GET IN THE QUEUE

A young reader has asked what was previously on the site of Jobcentre Plus in Rhyl High Street. Well, in Victorian times the White Lion Hotel stood there. Here is a picture of the White Lion, circa 1908. On your left is Vaughan Terrace, one of a network of alleys in the vicinity:

The hotel was demolished to make way for the Crosville bus station shown below. The image, late 1950s probably, is from the Glyn Rees collection:

On your right in both pictures is No.78 High Street which started as Town Assembly Rooms and became The Old Town Hall (a pub, later a shop). In recent times the building has been a butcher's shop; currently it's Webbers Leisure adult arcade & betting shop operated by Mark Webber: 

Here is the scene captured yesterday by Yours Truly (during road works):

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This reference is added here for indexing purposes: T Lewis publican.

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QUIZ QUESTION # 91

Below is a photo taken in April this year by Yours Truly.  A street sign has been blanked out.

The question: What is the missing name? (It might be a street / road / avenue / whatever.)

Get this answer right to score 1 win.

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In the 1930s a Rhyl May Queen was crowned by a Princess. 

The question: Was it the Princess of:

     A - Samoa;

     B - Denmark;

     C - Monaco;

     D - Sarawak;

     E - Romania?

Get this answer right to score 2 wins.

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So, if you get both answers right you score 3 wins!!!

You have until the end of Saturday 16th May 2015 to send your entry.

Second tries not accepted.

The result will be published on Sunday 17th May 2015 around Midday.


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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 90

Last Sunday I posted this picture of Rhyl Gardens.

The question: Where were they?

     A - On the promenade opposite East Parade;

     B - In Grange Road near Botanical Gardens;

     C - On the prom opposite West Parade; or

     D - In Wellington Road near Palace Avenue?

The answer: C – On the prom opposite West Parade.

They would have been nearly opposite the junction with Water Street. The picture looks very early 1900s, probably before the Pavilion opened to your left of the scene in 1908.

The patch was known at various times as Rhyl Gardens, Pavilion Gardens, Pleasure Gardens, Marine Gardens, and on one postcard as simply The Gardens. Another name for it was Promenade Gardens but this name was used also for other parts of the prom (which used to be lawned in places).

In the late 1940s on the patch in question a roller skating rink was built and it remained there until 1991.

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Also I posted the following photo in which a street sign was blanked out.

The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Vezey Street.

Having both answers right to score a win, the winners are: Sue Handley, Jane Shuttle, Richard & Ceri Swinney, Dorothy Jones and The Great Gareth. These players are all doing well, and we have two other scorers. Everybody is welcome to join in!

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GENERAL ELECTION - WHAT A RESULT!

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GENERAL ELECTION - THURSDAY 7th MAY 2015
Rhyl Life and the YouTube channel RhylTime recommend
Dr James DAVIES (Conservative)

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• The election results are in: Dr James Davies is now our Member of Parliament. Da iawn, James! Goodbye Mr. Ruin.

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THE SEA, THE SEA

Here is a quartet of Rhyl postcards featuring the sea. It is the town's biggest friend and potentially our biggest enemy. Maybe one day Rhyl shall be a new Atlantis, and deep sea divers might find the Children’s Village and decide it must have been some sort of temple.

Two of these cards are from the collection of the late Glyn Rees and two from Yours Truly. They are unposted and undated except the first one, a view from the pier, which is postmarked 1908:

The following shows what a hive of activity Foryd Harbour used to be. Look at all the workshops on your right! One such would have been Charles Jones timber merchants.

Next is a pre-World War 2 image of the sea, the pier and Rhyl Pavilion with colour added later:

Donkeys. Can’t go wrong with a donkeys picture!

Back to the Foryd for a calm scene with – in the background left to right – West Parade, Ocean Beach Fun Fair, Schooner pub, and in the distance the gasometers in Westbourne Avenue overlooking Marine Lake.

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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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QUIZ QUESTION # 90

Above is a charming old picture of Rhyl Gardens. But where were they? Were Rhyl Gardens . . . 

     A - On the promenade opposite East Parade;

     B - In Grange Road near Botanical Gardens;

     C - On the prom opposite West Parade; or

     D - In Wellington Road near Palace Avenue?

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Below is a photo taken in April this year by Yours Truly. A street sign has been blanked out.

The question: What is the missing name? (It might be a street / road / avenue / whatever.)

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You need to get both answers right to score a win.

You have until the end of Saturday 9th May 2015 to send your entry.

Second tries not accepted!

The result will be published on Sunday 10th May 2015 around Midday.


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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 89

Last Sunday I posted this undated image of Voryd Hotel, Rhyl with two street signs blanked out.  

The question: What are the two missing street/road/whatever names?

The answer: West Parade and Quay Street.

The pub’s location was mentioned on this blog five years ago. Below is the image in full from collection of the late Glyn Rees. Click on it if you wish to see a bigger version:

Quay Street adjacent to the Voryd Hotel may have had a previous name. Wellington Road was Quay Street until it was renamed in honour of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, who was big in the early 1800s.

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On the same day I posted a larger version of the photo below, taken this month by Yours Truly.

The question: Where was I standing?

The answer: Elm Grove.

I am thinking of starting a Facebook page titled We Love Rhyl Alleys And Old Sheds.

Having both answers right to score a win, the winners are: Richard & Ceri Swinney, The Great Gareth, Dorothy Jones and Jane Shuttle. At this early stage Jane is marginally in the lead, having chalked up an amazing ten consecutive wins!

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STOKE ON TRENT CHILDREN'S HOME

Glyn Rees’ daughter Janine says, “In the 1960s my mother Pauline was a cook in the Stoke-on-Trent children's home, Rhyl, and I had to go with her occasionally for a day. The staff and the matron were lovely. Do you think anyone that visits your site may have a photo of the home?"

[The home was in Chester Street, the building may still be there. Does anybody know exactly where?]

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TUE 18th APR 2017 UPDATE: Consensus of opinion is the location was between Chester Street and Olinda Street. The building may have been a big old house named Olinda which no longer exists.
The following photo was taken at Stoke-on-Trent Children's Holiday Home during a birthday party in 1938:

The gent far left I take to be Councillor D.W. Jones, Chairman of Rhyl Urban District Council; the little girl bears a family resemblance to him.
The other chap wearing a chain is the Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent whose Missus is cutting the cake.
A picture of the building is hard to find - can anyone oblige?

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

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