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From July 2019, over 26 weeks, a group of very enthusiastic participants worked on this Community Book with Book of You CIC at the United Reformed Church. This was funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Contributions were also made by residents of Heaton Place and from residents of Coed Craig, Residential Care Home.
We are grateful to all for their valuable contributions.
Welcome to the Rhos on Sea Community Book! Rhos on Sea has been known by a variety of names over the years including Dinarth (also Dinerth), Glanydon, Rhos Trillo, the Welsh version of the name - Llandrillo yn Rhos - and, of course, Rhos on Sea.
Rhos on Sea United Reformed Church where the Book of You group ran between July 2019 and January 2020, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our first main subject of discussion with the group in Rhos was Bryn Euryn Quarry (known as the Brynnie)and numerous matters relating to it. This was largely due to our being fortunate enough to have the company in our group of twin sisters, Gladys and Gwyn, who had been brought up at Bryn Euryn.
The old quarry is now a nature reserve and the house, Llys Euryn, is in ruins and is thought to date from the 9th Century. However, the remains of an old handrail can still be seen and the twins informed us that the handrail, seemingly unnecessary at first sight, was fitted to enable people to find their way in the blackout.
There was also a tunnel running between Bryn Euryn and Rhos Fynach.
Cast of the drama Ednyfed Fychan, which was enacted in 1906 at Llys Euryn, which was the home of the original Ednyfed (from a newspaper cutting brought in by a group member)
An early black and white image of Penrhos. This really depicts the very early nucleus of the eventual school building - the former hydropathic building.
Penrhos College itself was in Rhos on Sea - despite the reference to the main town on this photograph - and was, for many years, a school for girls whilst there was a boys' school - Rydal - in Colwyn Bay but, more recently, the schools have been amalgamated under the title "Rydal Penrhos".
During the war Penrhos pupils were evacuated to Chatsworth House Derbyshire.
Rhos Fynach, as its name suggests, was originally and for many years a monastery but is now a very popular and successful restaurant.
A piece of wood being part of a Rhos Fynach tree destroyed in a storm in Dec 1997 - contributed by Eirlys from the Book of You Group
One of the most interesting stories associated with Rhos Fynach and the weir nearby is the tale of Jack. the salmon-catching dog. Such was his fame in Rhos that he was presented with a solid-silver collar subscribed for by his admirers. There is still a memorial to him in Rhos today and several of the group pass it regularly.
A Prussian Schooner had stopped in Rhos as they were short of potatoes. The then 8 month old puppy caught the attention of a Mr Parry-Evans who bought him for a sack of potatoes! The breed was "Prussian Otter terrier". The dog died as a result of wounds sustained in a fight with a small shark - the dog having actually killed the shark.
A number of our participants had very happy memories of the swimming pools at Rhos.
There were memories both of bathing beauty competitions and 'crazy' nights.
Dai Rees Davies worked as a bouncer at the pool and recalled a near-riot which was difficult to control when Gene Vincent was an hour and a half late arriving for his gig at the pool.
Mr Pastry - Richard Hearne - was a frequent visitor to the pool.
Mr Breeze, at one time pool manager, was recalled for his strictness and many recalled Gilbert Vaughan, the pool lifeguard who had a well-known fondness for Swedish girls!
The wonderful gardens at Tan y Bryn.
The "Tech" started life at Bod Alaw with just cookery, hairdressing and motor mechanics courses and moved to its current site in 1967 where it has grown to a large and much respected educational institution.
Llandrillo College 6th February, 1972.
Later, Gill Rees Davies ( from the group ) would lecture in computing at "the tech" when the initial secretarial, cookery, hairdressing and some nursing ( for only the girls then ) and car mechanics and aspects of building ( just for the boys initially ) gave way to a greater and more modern array of choices in the courses available.
Catering and hospitality at Llandrillo College
This newspaper photograph dates from around 1994 when members of the College's Motor Repair Department were showing Cadi Thomas how easy their Mini Clubman was to drive. In the photo are Maldwyn Evans, Ieuan Davies, Ham Cook and Dave Edwards.
A Mercedes car being presented to the College so that engineering students could carry out practical work on it. This is around 1967 and the presentation is being made by Thomas Wilcock and Son, Colwyn Bay, Mercedes agents in Wales. The car was not brand new but was said to be in good order and was received by the then Principal, W J Griffiths from Brian James MD of Wilcock and Son and Glen Winterbottom, Director. Other college staff in the newspaper photo include Dave Williams.
The Ministry of Food came to Rhos-on-Sea during the Second World War and made it a busy place and "the place to be" due to the numerous "sophisticated" Londoners then residing there. Many buildings were taken over by the Ministry.
There were 5,000 civil servants and their families and every hotel, some schools and domestic spare bedrooms were commandeered. The civil servants who lodged in private houses paid a guinea a week and were known as guinea pigs! School days were split in to half-days - half for the local children and half for children of the civil servants.
The old pier was generally known as "Rhos Pier" and steamers used to travel from it - this never happened with the Colwyn Bay Pier. During the Second World War metal was removed from it to help the war-effort and this is widely considered to be the cause of it falling in to disrepair resulting in its destruction by explosion in the early 1950's.
The photograph shows the old Pier Toll House in 1993.
A vintage postcard showing Rhos on Seas Promenade
Postcards of the Promenade showing it from the Abbey Hotel and the Colwyn Bay Hotel directions. The Colwyn Bay Hotel is now apartments. The picture also shows the building which is now The Toad.
On 20th July 1908, the paddle steamer Rhosneigr sank as it approached the pier at Rhos on Sea, watched by a horrified crowd of people who had been waiting to board it and travel on a day trip to Blackpool.
All the crew were saved, and at low tide the remains can still be seen on the beach as can be seen in the film that follows this slide.
Here are some memories of Rhos from Gerald J Davey.
When the Second World War was declared I was nearly 5 and living in Rhos on Sea. I lived in Rhos for all of the War apart from some journeys to Staffordshire. My father was called up so my mother, brother and I lived initially for periods of time in my Aunt's bungalow there. My National Registration, or I D, was in Staffordshire. However, we returned to Rhos (Colwyn Crescent). As we had been away, our house had been requisitioned by the Ministry of Food and we had some difficulty getting it back from them. I had to take my gas mask to school in a cardboard box with string around my neck. We were taught "the three Rs", the Welsh alphabet, the Lord's Prayer and the Welsh National Anthem and I still know and can say the Welsh words even today. Mr Hedley, the school headmaster, was very forward thinking and prepared us for decimalisation even though it was Wartime and decimalisation did not come in until 1971. We used to play on Bryn Euryn. I was sent to Sunday School and later services at the then Congregational Church, now the United Refrormed Church, and after the war, my father's name was added to the Roll of Honour in the church corridor.
Rhos-on-Sea has always boasted a wonderful selection of interesting shops and still does today - particularly with antique and collectable shops as well as those directed at tourists.
The picture shows Garstang's on Colwyn Avenue. It was a large wholesale greengrocers, the largest of its kind in all the north west.
In the 1950s in Everard Road there were a number of shops. They included:
• Westwell’s the bottling plant with an off licence next door.
• Madam Elliot’s an expensive children’s clothes shop.
• The Copper Kettle, a tearoom.
• Midland Bank – no longer a bank.
• Fenton’s Toy Shop, later in Colwyn Bay.
• Waterworth’s the Greengrocers.[Miss Nellie Waterworth paid to have the bedrooms of some the Heaton Place properties extended].
• Howcroft’s hardware store and across the road Mr Lucas' hardware store which also made bespoke gates, ironing boards and clothes maidens.
• Cutlers the butchers.
• Fennels the Furrier
• There was also a grocery store (that was sometimes called a diary or a creamery).
Also in Rhos there was a Securicor office and Garstang’s Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable merchants which was behind the Coop.
The main group recalled many shops including The Cadwgan Bakery - proper confectioners worthy of the name - and Pinnington's too, Arendale's Fishmongers, Cutler's, Dewhurst's and Price's butchers, Waterworth's greengrocers, Sheard's and Irwin's grocers and a Price's here too and a grocers' shop on Everard Road known always as "The Dairy" and Irene's drapers and Owen's and Turner's electrical shops - Turner's, in particular, were well-known for providing public address systems for local events including carnivals and annual shows - as their vans show in photographs that follow - and this was an age when electrical items were repaired and not thrown away like today.
Dai and Gill joined the group at the eleventh hour but had a wealth of memories to contribute.
Gill's mother ran the "Leila Rooke" dress shop in Rhos for 30 years before the same shop became a small furniture store called "Half a Sixpence", a sweet shop and a florist's.
The family lived above the shop.
Gill's aunt ran the wool shop "Irene" for close to half a century and Gill worked there in her youth.
Gill and Dai lived near the URC in a property called "Woodview" for some 30 years, this being an old coach house for the former Pwll y Crochan Hotel and it boasted an old forge at the rear with a beam bearing the name "Murphy and Son - shipbuilder" which has never been fully explained.
Gill worked in various places locally including as a lecturer at the Tech.
The main group recalled many shops including The Cadwgan Bakery - proper confectioners worthy of the name - and Pinnington's too, Arendale's Fishmongers, Cutler's, Dewhurst's and Price's butchers, Waterworth's greengrocers, Sheard's and Irwin's grocers and a Price's here too and a grocers' shop on Everard Road known always as "The Dairy" and Irene's drapers and Owen's and Turner's electrical shops - Turner's, in particular, were well-known for providing public address systems for local events including carnivals and annual shows - as their vans show in photographs that follow - and this was an age when electrical items were repaired and not thrown away like today.
Mr Boon ran a business in his basement on the promenade where he made and sold a range of woven basket products. Pictured is one example of his work which has given many years of good service.
In 2018, Rhos Point Books closed after 33 years of trading. The shop now deals in antiques and model cars.
Gwyn Morris with a customer just before the shop closed in 2018.
The original Fortes building
Here we have the familiar new building often visited by various members of the group and comprising flats and other shops as well as the café - quite a change from the original
The owner of the Hall was a Mrs Ford and her daughter Millie who dressed all in black.
It was recalled that the Fords held puppet shows in their garage. These shows included a puppet ostrich which laid and egg.
The Fords were very fond of puppets and that was perhaps why they sold off some land for the development of the Marionette Theatre.
They also had a large [real] parrot in a cage.
Outside the Hall was swimming pool.
The Hall became a restaurant [pictured] but is now apartments.
Leaving school from 12-18... memories of some of those who took part in the group
Originally there were fields here but now this is a housing estate designed by Colwyn Foulkes who also designed Heaton Place.
Llandrillo yn Rhos Infant/Primary School was nearby and there were memories shared of having story time outside in the hay.
Houses built by Edward Gorst in 1958 at Stuart Drive in Rhos-on-Sea.
He built many properties in Rhos including many in an arc around Bryn Euryn.
The three best known garages in Rhos were/are Berry's, Hancock's and Rhos County Garage - the latter being VW Audi dealers.
Rhos County Garage was also known as Woollers. On the same suite there was a spray shop, Kingsbury's. owned/managed by Glen Winterbottom.
Berry's was, and is, a series of individual little garages forming one large, trading one and has been so for over a century.
A 1980's aerial photo of Rhos County Garage with cars of the time.
When this site was redeveloped, it was found that a "lock" or similar was buried quite deep under the site evidencing the one time existence of a stream which probably still runs to an extent deep below ground level and under many of the houses of Rhos.
Residents from Coed Craig Care Home travelled by minibus to the initial group meetings but were unable to continue due to the illness of the then activities co-ordinator. Towards the end of the main sessions, a satellite group was established at Coed Craig and many interesting memories were collected.
One resident recalled wedding dresses, at wartime and afterwards, being made out of parachute silk as this could readily be obtained without producing coupons.
Another recalled four cottages sharing use of a communal chip-pan such was the poverty but also community spirit of the past - people "managing" through "give and take", helping each other. Everyone was "in the same boat".
Another memory was of gas boxes, as opposed to gas masks, for babies during the War where the entire body of the baby was encased for safety in the box.
Residents at Coed Craig had already produced and framed and displayed this selection of general childhood memories from their various areas of birth.
Eric Bramall was born in Wallasey and set up the Harlequin Puppet Theatre in Rhos in Sea in 1958. It was the first puppet theatre to be opened in Britain. The puppet theatre continues to this day and after Eric died in 1996, it has been run by Chris Sommerville, who was taught by Eric.
The Harlequin Puppet Theatre has been a prominent attraction in Rhos on Sea for many years having been established by Eric Bramall and subsequently developed by him and his performing partner Chris Somerville who has continued with the theatre after Eric Bramall's death. Chris has the alter ego Mr Bimbamboozle when entertaining children
The Princess Diana Memorial Garden is the opposite side of the road to the new Co-op.
The death of Princess Diana shocked Rhos-on-Sea residents like everyone world-wide. Many of the group remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the tragic news. It is like the deaths of Kennedy and John Lennon. One member of the group wrote a letter of sympathy to William and Harry and got a reply. Others still think of Diana whenever they take a rest on these seats in the memorial garden.
During the Queen’s Coronation tour of the area in 1953 Rhos schools assembled outside St Paul’s Church in Colwyn Bay. Sadly it rained that day.
The Rhos Rose Queen that year was Iris Pritchard and it rained on her Coronation Day.
In 1986 the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana came past the Fiveways Roundabout on their way to Bodnant Gardens.
Heaton Place Pavilion was opened in 2003 by the Duke of Kent [pictured].
Harold Lowe was buried in Rhos on Sea 75 years ago to this year (2019) and was the Fifth Officer Welshman on The Titanic as portrayed by Ioan Gruffydd in the blockbuster Kate Winslett/ Leonardo Di Caprio film. He was a hero for being the only crew member to return to The Titanic in his lifeboat to try and save more people although they had all sadly frozen to death in the icy-cold waters. This was by no means the only maritime disaster for Lowe to survive but all his dreadful experiences took a toll on his health and he was only 61 when he died.
As the death of this very popular actor was announced towards the end of our sessions in Rhos, certain of the group members recalled him fondly. He had his first acting job in rep at the old Little Theatre in Colwyn Bay and was often seen in Rhos as his digs were nearby. Later he became one of the side-kicks to Basil Brush and was a regular in Yes Minister and Yes Prime-Minister and, of course, Heartbeat.
The much-loved comedian Ken Goodwin lived, and died, in this area. He is remembered from "The Comedians" in particular but also shows like "The Good Old Days" and members of the group recalled seeing him and certain of his friends who visited him, including Freddie "Parrot-face" Davies, sitting on benches on the Rhos sea-front.
Mickey Thomas has been a national hero on the football field. This great Welsh character was fighting illness whilst residing at Rhos-on-Sea at the time of preparation of his autobiography.
Rhos-on-Sea boasts several properties with a maritime design - the most notable being The Breakers, designed and built by the same person to reflect the area's marine heritage.
Here is a rare, colour photograph of a single-decker tram on Penrhyn Avenue - the photograph said to have been taken during the final year of the trams' existence.
The tram originally ran from Old Colwyn along the main road and then along Rhos promenade, it passed Rhos on Sea pier right through to Llandudno where there was tram station. The final tram stop has been replaced by the Welcome to Llandudno sign.
In 2006 the RSPB carried out a bird count on Rhos beach. Valerie Cockcroft took these photographs which also show the correct way to hold a bird.
This family were photographed by Valerie Cockcroft with their sledge in the snow, on the beach outside the Caley. They were happy to have their photograph taken as a historical document.
In 1910, the first plane ever to land in Wales landed in.....Rhos on Sea. Robert Loraine had flown from Blackpool and was attempting to cross the Irish Sea but problems with his plane forced him to land first in Rhos and then again on Anglesey before he abandoned his project. Reports of the exact point of landing vary - but either the sea shore or the golf club seem most likely.
Robin Lewis remembers the time he looked out of the window and saw a plane crash into Bryn Pydew and burst into flames. He was 8(?) years old at the time.
The crew were ordered to bale out and all landed safely, apart from Pilot Officer H W Ferris (wireless operator) who was sadly killed after his leg straps failed to stop him sliding through the harness when the parachute opened. His body was found in a field of what is now Pinewood Riding Stables. Dunlop came down in the river Conwy; Steele and Gurcia on mudflats on the east bank of the river, Miller and Wagstaff came down in fields near Hendre Wen farm. O'neil came down near Dinerth Road, Rhos on Sea.
The photograph shows the actual bomber although the crew is an earlier one.
Source: Doylerush, E, 1999, No Landing Place Volume 2: More Takes of Aircraft Crashes in Snowdonia, pg90‐2
Book of You and National Lottery Heritage Fund would like to thank the following:
Members of the Rhos on Sea group:
Eirlys Evans
Barbara Barclay
David Brown
Robin Lewis
Dai and Gill Rees Davies
Gladys and Gwyn
Dave Williams
Gerald J Davey
Valerie Cockroft