Wednesday 25 August 2010

CLASSICAL RHYL # 2



The advert is from a 1947 newspaper supplied by Peter Trehearn.

The Hallé Orchestra conducted by Louis Cohen with star soloist Moura Lympany (above) were quite a draw and only the Pavilion would have had enough seats. The Hallé, I suspect, might have preferred the acoustics in the Queens Theatre, West Parade, where they had played earlier in 1940s during World War 2.

The Hallé came to the Queens in 1941 conducted by Sir Henry Wood (b.1869, d.1944) the originator of The Proms concerts. The orchestra returned in 1942 and twice in 1943, each time under Malcolm Sargent (b.1895, knighted 1947, d.1967) who turned down the offer of a musical directorship in Australia to stay in this country while the war was on.

Whatever the issues of acoustics, Rhyl Pavilion during the war years hosted appearances by the Bournemouth, Liverpool and London Philharmonic orchestras and concert pianists Poushnoff, Moseiwitsch and Mark Hambourg.

6720. Two additional images added here in June 2020:


Above - distinguished American concert pianist Julius Katchen appeared at the Pavilion courtesy of Rhyl Music Club in 1955.
Also in the mid-1950s, the club presented two more American artistes: mezzo-soprano Jennie Tourel and concert pianist Gary Graffman.


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QUIZ QUESTION # 74

These photographs were taken during the last couple of months in Rhyl by Yours Truly. In each there is a street sign blanked out.The questions:
What are the missing names?

If you get one right, you score a WIN.
If you get both right you score TWO WINS.

No second tries accepted!

The closing date is Tuesday 31st August 2010 at 12 noon and the result will be published on this site the day afterwards. Please send your answer by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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CAFE SOCIETY # 3

At the top is an addition to last week’s selection of present-day Rhyl cafes and restaurants. It is the Bridge Cafe in Kinmel Street which has the offices of Coastline Taxis above. Photograph by Yours Truly.

The other images are from Rhyl History Club Community Archive: a 1970s black-and-white photo of what I call Russell Cafe but clearly ought to be referred to as ‘The Russell’ which was in Russell Road, and a 1960s picture of Roose’s Bar B-Q Cafe & Coffee Bar which was No.7 Queen Street next to National Westminster Bank.

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Some years ago Ted Groome of St Asaph, who was a soldier billeted in Rhyl during World War 2 recalled: “We liked to pop in for a cuppa at Wally Spraggs’ little cafe which is long gone. It was at No.1 Crescent Square; there was a handy courtyard at the back for our bicycles.
"Sidoli’s (Wellington Road) was a favourite meeting place for soldiers and girlfriends. The coffee was good and there was always a warm welcome from the three Sidoli ladies who managed the place. They were Angiolina (Angie), Esterina and Scolastica (Scolly).”

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Turning to more recent times, Wayne Chadwick remembers Polish Joe’s in Abbey Street:
Polish Joe’s served a breakfast and a half! A ‘belly buster’ was about £6.25 way back in the early 90's but it could feed a family (4 sausages, 4 bacon, 3 eggs, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns, fried slice, as much toast as you could eat, as much tea or coffee as you could drink, pork chop, 8oz steak, chips, and if you could finish it all he used to put your name on his 'wall of fame' and the next one was free.
Wayne continues, On the opposite side of Abbey Street there was a small cafe run by Mr. & Mrs. Jeavons with some help from their daughter Sam; they were very nice people. At the top end of Abbey Street there was Carol’s Plaice which was a good chippy. All the Abbey street cafes and restaurants have gone now.

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FRI 27th AUG 2010 UPDATE: Geoff Hughes writes re Roose’s Bar B-Q: "The cafe was located on the opposite side of Queen Street from the Nat West Bank, next to Maltby's Butchers. The cafe is now known as The Dragon Boat Chinese restaurant; Maltby's is now The Godfather takeaway. The property numbering in Queen Street was changed in the late sixties / early seventies which can cause confusion!
"This also happened in Bodfor Street. Our family's business, Clement Hughes the ironmongers (now Corbetts Betting Shop) was originally numbered 6 Bodfor Street, but was changed to 18 Bodfor Street at the same time.
"This change of property numbering probably occurred in some other Rhyl streets, changing over to odd numbers on one side of the street and evens on the other side."

MON 30th AUG 2010 UPDATE: George Owen has kindly sent the following photograph marked 1940 showing Wilton's Cafe, forerunner of ‘The Russell’:



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RURAL CHARMS





In recognition of the fact that Rhyl's surrounding countryside is an important part of the resort's appeal to visitors, above are more old
views of villages nearby.
Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

From the top:
BODELWYDDAN by Rae Pickard of 12 Queen Street, Rhyl;
CEFN near St. Asaph: nice old card of Pont-yr-Allt-Goch;
DYSERTH card postmarked 1905;
RHUDDLAN railway station on the Vale of Clwyd line which closed to passengers in 1955;
TREMEIRCHION near St. Asaph: Church of Corpus Christi.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 73

Last Wednesday I posted a larger version of this photograph. In it there is a street sign centre right, behind a lamp post, and the name has been blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Greenfield Street.

The winners: David Hughes, Dorothy Jones, Geoff Hughes, Jane Shuttle, Pauline Hammans, Richard & Ceri Swinney, Wayne Chadwick and Dave Rowlands (first win for Dave).

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Wednesday 18 August 2010

QUIZ QUESTION # 73

This photograph was taken last week in Rhyl by Yours Truly. There is a street sign centre right, behind a lamp post, and the name has been blanked out. The question is:
What is the missing name?

ALL readers sending the right answer shall be credited with a WIN.
No second tries accepted!

The closing date is Tuesday 24th August 2010 at 12 noon and the result will be published on this site the day afterwards. Please send your answer by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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CAFE SOCIETY # 1

The older photos above are from the collection of Peter Trehearn. The black-and-white is from late 1930s and shows his father Vernon in a cricket top with members of staff at the Savoy Café, West Parade.

The sepia is from early 1930s and shows Vernon’s father, the redoubtable and ubiquitous Mr. P.T. Trehearn (later a councillor and alderman) with an unknown person outside Adelphi Fish Restaurant, 64-66 Queen Street.

The Adelphi passed out of family control some years ago, and the present owners gave the old restaurant a face lift earlier this year. It is now called Chilli Pink and the speciality is Indian cuisine. Parked cars defeated my attempts to get a clear shot of the place so I pinched the colour picture from a newspaper advert.

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CAFE SOCIETY # 2


Here’s a random selection of Rhyl cafes/restaurants photographed last Sunday by Yours Truly. Just for your own amusement (not a quiz question) see if you know the street names.

Water StreetClick on any picture to see a bigger version.

Queen StreetWest ParadeWhite Rose Centre, High StreetWellington RoadWellington RoadBodfor StreetVale RoadHigh StreetMarket StreetSussex Street
The names are added here for indexing purposes:
Bay Tree cafe, Rossini's Italian restaurant, Queens cafe restaurant, Sayers, Snax cafe, Tudor Buildings, Fuller Monty, Deli-t-full, Sudburies Eatery cafe, Little Cake Studio,  National Milk Bars, Jays cafe, Rumblin Tum.

If you have a favourite cafe or restaurant in Rhyl, past or present, do send a pic by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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QUIZ ANSWER # 72

Last Wednesday I posted a larger version of this photo. Centre right there is a street sign blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Garnett Avenue.

The winners: David Hughes, Diana & Berwyn Jones, Dorothy Jones, Geoff Hughes, Jane Shuttle, Mike Owen (first win for Mike), Pauline Hammans, Phil Hughes, Richard & Ceri Swinney, Sue Handley, The Great Gareth.

In the lead after this result:
17  The Great Gareth
15  Jane Shuttle
12  Sue Handley
12  The Legendary Lloyd & Kerry
11  Pauline Hammans
10  Dorothy Jones
10  Richard & Ceri Swinney

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QUIZ ANSWER # 71

Evans' Cafe, Russell Cafe
Last Wednesday I posted larger versions of these photographs and asked:
(a) Re: the upper photo:
What was the name of the upstairs cafe on the corner where Game Station and Millet's are?
and
(b) Re: the lower photo:
What was the name of the ground floor cafe where The Hair Studio is?

The answers are:
(a) Evans’ Cafe (M. Evans & Son Clwydian Cafe).
and
(b) Russell Cafe.

The winners: David Hughes (first win for David), Diana & Berwyn Jones, Dorothy Jones, Geoff Hughes, Jane Shuttle, Linda Gordon (first win for Linda), Richard & Ceri Swinney, Sue Handley, The Great Gareth.

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Wednesday 11 August 2010

QUIZ QUESTION # 72

This photograph was taken last month in Rhyl by Yours Truly. Centre right in the picture there is a street sign blanked out. The question is:
What is the missing name?

ALL readers sending the right answer shall be credited with a WIN.
No second tries accepted!

The closing date is Tuesday 17th August 2010 at 12 noon and the result will be published on this site the day afterwards. Please send your answer by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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QUIZ QUESTION # 71

These photographs were taken this month in Rhyl by Yours Truly. They show premises which were formerly cafes/restaurants.

(a) Re: the upper photo:
What was the name of the upstairs cafe on the corner where Game Station and Millet's are?
and
(b) Re: the lower photo:
What was the name of the ground floor cafe where The Hair Studio is?

ALL readers sending both right answers shall be credited with a WIN.
No second tries accepted!

The closing date is Tuesday 17th August 2010 at 12 noon and the result will be published on this site the day afterwards. Please send your answers by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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STREET LIFE

Here are some Rhyl street scenes from the Edwardian Era. King Edward V11 reigned 1901-1910 but the phrase Edwardian, in common usage, has come to mean the period 1900 until 1914 when World War 1 began.

At the top is a view of Bath Street looking northwards. The large picture in the middle shows the upper part of High Street (The Lorne on left under black sign). Finally we have Bodfor Street looking northwards from near where F. Knowles newsagent is today.

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WHITE HORSE

White Horse InnThe black-and-white picture above shows Salt & Co.'s White Horse Inn, Bedford Street, Rhyl c.1890. (The premises are suspected to be a lot older but there is no evidence – the deeds are lost.) The licensee’s name above the door is David Parry; the two figures standing at the door are unidentified. The pic is from Rhyl History Club Community Archive.

The colour photo was taken a few days ago by Yours Truly. The old shop to your right of White Horse was demolished or converted long ago, and the pub was extended. At present the pub is derelict. The most recent operators changed the name to Liberty’s (which was a liberty in itself).

A company has submitted plans to build flats on part of the grounds. The plans were deemed unsatisfactory, met with local opposition and were withdrawn.

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This reference is added here for indexing purposes: Burton brewery.

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PAT WILLIAMS


Further to recent references to photographer Pat Williams, here from Peter Trehearn is a copy of a newspaper advert from front page of Rhyl Journal & Advertiser dated Saturday December 9th, 1939.

The adverts relates to Pat's move to No.2 Sussex Street after a fire at her Portland Studio in High Street. The fire is mentioned in my book ‘Rhyl In The Second World War':

“The war was raging a long way off, but Rhylites of a nervous disposition may have been unsettled by an event in the early hours of Wednesday 15th November. A fierce blaze broke out at Hampson & James, chemists, at 25 High Street . . . The shop went on fire in a cacophony of exploding bottles and falling glass, and there were spectacular colour effects as the chemicals went up in flames. The premises were gutted, and in the studio of Miss Pat Williams upstairs some equipment was destroyed. Mr. Habesch next door had a narrow escape.”

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Re: the Sussex Street address, Nos. 2-6 are now flats.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 70

Last Wednesday I posted a larger version of this photograph on which a street sign is blanked out. The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Spruce Avenue.

The winners: Dorothy Jones, Geoff Hughes, Jane Shuttle, Pauline Hammans, Richard & Ceri Swinney, Sue Handley and The Great Gareth.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 69

Last Wednesday I posted a larger version of this photograph on which a street sign is blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?

The answer: Llys Eirlys.

The winners: Dorothy Jones, Geoff Hughes, Jane Shuttle, Julie Morgan, Pauline Hammans, Richard & Ceri Swinney and The Great Gareth.

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Wednesday 4 August 2010

QUIZ QUESTION # 70

This photograph was taken a couple of days ago in Rhyl by Yours Truly. There is a street sign blanked out.
The question: What is the missing name?

ALL readers sending the right answer shall be credited with a WIN.
No second tries accepted!

The closing date is Tuesday 10th August 2010 at 12 noon and the result will be published on this site the day afterwards. Please send your answer by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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QUIZ QUESTION # 69

This photograph was taken a couple of days ago in Rhyl by Yours Truly. Near the centre of picture there is a street sign blanked out. The question:
What is the missing name?

ALL readers sending the right answer shall be credited with a WIN.
No second tries accepted!

The closing date is Tuesday 10th August 2010 at 12 noon and the result will be published on this site the day afterwards. Please send your answer by email to: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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ABBEY WHERE?

The black-and-white card above is postmarked 1925 and is written in faded pencil to Miss May Morrison of Wolverhampton. The picture indicates that the area of promenade immediately westwards of Coliseum Theatre, top of Abbey Street, once bore the name Abbey Gardens.

Abbey Gardens in due course became a boating pool as shown in the colour card which is postmarked 1968 and sent to S. Pearce, also of Wolverhampton. The prom space under advisement is now part of the Drift Park development.

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QUIZ ANSWER # 68

Rhyl WestLast Wednesday I posted these photographs and asked:
Re: the upper photo:
(a) What is the name of the street in which I was standing?
(b) What is on the other side of the fence on the left of the picture?
Re: the lower photo:
(c) What is the name of the street in which I was standing?
(d) What is the name of the street at the far end of the alley?

The answers:
(a) Gordon Avenue
(b) Playground for ball games, or MUGA (Multi Use Games Area)
(c) Aquarium Street
(d) Gronant Street

The winners:
Dorothy Jones, Geoff Hughes, Jane Evans, Jane Shuttle, Pauline Hammans, Richard & Ceri Swinney, Sue Handley, The Great Gareth, The Legendary Lloyd & Kerry, Wayne Chadwick.

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