Saturday 24 February 2018

LIFE GOES ON: FEB 2018

Artwork by The FastStone Kid - Rhyl's clock tower in original position

During February 2018 the following posts were updated:

The Beatles at Ritz Ballroom -

Chinese food -

H. Batten-Jones, undertakers -

Jewish connections -

Miller’s Camp, Towyn -

Former Morville Hotel -

Plastirion Puzzle -

Sussex Street Baths -

Swimming at Marine Lake -

Visit by Duke of Connaught & Strathearn -


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MORE ANTI-BREXIT ACTIVITY

The UK Government continues to hatch its plan to rob us of our European citizenship. Meanwhile, there is a new organisation named Is It Worth It?  They are running a campaign in favour of remaining in European Union and they have a touring battle bus.

Is it worth it?

Link to the organisation:
https://www.isitworthit.org.uk/

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ALSO there is a new political party named RENEW whose policies include staying in the EU, and I am getting involved.
Link to the party:
https://www.renewparty.org.uk/
See them on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwewVzrYqSM

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WED 8th AUG 2018 UPDATE: The RENEW political party now has a membership scheme and is busy this-month-and-next visiting nine big cities including Liverpool and Cardiff. Some visits are timed to coincide with rallies by the People’s Vote Campaign which wants a referendum on the final Brexit deal. A 2018 poll by The Guardian/ICM indicated that 58 per cent of voters in that poll were in favour of having a second referendum.

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Saturday 17 February 2018

PARTING SHOTS


Most of my favourite old Rhyl images are already on Rhyl Life except the following which have been lying around waiting for a context. 
Before the blog closes to new posts, I present these images for no better reason than
I would hate to see them left out.

In this blog there have been already a couple of references to Professor Miller / Millar who operated Rhyl's first Punch and Judy booth on the prom opposite Queens Hotel. Here is the good professor up a ladder with a ventriloquist's doll:


Queen's Palace

The Queen's Palace dome dates the image as 1902-1907. A point of interest far left is a sign for 'Queens Mews' 
– haven't noticed that before.

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From a 2018 Internet auction: a rare and unaffordable postcard of putting greens at Botanical Gardens, undated, certainly before WW2 -

putting greens

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The family snaps below are from a 1930s album belonging to George Robert Eden of Birmingham. Our 'continental' basket chairs, the pier, deckchairs - and a sandcastle - made very good props.


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Around 1960 at Ocean Beach Fun Fair there were two Big Wheels as shown below. This image is artificially coloured; the shed-like building shown with dark green  roof is the Playland arcade/cafe, and next door with brown roof is Ritz Ballroom:

Eli ferris wheel

I think the Big Wheel nearest to camera arrived first and departed first; it was a 'ferris wheel' made by Eli Bridge Company of USA and operated by Billy Williams. The wheel further away looks smaller but was in fact bigger and was owned by Rhyl Amusements Ltd.


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Here is a picture of the promenade paddling pool which had been built in 1920s as the Children's Lake for nippers to splash around in, sail toy boats and get cramp if the weather wasn't warm enough.


Some years ago in newspaper archives I found a reader's letter scorning "that montrosity they are building on the prom". The year was 1908 and he was referring to Rhyl Pavilion as shown above.

[I wouldn't go along with term "monstrosity" but it has to be said that the Pavilion was highly photogenic and looked better in postcard images than in reality.]

The summer show being advertised is 'A Night At The Varieties'. That happened to be the Pavilion's final show and therefore the date is 1972. The building was demolished in 1974.


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MON 9th APR 2018 UPDATE: In his book ‘Rhyl The Town And Its People’ (1970) the author J.W. Jones says of the Pavilion, “It isn’t beautiful – I have heard it described as more the design of an engineer than an architect – but neither is it ugly. Perhaps its best description is one which I have already used, ‘striking’.
“I have seen it against a moonlit sky when it had some aesthetic appeal, but in the cold light of day one has to admit that it looks ‘heavy’, for want of a more descriptive word.”
Mr. Jones goes on to list some of the stars that appeared in concert there, including the following whose visits have not been mentioned previously in this blog:

Madame Melba (Dame Nellie Melba) -

Paderewski -

Jose Collins -

Dance band leader/clarinettist Harry Roy; Forces' Sweetheart Vera Lynn and Shirley Bassey.

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Tuesday 13 February 2018

VALENTINE

Card postmarked 1928

Here are some Valentine's Day gifts I bet you never thought of:

FOR HIM, a Rhyl-crested china miniature shaving mug -


FOR HER, a souvenir floral-bordered handkerchief from Rhyl -


In these Unisex days perhaps we could safely swap those two gifts round. No, only joking!

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As for Yours Truly, I could fall for a woman who gave me presents like this big metal sign from the Jetstream ride at Ocean Beach Fun Fair -


What a collector's item.

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Friday 9 February 2018

FLASHBACK #34


As you cross the Foryd Bridge and land in Kinmel Bay you are flanked by hostelries. On your left used to be Clwyd Private Hotel and Clwyd Cafe:


Now in the same building are The Harbour pub and Hungry Horse restaurant:


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Click on any image to see a bigger version.
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On the opposite side of the road used to be The Ferry Hotel. At the time shown below Mr. & Mrs. Marsh were in charge.


Now in the same building is The Mayquay pub/restaurant:


Both of the colour pix above were taken a few days ago by Yours Truly.

  • The 2016 message from the UK's chief medical officers still applies. Research shows any amount of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer. There is no such thing as a safe level of drinking the stuff.
  • On 24th August 2018 the BBC reported that a new global study had been published in the medical journal The Lancet confirming that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
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Below is a 1920s snapshot taken on Rhyl promenade, opposite West Parade. The first turning on your right is Queen Street.

Mary Hughes Birmingham

In shot is Mary Hughes of Birmingham with her brother and possibly her mother. There must be thousands of family snaps like this lying forgotten in attics and sideboards . . .


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

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Saturday 3 February 2018

LIFE GOES ON: JAN 2018


glass negative
Bathing machines at Rhyl - glass negative circa 1910

glass negative
Rowing boats at Rhyl - glass negative circa 1910

During December 2017 no old posts were updated.

During January 2018 the following posts were updated:

Burton / Dorothy Perkins (2 updates) -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/hello-goodbye.html

Derbyshire Miners' Holiday Centre -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/derbyshire-miners.html

Greaves Records -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/quiz-answer-189.html

Pennaf / Clwyd Alyn -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/nothing-wrong-with-rhyl.html

Pier Amphitheatre aka Gaiety Theatre -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2009/07/toms-story.html

Queen's Palace -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/queens-palace.html

Rhyl & District Motor Club -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/quiz-answer-154.html

Royal Lido, Prestatyn -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/press-my-hat-in_25.html

Skating rink, promenade and West Parade -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/rhyl-pavilion.html

Swan Inn -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/swan-up.html

William Roberts (Rhyl) Limited -
http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/more-old-adverts.html


1920s
Card postmarked 1924

1920s
detail of above

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REMINDER

This blog is winding down to a close. The final new post is scheduled for Thursday 1st March 2018. The updating of posts will continue and 'Life Goes On’ bulletins about the updates should appear here on blog and be sent to subscribers.
If you have not already subscribed, please pop your email address into the box at top left of the page. Subscription is free.

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

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