LIFE GOES ON: NOV 2018

Above: 1956 advert for Prince's Water Phantasy at the council-owned Open-Air Bathing Pool ('The Baths') on the prom, featuring exhibition divers, swimmers and novelty acts: Tarzan and his mate, The Famous Lambert Trio, Prince Zahoor the 'brilliant Indian balancing star', and The Water Phantasettes.
When these performers were out of the way you could go and have a dip. The location was roughly where the Events Arena is now.

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During November 2018 the following posts were updated:

Electrip Records, letter from Italy -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2015/11/quiz-answer-115.html

Grand Theatre, ‘A Little Bit Of Fluff’ -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2016/10/grand-times.html

Gronant, more old pix -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2016/05/quiz-answer-135.html

Hovercraft, another pic -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2009/02/back-to-drawing-board-2.html

J.A. Elliott-Jones, artist -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2016/02/quiz-answer-127.html

Jasper Maskelyne in Rhyl -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2009/10/cinderella-49.html

Monorail 1980 -
https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2009/03/monorail.html

Pont y Ddraig aka Dragon Bridge, Foryd -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2015/08/quiz-answer-105_23.html

Promenade ‘walking photos’, another pic -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2009/07/toms-story.html

Rhuddlan, vintage pic of High Street -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2017/10/rhuddlan-request.html

St. John’s Church, Wellington Road -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2017/11/flashback-31.html

Westcliffe Hotel, West Parade -

https://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2009/06/western-front.html

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RECAP ON THE QUEENS

Earlier this month, Denbighshire County Council announced a £5 million redevelopment plan that targets the run-down Queens Indoor Market which has entrances in West Parade, High Street and Sussex Street.

Queens Market (established 1960) was previously Queens Ballroom which was established in 1920s. The splendid dance floor was taken up and sold at the time of conversion. Queens Theatre upstairs closed shortly after the ballroom.

Queens Theatre & Ballroom were preceded by the Grand Theatre upstairs with indoor roller skating rink below. Early film shows started at the rink and then moved upstairs to the theatre which operated off-season under the name Futurist Cinema.

Grand Theatre and the skating rink comprised a redevelopment of the Queen's Palace i.e. palace of varieties, which included theatre, ballroom, exhibitions and novelty sideshows. Queen's Palace opened in 1902, was open only in summer seasons, and closed down after a fire in 1907.

[Note for romantics: For two or three seasons Queen's Palace had in its basement a 'Little Venice' exhibition which included a gondola ride. This was taken out a couple of years before the fire and was nothing special in that day and age.]

A lot of genuine history is associated with the building and, up to 5 or 6 years ago, I would have thought it worth preserving if enough public money could be found. But since then the town centre has nose-dived and is in urgent need of something new.

At this point in its history Rhyl needs something new more than it needs something old.

Also in the proposed new scheme is Queens Market's next-door neighbour in West Parade, the Savoy Enterprises' building at Nos. 7-13. For a long time until fairly recently this was owned by the Trehearn family and operated under the name Vern's Amusements.
Readers may remember its corner of Queen Street as The Bistro night club (originally Savoy Cafe).

At present Denbighshire Council is seeking match-funding from Welsh Government for the proposed scheme and has not yet announced what it would intend to create on these sites.

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Above: I like the idea of a tobacconist named Mr. Stubbs . . . and indeed a sprinter named Mr. Bolt!

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

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ECHOES OF WORLD WAR 2

Of the above, the late Les Slee of Molineaux Road, Rhyl, said: "This is a picture of Military College of Science (later RAMTS) Group 37A taken in Rhyl in September 1941 after the passing-out parade following completion of apprenticeships. I am on the right-hand end in the middle row. One of the officers in charge was Colonel A. T. 'Goldie' Gardner who was a test driver for MG cars. He had only one arm.
     "These boys went all round the world as Artificers reparing motor vehicles, instruments and guns, and some never came back alive. Quite a few of us (including me) got married to Rhyl girls and settled happily here."

In the photo below, Mr. P.T. (Phil) Trehearn is shown far right in fundraising mode. As President of Rhyl Individual Traders' Association (RITA) he started a war comforts fund and organised the local British Red Cross Penny-a-Week Fund. Mr. Trehearn became a member of Rhyl Urban District Council during the war. Photo supplied by Peter Trehearn.

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

The image above was supplied by Eric Hughes whose wife Doreen commented as follows:
"At Marine Lake Fun Fair my father, the engineer Albert Barnes was resident director. When the war began I was only 13. The fairground was open as usual on summer evenings and I used to help out there. My father's workshops in Westbourne Avenue were requisitioned by the Army. He experimented with apparatus to be fixed on the front of tanks to explode land mines.
     "The picture above shows an example of a rolling device. In the background is a government inspector. The outcome of the experiments was a device involving flailing chains, which was actually used by the military."

The image below was supplied years ago by Mr. Joe Cooper of Prestatyn. It shows 'C' Company Home Guard GPO Rhyl (that's right, Dad's Army) with a serious gun known as the Northover Projector.

All four images so far are from the book 'Rhyl In The Second World War' by Yours Truly which was published in 2003 and may be available from local libraries.

The one below, showing 'F' Company Home Guard Rhyl, came to hand too late to be included in the book.

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MON 2nd APR 2018 UPDATE: 'Rhyl In The Second World War' says, "The beach was spiked with long wooden poles, and pyramid-shaped concrete objects were positioned on the sands to prevent enemy landings by air or sea."
Below is an image not in the book, a recent acquisition showing holiday-makers and donkeys among the beach barricades at Rhyl in 1944.
Click on the image to see a bigger version.

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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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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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QUIZ ANSWER # 156

Last Sunday I posted a photo, probably 1950s, of a place in Queen Street. The question: What is the name of the place?
The answer: OAP Friendship Club.
Here is the photo with missing words restored:

The club was founded in 1952 by Councillor/Alderman P.T. (Phil) Trehearn in upstairs premises at 72 Queen Street and operated for well over forty years. Last time I looked it was Flames Steakhouse & Bar.

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Second question was about a card posted in 1979. The name of a house had been hidden by black dots. The question: What is the missing name?
The answer: Bryn Estyn.
Here is the image with missing words restored:

Bryn Estyn, 85 Russell Road, these days is a privately owned care home managed by Karin Witherspoon.

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Scoring 1 win for Friendship Club and/or 1 win for Bryn Estyn:
Sue Handley 2, Jane Shuttle 2, The Great Gareth 2, Richard & Ceri Swinney 1, and Dilys Bagnall 2.

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Dilys has supplied snaps taken circa 1950 showing General Post Office (GPO) workers in Rhyl. The first shows them assembled outside the main post office in High Street, opposite where Boots chemist is now:

Dilys' father Arthur Hughes is seated at the end on your left. Standing far left is Alf Murray.

Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

The following was taken outside the sorting office which was at the rear of the post office. Arthur Hughes is on your left:

Many families in Rhyl and district have GPO connections so these photos may help with family history. Thanks, Dilys.

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No longer with us is the sex shop I mean licensed adult centre at 43-47 Queen Street. Our permission-givers obviously thought its location close to the Children's Village was appropriate. I didn't.

In High Street the camping shop Granite Outdoors at No. 64 has folded its tents and gone. The shop had far too many sale promotions and cluttered the pavement with displays but was marginally better than no shop.

A survey says more than 1 in 5 Rhyl shops are empty. See Daily Post:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/ghost-town-warning-one-five-11910657

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RETURN TO VAL'S

Last week in the company of my pal Diane Heirene I made a return visit to Val Adams, widow of Peter Adams who collected old Rhyl pictures. Some that I borrowed are in this post; others will pop up later as quiz questions.

This pic was taken in the wake of a big fire that damaged a large part of Market Street in 1903. The photographer had his back to High Street looking towards Queen Street where a large number of people are peering over a barrier at the wreckage.

Further away in the photo is Rhyl Town Hall and its separate Market Hall. Just visible through the gap between these two buildings is a Water Street business named (W.N.?) Martin.

Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

Below is a advertising card of Grosvenor Saddlery Works, Rhyl. I wonder where that was. 

The lower item is a 1930s snap of a shop, C.W. Evans, greengrocer, florist and fruiterer, which may have been in the Grange Road area:

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Above: a mix of local councillors and Rhyl Football Club personnel at a double cup event presumed to be circa 1950. In the back row, 2nd from left is Councillor Glyn Vaughan, and that may be Don Spendlove further along in a fetching three-piece striped suit.

Unmistakeable in foreground, centre-right is footballer Tom McKillop holding one end of a trophy at the other end of which is Councillor P.T. (Phil) Trehearn. Is that Bill Russell the team manager furthest right?

Do send me your corrections, errors and omissions.

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Above: An undated and rather charming shot of Elwy Street in the snow. Would make a nice Christmas card!

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Copyright in this picture of Rhyl Lifeboat belongs to Philip Micheu. The late Peter Adams, collector of all these items, is standing in the foreground (furthest left).
Paul Frost MBE, Deputy 2nd Coxswain & Press Officer, Rhyl RNLI says, "This picture is in our boathouse mounted in a frame on card. Next to Peter are George Povah, Coxswain William (Billy) Hunt, 2nd Coxswain Gerald Hughes who still comes to the boathouse, and Stan Drummond. In the background is Dennis Jones with Bruce Herbert BEM in front of him."

"The boat had just returned from a long service. Don’t know the date but it is early 1960’s. The lifeboat is the 'Anthony Robert Marshall'. Only Bruce and Gerald are still with us, the rest are deceased."

Copyright in the following photo of Peter Adams the collector at a later date, belongs to Rhyl Journal:

Paul Frost says, “Peter is shown inside the canopy of the ‘Har-Lil’ Oakley-class lifeboat, on station 1969 to 1990. Pete is sat in the mechanic’s seat in front of the long range medium-frequency radio. I sat on the other side as radio operator and assistant mechanic. The photo was taken from the coxswain’s position looking towards the front of the boat, probably in the mid 1970s.”

Thanks Paul, and this seems an ideal moment to urge Rhyl Life readers to give generously to the lifeboat whenever the opportunity arises. These men risk their own lives to save others.

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FRI 4th AUG 2017 UPDATE: I note here with sadness that the above-mentioned Diane Heirene passed away in July 2017 at about 70 years of age. The house in which she lived in Wellington Terrace, Rhyl, was her only address; she was born there and never lived anywhere else.

Diane was a gentle, bookish person who never managed to conquer her addiction to cigarettes. I’ll miss her phone calls about Rhyl history and miss seeing her walking along Wellington Road to and from a voluntary job at the Mind charity shop in Bodfor Street.

Ta-ra Diane, thanks for your friendship x

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SUN 6th AUG 2017 UPDATE: Bill Ellis knew Diane Heirene since childhood and he has supplied the above pic taken from a 2002 edition of Daily Post. Diane is furthest right.

The occasion was an industrial dispute at the clothing factory where she worked, Fineline Cymru in Cefndy Road, Rhyl.

If you can name any of the other Fineline girls, please get in touch.

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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 137

Last Sunday I posted these images of four persons of Rhyl interest and asked who they were:

Above is Don Splendlove, Rhyl Football Club's incomparable goal scorer of the late 1940s and 1950s. Mr. Spendlove was also a plumber:

The Spendlove items were supplied by Dave Williams. Thanks, Dave!

Below is G. Mervyn Williams who was a teacher at Christ Church School, Vaughan Street in the 1950s. Mr. Williams left in 1957 to be headmaster of the C. of E. School in Garston, Lancs.

Above is Linda Trehearn in her 'flipping burgers' days at the snack bar in the family's arcade, Vern's Amusements in West Parade. Last I heard of Linda she was working in a care home in Rhyl.

Below is Mohammed Mehmet who has been the Chief Executive of Denbighshire County Council for the last 7 years. Recently I saw him on TV in his role of Chief Returning Officer announcing an election result in English and Welsh. 

Scoring 1 win for each correct name: The Great Gareth 2, Jane Shuttle 2, Dilys Bagnall 1, Sue Handley 2.

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Earlier this month there was an election of Police & Crime Commissioner for North Wales. The winner was the Plaid Cymru candidate Owain Arfon Jones who is an ex-police inspector and a Wrexham councillor.

Click here to read about Mr. Jones' plans and priorities in Daily Post:

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-north-wales-crime-tsar-11314190?ptnr_rid=381515&icid=EM_DailyPost_Nletter_News_smallteaser_Image_Story2

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FLASHBACK #18

A few days ago a reader supplied this item. It is a photo of the northern end of High Street, Rhyl.

Left of centre is the Royal Hotel on corner of Sussex Street; the story is that the Royal sold most of its ground to provide space for building the Plaza Cinema. The Piazza restaurant stands on that corner now.

[Incidentally I see The Piazza listed in some places as 24 High Street and others as 10 Sussex Street. Good luck, historians of the future.]

In the photo, outside the hotel there is a kiosk that looks like a booking office of some kind. Even more interesting perhaps is the half-hidden poster attached to the railings, which seems to say: Adeler … / Pie … / Olympi … / Opp … / Dail …

Piecing out its imperfections, this becomes Adeler & Sutton’s Pierrots / Olympian Gardens / Opposite the pier / Daily at ...

The poster indicates that the scene must be before 1909 when Edwin Adeler gave up; twist my arm and I’ll say circa 1906. You can read more about Adeler & Sutton’s Pierrots in Bill Ellis’ book Entertainment in Rhyl And North Wales pages 17-19.

Across the road from the hotel, in the same position as it is today is W.H. Smith. This company was the first chain store in the world - not many people know that.

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FRI 5th MAY 2017 UPDATE: Recently arrived here at Jones Towers is this image of that kiosk outside the Royal Hotel. It is a coaching office, a booking office for trips on F. & J. Heathcote's horse drawn coaches.

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KEN TREHEARN

Rhyl Life notes with much regret that Ken Trehearn formerly of Vern’s Amusements in West Parade (pictured above) passed away on Saturday 30th March 2016. Here is a link to Ken’s obituary in Daily Post:

http://www.bmdsonline.co.uk/daily-post/obituary/trehearn/45681385

Picture from Rhyl History Club.

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SEAFRONT EAST

The eastern side of the seafront, far from noisy attractions in the west, has a relaxing atmosphere preferred perhaps by older residents and visitors.

Below: Sandhills that used to be at the east end of the beach. Eventually these were removed by Flintshire council. Some observers felt sad to see this natural part of the landscape disappear.

The following snapshot of an unknown family is dated 1929 and has East Parade in the background. Love the cloche hats - I do wish they would come back into fashion!

Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

Spaces on eastern prom for exercise on bowling greens and tennis courts shown below, and there was swimming at The Baths (see under the label SWIMMING on your left near top of this page).

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This rare pre-WW2 item shows the Sportsland amusement arcade in East Parade, near to High Street. The picture came from Peter Trehearn; the arcade was run by his maternal grandfather (his mum's dad) Bernard Bestwick who also had an arcade in Barmouth.

Mr. Bestwick's other business in Rhyl included the Joyland amusement arcade in Queen Street, and silver plating factories in Bedford Street and off Vale Road. Here is a photo of him from Peter's collection:

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The postcard below shows the prom east of the pier just as I remember it as a kid in early 1950s. On your left are chalets that were for hire if you preferred a little more privacy by the seaside - and could afford it.

Below from Rhyl History Club is an image showing the Floral Hall being built at the end of the 1950s, and from my own collection a later image of the gardens outside what was - by then - the Royal Floral Hall.

These postcards of the Rock Gardens and hotels in East Parade including the Westminster have a 1960s/70s period charm:

You know I would end with a donkeys picture, didn't you?

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These references are added here for indexing purposes: Marine Drive, super speedway.

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

Don't forget my 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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HERE'S A FUNNY THING

Further to recent posts about Roy Lance who drew cartoons for Rhyl Leader newspaper, here is a 1950s reprint of one of his from late 1940s depicting Rhyl councillors as pantomime characters. (There would have been no malice in this.) The following identifications are by Roy Turner whom I regard as The Oracle in such matters.

Left to right:

Back row: Stanley Roose who was a school teacher and Musical Director of Rhyl Operatic Society; Don’t know; Don’t know; R.L. Davies leaning out of a window looking at the promenade clock tower that he donated to the town; R.L. had a clothes and material shop in High Street.

Front row: Broker's man left - John Brookes who owned a shop in Vale road by the bridge; Broker's man right - Frank Hadley who owned property and one was the butcher's shop which Brian Stable's mother had at the bottom of Grange Road bridge; The Dame is P.T. (Phil) Trehearn, and Buttons is Roy Lance the cartoonist; Cinders - Joe Holroyd the Director of Little Theatre Club; The Witch - Don't know.

Peter Trehearn is delighted to see his Grandad in drag! The cartoon, as in previous posts, is from files of the late Glyn Rees. My thanks to Roy Turner for the IDs. 

In the days of the cartoons, Rhyl council (Rhyl Urban District Council) was a comparatively powerful body that made important decisions affecting the town. Members such as the ones above, would have been well known enough to appear in a cartoon context and be recognised by the reading public.

How times have changed! These days Rhyl Town Council is merely a community council and not very important. Few members of it would be known to a large proportion of town residents. Until recently I had no idea who my present ward councillors were.

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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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