d-w-r-h / -r-s-e-t = Handsworth Crescent

4) -l-s / -o-i- / G-c- = Llys Robin Goch

5) -a-f-r- / A-e-u- = Walford Avenue

Did you get them all right?
Of course you did!

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Alas, Daily Post reports that Rhyl has become North Wales' most crime-ridden railway station:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/revealed-north-wales-most-crime-13861680

Criminals continue to make a bee-line for Rhyl because they have family/ friends/associates here, and they know the town is an easy place to get drugs, and policing is weak.
As far as I can see, little or nothing is being done to deter these people from coming. On the contrary they are welcomed by publicly-funded support projects including housing services.
Your taxes, dear readers, are being used to help Rhyl gain and keep a bad reputation.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 193

Last Sunday I said that in late 1940s this family appeared in a one-off Sunday show at Queens Theatre, Rhyl. The little girl became a big international star. The question: What is her name?
The answer: Julie Andrews.
Pictured above with Julie are mother Barbara and stepfather Ted Andrews. They were at the Queens on July 25th 1948 when Julie was 12 years old.

Interesting to note that on this kind of engagement the biggest names did not necessarily appear on stage last. Position on the bill would suit their travelling arrangements.
If you never seen Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins (1964), The Sound Of Music (1965) or Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) do try to catch up!
Ms Andrews is 82 years of age and still working.

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The following acts are added here for indexing purposes:
Tommy Casserley, Mabel Somers, Mark Rivers comic, Ian Glen magician, Tattersall and Jerry.

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Also I said that in late 1950s this popular singer topped the bill in a Sunday show at the Queens. The question: What is her name?

The answer: Anne Shelton.
To be precise I could have said mid 1950s, but either you recognised her or you jolly well didn't . . .

Anne Shelton had a strong clear voice ideal for theatres. Click here to see her singing on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIJoUqPjv1s

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QUIZ ANSWER # 192

On Thursday 21st September 2017 I posted this 2-page spread from Rhyl's tourist guide book 1959. The advert was out-of-date by 1959.

The question: How might you have known the advert was out of date?

The answer: Alhambra Cafe (bottom right):

The Alhambra was a concert hall/dance hall and 1,100-seater restaurant built in the 1920s, long before the Ocean Beach site became a fun fair. In the early 1950s, as the fun fair was being developed, the Alhambra was divided into two units.

By 1959 when the advert was published, the part illustrated had been renamed Playland arcade/cafe, and the part to your right of it had become Ritz Ballroom. The name Alhambra had disappeared.

The image above appears in book 'Rhyl Music In The Ritz Years 1955-1968' by Yours Truly. It is from the Harry Thomas Archive.
Thanks, Harry!

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Readers report that some images have disappeared from Rhyl Life and other Google blogspot sites, leaving empty spaces.
I believe Google employs people whose job is to change things for the sake of change and fix things that ain't broke.
Perhaps the situation will right itself in due course.

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

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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 191

Last Sunday I posted this photo of a slice of Rhyl townscape. The question: What might you have found here in the 1960s?

The answer is a hotel.

The photo shows corner of Kinmel Street and Elwy Street where Mrs. B.C. Black presided over 'The Central' hotel/guest house/B&B. Her description of the place as being two minutes from the prom and sea might have been a tad optimistic - but that's how landladies tended to be.

[Grammatical note – I tend to write ‘a hotel’ rather than the more correct ‘an hotel’ because the latter now seems archaic. For the same reason I write ‘will’ where ‘’shall’ would be appropriate. Learn the rules then ride roughshod over them, that’s my motto.]

That rounded corner is rather nice. It helps to compensate a little for the angular inelegance of the new-ish medical centre nearby:

Like many small towns in Wales, Rhyl is a remarkably inelegant place. Perhaps this is because - as a poor nation - we can afford only the cheapest and nastiest architects.
Rhyl has also become very prosaic; if you have any poetry in your soul Rhyl would kill it stone dead.

The town is sinking under the weight of people who arrive here already deprived and lacking in spending power.
The latest big name retailer to announce closure of their Rhyl branch is Burton / Dorothy Perkins whose High Street premises are due to close in January 2018.

Top floor of the building in the 1950s & '60s was the Regent Ballroom dance hall. Click here if you wish to read previous posts about this:
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Regent+Ballroom

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QUIZ ANSWER # 190

On 31st August a recent photo appeared with a place name blanked out.

The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Llys Catrin.

Here is the original photo. Click on it to see the restored name.

Also a badge was posted from a campaign by The Visitor newspaper.
The question: What was the campaign about?
The answer: Point Of Ayr Colliery.
Here is the badge with the message restored.

The campaign was part of a struggle to keep Point Of Ayr Colliery in use before its eventual closure in 1996.
You can read about the colliery and Point of Ayr in general in Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_Ayr

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MON 5th MAR 2018 UPDATE: On the subject of coal, this large china plate is a collector's item. It commemorates the North Wales pits and gives the opening date of Point of Ayr Colliery as 1874.
Click on it to see a bigger version.

The following references are added here for indexing purposes:
National Union of Mineworkers N.U.M. North Wales Miners Association.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 189

On Monday 31st July 2017, Question 1 was: What do these two buildings have in common?

The answer: They were both music shops.
At the top is the part of North Wales Women's Centre, Water Street, that used to be Price Evans Music Shop which sold sheet music, musical instruments and records. I bought my first jazz records there in the very early 1960s and recall the husband-and-wife team behind the counter and their daughter T(h)eresa, a wild child around my own age. I wonder what happened to her.
Previously the building was named Harmony House, home of the music shop Box & Co. (originally Box & Stansfield) operated by bandleader and saxophone/clarinet/guitar player Albert Williams. In the book 'Rhyl Music In The Ritz Years 1955-1968' I described Water Street as the Tin Pan Alley of Rhyl. Dance band musicians looking for gigs would hang out next door in Ellis' Bar.
These days it seems unlikely that Jobcentre Plus would accept that as looking for work.

The other picture shows Chilli Pink Express at 42 Queen Street, a food take- away & delivery service. To an older generation of Rhylites the building will always be Greaves Record Shop.

Bill Ellis says that Greaves was previously in Market Street where R.K.M. wool shop is now. Bill remembers queuing outside with guitarist Dennis Rothwell to buy ‘Apache’ by The Shadows. That would have been 1960.

[Going further back in time, ex-Musicians' Union branch secretary Morgan Borthwick remembers the Gold Charm jewellery shop in Market Street on corner of Glanglasfor as a record shop named R.G. Jones, and sheet music was sold at Alan Edwards’ sports shop on corner of High Street & Russell Road where Detour clothes shop is now. Thanks, Morgan.]

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Question 2: How are the following people connected with Rhyl?
a) Albert Cronshaw
b) Mrs. Blake and Miss Grimwood.

The answers: 

Albert Cronshaw was a well known character at Marine Lake Fun Fair. The following is from 'Rhyl At The Fun Fair' by Eric Hughes:
"In the 1930s as a visitor to Marine Lake Fun Fair I saw lightning artist Albert Cronshaw who could paint up to 100 complete pictures in one day. [Wouldn't I love to find one of those! - Ed.] 
Eric continues, "Albert Cronshaw also operated Spider and the Fly (or Spider Racing Game). This was a competitive game for a number of players: a large spider's web was depicted on a back wall, by turning a handle you sent a spider creeping towards the centre of the web where a fly was revolving. If your spider was first to stop the fly, you won a prize. It was not a straight- forward speed game, the handle was fitted with a clutch device that slipped if you turned too fast."

Mrs. Blake and Miss Grimwood were in a news story retold in 'Rhyl In The Second World War' by Yours Truly:
"In Rhyl on April 12th 1945, tragedy struck in a spare room in Brighton Road. Two middle-aged ladies, Mrs. Frances Gertrude Blake and her companion Miss Muriel Elsie Grimwood, committed suicide. They were overwrought after experiencing difficulties in finding suitable accommodation. The ladies were financially secure but said to be mentally unsound. They were found in bed facing each other with hands clasped. An inquest the following month found that Mrs. Blake and Miss Grimwood had died of poisoning caused by an overdose of sleeping pills."

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SAT 19th AUG 2017 UPDATE: Although Eric Hughes refers to Albert Cronshaw more than once by that name, the following image is captioned Photo by Cronkshaw. 

Were Albert Cronshaw and Cronkshaw the same person and, if so, which spelling would be correct I wonder.

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SUN 21st JAN 2018 UPDATE: In the book ‘Strange Requests And Comic Tales From Record Shops’ by Graham Jones (published in 2013)
a former sales rep named Martin Palmer says,“The most unusual shop I visited was Greaves Records in Rhyl. The owner maintained a shrine to Elvis in a corner at the back of the shop; yes, a proper shrine! It didn’t do much for the atmosphere of the shop, in fact they should have renamed it Graves!”

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SUN 13th MAY 2018 UPDATE: In Rhyl, homage to Elvis continues in the shape of a model outside Millie's Fish & Chips Diner, 57 Water Street near junction with Crescent Road.

What was that song? Ah yes, 'There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis' by Kirsty MacColl. All the elements of a good quiz question there!

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QUIZ ANSWER # 188

1) Last Sunday I posted the above photo. The question: Where was I standing?
The answer: St. Asaph Street.
Looking across the site on which the Grange Hotel once stood.

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2a) The question: Where in Rhyl was the Hippodrome?
The answer: On the sands.
It was a later, fancier name name for the outdoor performance area known originally as the minstrel pitch. This advert for E.H. Williams' Merrie Men, written probably in 1904, refers.
Click on it to read small print.

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2b) The question: Where in Rhyl was Constantinople?
The answer: Queen's Palace.
Constantinople was the name of a new attraction that replaced 'Little Venice' which may have lost its novelty value and/or been a franchise whose time had expired. 
A previous post refers:
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/without-paddle.html

Now, let's see. You can award yourself one win for the correct answer to Question 1, two for 2a and two for 2b, plus an extra win if you got all of them right = a total of 6 wins.

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• The Marlborough Hotel, 16 East Parade, Rhyl, has been renamed as Braga Hotel. Tel: (01745) 353036.

• Local radio station Point FM appears to have ceased trading. The Wellington Road premises no longer bears the station name.

• Here is a summery snapshot of girls named Terry and Caroline having a tug o’war with unseen forces on Rhyl promenade in 1957. Holiday-makers or locals, I wonder.

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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 187

On Wednesday 31st May 2017 I posted three images. The question: How many of the images are Rhyl pictures?
The answer: Two.

The first IS a Rhyl picture - the maritime scene shown below has its caption restored.

Pleasure trips came and went from the far end of the pier and occasionally collided with the edifice. The steam packets 'St. Olaf' and 'The Fawn' did considerable damage to the pier and so did the schooner 'Lady Stewart' before them.
Fire and storm damage took their toll as well. Metal was taken from the far end for repairs so the pier grew shorter and shorter.

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The second IS a Rhyl picture - Claude Lane tram in 1954 on miniature track at Marine Lake.

You can read more about Mr. Lane's trams in Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaton_Tramway

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The third IS NOT a Rhyl picture - it's a Kinmel Bay card postmarked 1959, shown below with caption restored.

• If you got the right answer Two for the right reasons, count yourself a winner.
• If you got the right answer for the wrong reasons, count yourself lucky.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 186

On Friday 5th May 2017, I posted a slightly doctored version of this old photo of a Rhyl hotel.

The question: What stands in that location now?

The answer: Front Room & Late Lounge, 91 High Street –

On that corner of High St and Kinmel St the chronology appears to be Dinorben Arms Hotel, followed by Alexandra Hotel (shown in old photo) which may have been the same building.

Then there was a rebuild in the form of Alexandra pub known confusingly to hospital staff as "The Alex". You can fill in the remainder.

[Off The Rails and Bar Blu were two names in use before Front Room.]

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Also posted was an edited version of this 1960s-80s postcard of North Wales pubs, only ONE of which is in Rhyl.
The question: Is it top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right, or centre?
The answer: top left - The Schooner aka Schooner Inn, West Parade.

For indexing purposes the others are listed here:
The Yacht, 1 Marine Road, Pensarn near Abergele /
The Railway (formerly Offa's Tavern), High Street, Prestatyn /
Jolly Sailor, Ffordd Penrhwylfa, Prestatyn /
Steam Packet, 70 Mostyn Street, Llandudno.

Let me repeat last year's message from the UK's chief medical officers. Research shows any amount of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer. There is no such thing as a safe level of drinking the stuff.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 185

On Sunday 9th  I posted the black-and-white picture shown below. The question: At junction of what two streets is the lamp post standing?

The answer: East Parade and Bath Street.
Far right is Children's Hospital on the prom. The building had been the Baths Hotel the road to which became - and remains - Bath Street.
The hotel was there as early as the 1820s managed by Miss Summers & Miss Stevens. It was a respectable inn and bathing establishment with a lending library. It was converted to hospital in 1873.

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Also I posted a pic of a hanging lamp shade. The question: Where in Rhyl would you find this item?

The answer: Rhyl Railway Station (Platform 2).
Here is a wider view in a photo taken this year by Yours Truly:

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QUIZ ANSWER # 184

Ten days ago I posted a couple of photos taken this year.

Question 1) Where in Rhyl would you find the above scene?
Answer: Under the H-Bridge.
Behind Rhyl Tyre & Battery Centre, 117 Marsh Road. Photo by Dave Williams. Thanks, Dave!

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Question 2) Re: the photo below, where was the photographer standing?
Answer: On the H-Bridge.

Looking over the wall and across Arriva Bus Depot towards a row of derelict business units at rear of Terence Avenue.

The photographer was Yours Truly standing on tiptoe.

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

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SUN 2nd JUL 2017 UPDATE: Sometimes I get asked, "How old is the H-Bridge" so here are official opening dates of the four existing vehicle bridges in Rhyl.

1855 - Vale Road Bridge aka Alexandra Bridge

1882 - Grange Road Bridge aka Gladstone Bridge

1889 - H-Bridge

1932 - Foryd Bridge

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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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 182

On Tuesday 17th January 2017 I posted this picture which dates from 1960s/early '70s. In the background, on the inside of the sea wall, is a large notice beginning PERSONS LEAVING BOTTLES . . .

The question: What does the complete notice say?

The answer: PERSONS LEAVING BOTTLES OR GLASS ON THE BEACH WILL BE PROSECUTED.
The notice was repeated further westwards near top of John Street as shown below:

If you were word perfect you could award yourself a win.

The black-and-white image dates from about a decade before the colour pic. It is from Bill Ellis' book 'The Spirit Of Rhyl'. I am pleased to report that Bill is in reasonably fine fettle and still making lunchtime pilgrimages to Sidoli's ice cream parlour.

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BRYNTIRION FARM

Robert Scott has popped up again. This time he says, "I am quite anxious to find a photo of the Bryntirion Farm buildings, once occupied by Mr & Mrs Arthur E. Roberts of the William Roberts Ltd family from about 1915 until 1926.
"It was also known later as Finnegan’s Gardens, between Highfield Park and the railway. This was within an area now bounded by Highfield Park, St. Georges Crescent (part) and Parc Esmor (part) also including Clos Gladstone and Cae Uchaf.
 "If any of your Readers has, or can guide me to, a photo/drawing of the property I would be most appreciative."

If you can help with this please drop a line to Robert Scott via Yours Truly.

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

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NEW YEAR QUIZ (# 181) ANSWERS

On Tuesday 3rd January I posted eight Rhyl questions to get your brainbox working after the Christmas/New Year break.

Question 1 was about a photo of the trough/fountain on the promenade. The question: What is hidden behind the red dots?
The answer: 1963.
Here is the photo without dots. The inscription in full reads: "Presented by Mrs William Jenkins Birmingham 1963."

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Question 2 was based on a 1950 photo of Rhyl councillors and staff.
The question: What is the occasion?
The answer:Routine visit to/inspection of Rhyl Waterworks.
Many familiar faces here. Easily discernible sitting in front row, 2nd from left with hat on knees, is Coun P.T. Trehearn. In the first row of standing figures, 3rd from right is Coun Glyn Vaughan.

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Question 3 concerned a recent shot showing part of a block of flats.
The question: What is the English name of the building?
The answer: New Horizon.
The block is usually known by its Welsh name Gorwel Newydd; it is on corner of West Parade and Butterton Road.

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Question 4. In this image of a religious gathering, what was the nearest theatre?

The answer: Rhyl Pavilion.
The clue in the far background is the white statue of an unknown soldier in Boer War campaign dress, facing the sea.
The gathering is most likely to be the annual Children's Mission c.1890. The event comprised meetings, preachings and processions.

In its two subsequent positions along the prom the statue has faced the opposite way. Incidentally, the designer/sculptor was Herbert Chatham who created the Boer War figure that stands in the shopping centre at Winsford, Cheshire.

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Question 5. Here is a flyer for Celebrity's night club. In what hotel was Celebrity's?

The answer: Marina Hotel
I have a note saying that the hotel was closed following a police raid in 2012. Not long afterwards the hotel was converted to flats (Marina Apartments).

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Question 6. Below: pomp and ceremony draws a crowd. Where were they standing?

The answer: Rhyl Railway Station.
The event is a visit in 1920 by The Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught & Strathearn (1850–1942) representing the monarch at the time, George V.
At first glance I thought that would be the far left of the station building but a photo I took a few days ago says no - it doesn't match:

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Question 7. This building's name is hidden by a cluster of black dots. What is it?
The answer: Rhyl Bowling Club.
The building is in Seabank Road. Here is the picture without dots:

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Question 8. The following roofs (rooves if you like) are where?

The answer: Marine Holiday Park aka Marine Caravan Park,
The business is located in Cefndy Road opposite Rhyl College and is owned by Hoseasons.

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So, how many did you get right out of eight?
Six or more = splendid.
Four or five = OK.
Less than four = Go and stand in the corner!

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SUN 4th FEB 2018 UPDATE: Regarding the visit by the Duke of Connaught & Strathearn, the date was 1920 and the location was indeed Rhyl Railway Station. The Duke had been in St. Asaph attending the enthronement of the Bishop of St. Asaph as first Archbishop of Wales.

The Duke's appearance in Rhyl was brief and took place on a temporary stage outside the railway station in front of a large crowd. This was caught on film by the Shannon Brothers, new owners of the Market Street cinema once operated by Arthur Cheetham.

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