The following post was revised Sat 13th Feb 2010 in accordance with additional information received from Philip Lloyd:These photographs from Geoff Banks show a Welsh language theatre company named Cwmni’r Foryd, circa 1961. The smaller photo is a snapshot taken during a rehearsal. Both pictures were taken at the Little Theatre Club in Abbey Street.
In the larger picture sitting in front, far right is Chris Rees and next to him is Nan Evans his future wife. Standing at the back, far left is Enid Williams who became the wife of Dr. David Roberts of Rhyl, the local medical officer of health – they moved to Bangor, Gwynedd.
Next to Enid is Geoff's auntie Hulena Jones (in case that looks like a typing error, Geoff says: "Her father/my grandfather was Rev. Hugh Hughes Jones of Trelogan, and maybe that's where the 'Hu' bit came from.") and next is Geoff's mother Iona Banks.
Fourth from left is Robin Jones who died in January 2010 at the age of 71. Mr. Jones was born in Abergele, raised in Rhyl and a teacher in Prestatyn before becoming in 1982 the first presenter on S4C as well as a newsreader on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru. Behind him is Valmai Williams who was an infants school teacher in Dyserth.
A press review of Cwmni’r Foryd’s production of the play 'Lle Mynno'r Gwynt' by J. Gwilym Jones, lists Iona as producer as well as a member of the cast, and apart from company members already mentioned above, these names are given: Gwilym Hughes, Peter Griffiths, Aeron Evans, Phil(ip) Lloyd and Derek Johnson.
Geoff, good boy that he was, was helping out backstage.
--
