QUIZ ANSWER # 150

Last Sunday I posted the above picture of early-1920s-looking punters waiting for a trip to start from the booking office of White Rose Motor Tours, Rhyl. The question: On corner of what two roads/streets is the booking office?
The answer: West Parade and Water Street.
It is the corner where Les Harker's Monte Carlo arcade is now, photographed last week by Yours Truly:

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Also I posted a photo taken earlier this year with a place name blanked out. The question: What is the missing name?
The answer: Buckley Avenue.
Here is the photo with the name restored:

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Scoring 1 win for each correct answer:
Dilys Bagnall 1, Jane Shuttle 2, Sue Handley 2, The Great Gareth 1, Richard & Ceri Swinney 1. 

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GREEN GRASS OF HOME

Recent hi-tech flood defence work in the west end involved widening the promenade and then covering the new space with good old-fashioned grass. The result is that Rhyl is a safer and greener place, although no doubt plenty of people will find fault with it.

This scheme, like virtually all major schemes around here for decades, was made possible by European Union grant aid. It has long been policy of the EU to channel resources from the richer parts of Europe to poorer parts such as Wales. This Robin Hood aspect of the EU is often overlooked.

Don't run away with the idea that It's our money anyway. Wales is a net gainer from UK's membership of the EU.

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HOTTER THAN THAT

In a recent warm spell, Rhylites were heard to complain, It's too hot! Well it was hotter in the early 1980s on board HMS Rhyl according to an account by sailor Stephen Griffin published in Daily Mail newspaper.
Click on the image to read small print.

This item was provided by Dilys Bagnall - thanks, Dilys.

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The unrelated photo below is from my own collection; HMS Rhyl is shown on 28th March 1967 in Malta:

To see all posts relating to HMS Rhyl please click here:
https://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/HMS%20RHYL

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JUST FOR A LAUGH # 1

Above is a card published by Bamforth and postmarked 1975.

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MON 16th JAN 2017 UPDATE: Below is the same Rhyl photo used on a differing card by Bamforth. The single-storey Coliseum Theatre is shown to better advantage in this version.

Bamforth & Co. Ltd of Yorkshire still exists. The company made 'saucy' seaside postcards from 1910 onwards; these are famous and collectable.

Less well known is that Bamforth made a series of short comedy & novelty films 1898-1915. You could find a list of them on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamforth_%26_Co_Ltd

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The following 1950s image may or may not be a Bamforth but certainly is in the spirit and tradition:

[The first rocket to land on the moon was in 1959 and the first manned mission landed in 1969.]

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Not a Bamforth but this multiview card carries the same timeless 'let's get away from it all' message:

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QUIZ QUESTION # 150

In the picture above are early-1920s-looking punters waiting for a trip to start from the booking office of White Rose Motor Tours, Rhyl.
The question: On corner of what two roads/streets is the booking office?
The correct answer would score 1 win.

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Below is a photo taken earlier this year with a place name blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?
The correct answer would score 1 win.

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You have until the end of Saturday 13th August 2016 to send your entry. The result will appear on this blog next day around noon.

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

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QUIZ ANSWER # 149

Last Sunday I posted the above photo of a stone or plaster carving in Rhyl depicting a medieval-looking building such as a castle or church. The question: Where would you find it?
The answer: Bodfor Street, above Costigan's.
Here is a wider view:

Photo by Dave Williams. Thanks, Dave.

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Also I posted a classical design bearing the inscription Rhyl Urban District Council 1900. The question: Where would you find it?

The answer: Victoria Road.

The plaque is on the gable above Nos. 6 & 7 The Terrace, Victoria Road (at Ffordd Las end). Original name was Council Terrace; it was one of the first projects by Rhyl Urban District Council which had been formed only two years earlier. Here is a wider view:

Photo taken in July 2016 by Yours Truly. 

Scoring 1 win for getting both answers correct is Dilys Bagnall. Dilys is this week's sole winner and I know she is going to be uncontrollably pleased.

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ABBEY AND AQUARIUM

Regeneration of the Abbey Street-Aquarium Street area is still in progress. The snapshot below was taken a few days ago by Yours Truly, showing part of Abbey Street that used to be grim houses of multiple occupation, i.e. the HMOs that everybody used to complain about.

The perimeter of the newly-created green space named Gerddi Heulwen is a building site. A big question is, What kind of people are going to occupy the new properties? It makes no sense to create social housing for general needs in a town where there is no work.

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THE SHADOW KNOWS

In the National Assembly for Wales aka Welsh Assembly, where Plaid Cymru is now the second biggest party to Labour, the team above will be Plaid's shadow cabinet for the next term.

Back row (left to right): Dafydd Elis-Thomas / Neil McEvoy whose portfolio includes Tourism so I hope we'll see him up here / Adam Price / Rhun ap Iorwerth / Llŷr Gruffydd / Simon Thomas / Steffan Lewis.

Front row (l to r): Bethan Jenkins / Siân Gwenllian / Leanne Wood leader / Dai Lloyd / Elin Jones. Elin is the Presiding Officer (Chair if you like) of the National Assembly.

Leanne Wood says, "I have vowed to make sure The Party of Wales becomes the most effective opposition in the history of the National Assembly for Wales."

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BRIAN'S PIX

Brian Pendleton was born in 1931 in Prince Edward Avenue, Rhyl, and went to St. Anne's School and Emmanuel. The above photo of Brian was taken circa 1950 at Golden Sands holiday camp in Kinmel Bay where he performed impressions of radio comedians such as Frankie Howerd and Al Read, sang a bit, drove a van and did some joinery. He was versatile!

Below: Saxophonist Albert Williams on guitar, 'Uncle Vic' Dodd on double bass, Brian on washboard, and trumpeter Bill Roberts on piano, at Golden Sands doing the song 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'.

The song was from a Walt Disney film of the same name (1955) starring Fess Parker as the American folk hero and frontiersman who became a politician. Brian made the coonskin cap out of an old fur coat. Note the background: a mural decoration by local cartoonist Roy Lance.

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In 1958 Brian moved to Robin Hood camp in Rhyl (under same ownership as Golden Sands). His knowledge of joinery came in handy in constructing the Pavilion at Robin Hood. The building had been previously an army gymnasium at rear of Ferry Hotel, Kinmel Bay.

Here, looking for all the world like a vocal group, are (left to right): Albert Williams again / pianist Rod Williams / alto saxist Harry Elliott who was related to music hall star G. H. Elliott / clarinettist, saxist and arranger George Bazeley / drummer Benny Humphries. The photo was taken in 1960s at Robin Hood:

Incidentally, Benny Humphries was brother of guitarist Frank whose name I mis-spelt as Humphreys in the book Rhyl Music In The Ritz Years 1955-1968. Hey ho.

Brian stayed at Robin Hood until 1974 as Entertainments Manager, and then worked for a while at Miller's Cottage camp in Towyn before fate returned him to Golden Sands. Below in 1980s at the camp are the highly-rated organist Ian Savagar and drummer Fred Williams:

Meanwhile Brian had become Media Resource Officer at Rhyl High School (from 1975 until he retired in mid 1990s). He was at the school daytime and at the camp in evenings. Well I did he say he was versatile.

The following is an end-of-season party circa 1980 at Golden Sands. The bearded gent at the back is manager Bill Blake. In the yellow top is Esther Davies and the big baby is her son Kevin:

It was a pleasure to meet Brian Pendleton last month and listen to him reminiscing. At 85 years of age with a clear memory, he is in enviable form and long may he continue! This photo of Brian is by Yours Truly:

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SUN 4th FEB 2018 UPDATE: The image below of Miller's Cottage camp in Gainc Road, Towyn, is taken from a card postmarked 1950.

Now the site is a caravan park:
http://millerscottage.co.uk/

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