Rhydymwyn, a village and an ecclesiastical parish formed in 1865 from the ancient parishes of Cilcain, Halkyn, Mold and Northop, is three miles northwest from Mold (on the A541 Mold-Denbigh road) and eight miles south of Holywell.
There has been a Post Office in the village since 1894 and it was first located on the Nant Alyn road, some 100 yards from the main A541. The present Post Office is a purpose built residence-cum-post office and general store and was built in 1935 by a Mr Thomas Hughes, a local man who owned several properties and land in the area. It is sited on the corner of the Nant Alyn road and the A541. Sometime between the years 1912 and 1936, the original post office was re-located further west along the Nant Alyn road, about 50 yards away, and then closed after a short period, when the new building was opened in 1936.
Mrs Mary Pritchard was the first postmistress in 1894 - letters would arrive from Mold, the nearest money order and telegraph office at 7.50am and despatched on return at 5.55pm.
I would like to hear from anyone who could provide photos of other Flintshire Post Offices, old or new. 
your comments
David Vaughan / Rhydymwyn
To everybody brought up in the village or went to either school, there is a village re-union on Saturday 27/06/09 at the football club starting at 7.30pm. Everyone is welcome.
Fri Apr 24 08:37:19 2009
Martin Davies ex North Wales
Judith Standring thanks for commenting... Yes my memory is pretty good on some things. Having said that I have no memories of people outside my immediate family so do not recall a Mrs Evans (Aunty Letty) although the name does sound familiar, please tell me more. Walter's autobiography is an unpublished work and very well written - he writes in a lucid, personal, easy reading, engaging manner a la Dylan Thomas. I am planning on publishing it privately when I have the time and the means adding some photos and the watercolour painting of Garreg Boeth. I would be happy to send a copy to you and the Mold Historical Society if you and they would be interested... I think it's a great candidate for a radio play - BBC NE Wales are you listening? As I mentioned it is jam packed with all sorts of details and arcane information about the area and probably only of interest to my immediate family and maybe those like yourself who lived in the immediate area from say 1850 through 1965.
Tue Oct 28 10:22:12 2008
Judith Standring, Caerwys
Martin Davies, St Louis. Walked around Garreg Boeth recently, your memory serves you well! Would love to get a copy of your father's book, will check out Mold library. Do you remember Mrs Evans (Aunty Letty) at Garreg Boeth farm?
Mon Sep 1 10:01:37 2008
Martin Davies, ex North Wales now St Louis
Judith Standring - Martin Davies, Sian Megginson's brother. Yes, Sian and I are Wil and Lil's grandchildren, Walter Davies was our father. Thank you for your kind comments about Garreg Boeth and our Taid and Ninny (as opposed to our Nan on our mother's side). Yes, I think that there is a good chance your beads came from Rhodesia, more specifically Northern Rhodesia which is where we lived on the copper mines in the early '60s before independence. I recall an interesting tale about my Taid. He and Lil had travelled out to visit us this would have been 61 or 62. They had been on a 2 week boat journey from Southampton to Cape Town then a 4 or 5 day train journey up from SA to northern Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) when, just as they were about to step into the house for the very first time, he stopped at the front door looked down at a pair of sad looking rose bushes... reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of pruning shears (I am not making this up) and set about pruning them cutting them back almost to nothing - much to our alarm... not to worry says Taid. And was he ever right within a couple of weeks those two rose bushes were blooming like something from a summer fair flower show. What an incredible green thumb he had. I recall Sian and I would visit them on our summer holidays and have vivid memories of our returning from Mold after shopping with Lil, walking up from the bus stop past the small holding, where we would get our milk every evening, then a turn to the right onto a shady footpath. Past a small quarry where we would almost always see a poppy flower or two growing which we would pick and take home with us, then, up the long hill past the large quarry to Garreg Boeth and the warmth and safety of the night as we had our teas by the small coal fire in the kitchen... straight out of Tolkien. We would gather fruits, berries, and nuts in the fields, bushes and hedgerows and then help Lil preserve on jam making day.
Judith, it might interest you to know that my father wrote an autobiography about his life in the area. It covers his early years from 1926 until 1949 ending on his arrival back after his military service with the RAF in Asia and the Middle East. This narrative is jammed packed with detail going back into the mid 19th centuary, including all sorts of people and places and wonderful arcane facts. I wonder if you are your family are mentioned. I think there's good chance they are if you knew Esther (his sister), Wil and Lil well enough for them to bring gifts from Africa. Finally, I have a really beautiful watercolour picture of Garreg Boeth commissioned by my mother sometime in the late 1960s or early '70s at latest that I have hanging with pride in our home here in St Louis.
Tue Aug 12 08:45:01 2008
Moira Williams from Abergele
Rhydymwyn the best village, I lived in the post office from 1949-1967. My parents were Colin and Olwen Harris. I was the eldest of 4 children - Iona, Gaynor and Clive. We all went to the village school. I was taught by Miss Wells, Mrs Davies and Mr Owen Hughes. My brother was badly scarred on his head one stormy day when the roof of the outside toilet at the old school blew on top of him (he is OK & now farms coffee in Thailand). Yes living in the post office was great. My job was to fill the cigarette machines outside and serve in the shop whilst my dad had his tea, also serve customers in the afternoons in the holiday when he went off to Pantymwyn for a round of golf. We had a Boxer dog called Bruce who was killed on the main road. I have never forgotten all the people who lived in the village, it was a magical place to be brought up. Linda Barron & Kath & Evan Jones, Mr & Mrs Howells, Mrs Evelyn Edwards, Bill Jones the Mill House. Just a few people I have met again in the village. I would like to visit the old valley works now it is a nature reserve. It was a busy works when I was a child. If you have any reunions let me know. Thanks.
Mon Aug 4 10:19:30 2008
Brian Skidmore from Campsall, Yorkshire
At the beginning of WW2 my father, Samuel Skidmore, was sent from Birmingham to work at the Valley Mustard Gas Factory as a Bevan Boy. He was newly married and together with my mother, Jean, was accommodated by the wonderful Hughes Family at Rhydymwyn Post Office. I was born on 18 May 1940 at St Asaph Hospital. Our two families kept in touch for many years and the husband of Connie Hughes, Elford Frost, became my Godfather. Eventually we moved to a bungalow at Halkyn.
Fri Jul 4 08:20:20 2008
Judith Standring (nee Hibbert) Jakarta, Indonesia
Sian Megginson - I lived in Mwyn Bwll, Gareeg Boeth and remember your Grandparents - parents of Walter and Esther, who mhy Mum remembers very well. We used to call your Grandparents Will & Lill. Gorgeous little cottage, lovely kind people to us children as I remember. Remember getting beads from a trip to Rhodesia by I think Esther!
Thu Apr 17 08:59:32 2008
Malcolm Parry from Sychdyn
Aged 8 in Junior School I remember Mrs Mary Davies who went on to become headmistress and Miss Wells. I have memories of Nant Alyn where my father had a family home in which my Uncle Tom still lives age 90. Until recently I have been involved with Rhydmywn Football Club for many years both as a player and manager. I keep in contact with fellow players and old friends from Rhydymwyn.
Tue Dec 11 08:31:09 2007
Ole Constantine from Flint
Great to hear from Alan Hardy and his comments from 2006. Sorry I missed the reunion, perhaps we can get in touch. Did suggest to the editor that you can reach me via my email. Love to hear from you.
Mon Nov 26 09:10:18 2007
David Vaughan, Cefn-y-Bedd
I remember Mr Harris well. I and Malcolm Parry used to deliver the papers on a Sunday morning.
Wed Sep 5 14:33:33 2007
Joan Streetman
I understand my great great grandmother was a Frost from Wales.
Wed Sep 5 10:40:14 2007
Angharad Davies, Wrexham
I lived in Rhydymwyn till I was 13. I attended the 40th celebration day on Saturday June 16 and had a great afternoon seeing some old faces who I have not seen for years. It is a great shame the school has to close. I remember having many happy days at school [now 43]. As I won the star prize of a signed Ospreys t shirt, I will cherish this as a way to remember the good old days.
Wed Jun 20 08:09:58 2007
Jane Couper, Manchester
My dad, Alistair Couper, was the most recent Post Master of this lovely post office until he unfortunately passed away in March 2006. My dad loved the village and all the people that made him so welcome, it was the happiest I've seen him. It is with great sadness that the post office is closed now when I come to visit as he loved it so much.
Wed Jun 6 15:38:12 2007
Richard Crowe, London
Hi, My ancestor George Wheeler operated a "Travelling Post Office" from Bangor, from 1871. Does anyone have a photo or description of what this (horse-drawn P.O?)would have looked like? After 1881 he is referred to as a "Superintendent, Travelling Post Office." His brother-in-Law, Thomas T. Roberts, was Post Master of Dwygyfylchi in 1881 - so this profession certainly ran in the family!
Mon Jun 4 09:37:06 2007
Frost, Mold
I have lived in Rhydymwyn since the age of 1 and have grown up there. My mother Mrs Theresa Frost still lives at Lynwood 2 Leete Avenue, and she enjoys living there. My father who was a local government officer is also buried there in St John's Church Yard.
Fri May 25 15:12:26 2007
Sian Megginson
My father Walter Davies lived in Garreg Boeth near Rhydymwyn and had a sister Esther. His best friend was Alun Edwards. It would be nice to hear from anyone who knew them.
Tue Apr 10 09:43:40 2007
Richie Parry
Please help...I'm looking at my family tree and need to know the name of the old prison in Rhydymwyn. I think my great great uncle was the last man to be hung there if anyone can help thanks.
Mon Feb 26 09:28:08 2007
Miss Deirdre Frost
I was born and Bred in Rhydymwyn and have enjoyed being a customer of Rhydymwyn Post Office. I remember the Harris family - nice people.
Tue Dec 5 09:08:42 2006
Carol Garner
I'm 13 and I live in the village. I loved the post office but it has now closed down. I used to go every Saturday for my mum to get electric and pay the water but we now have to go to Mold xx
Fri Nov 17 15:33:37 2006
Alan Hardy
I have read the article regarding Rhydymwyn Post Office written by Ole Constantine with great interest. I lived next to Ole as a boy in West Derby, Liverpool and we were both in the Life Boys & Boys Brigade together at St Lukes Church. We are holding a reunion of the BB and Girl Guides at the church on Saturday 4th November and it would be good to let Ole know of this.
Tue Sep 26 11:09:11 2006
I was postmaster at Rhydymwyn 1949-1967. I remember the Frost family very well. Would like to hear from you Desmond.
Spent 30+ years as a hotelier in Rhos-on-Sea after leaving Rhydymwyn. I am now living in Abergele near to Moira my daughter and Stewart Williams her husband. I play golf most days and keep very active. I visited the Post Office after the more recent floods and was shown around behind the scenes. Surprised to see my old bacon machine still in good use, remember the razor blades Desmond? Great to recall old memories.
Mon Aug 21 10:31:48 2006
Des Frost , Savannah GA, USA
I lived at 2 leete ave. I grew up in Rhydymwun. Colin Harris lived in the post office. The Holdens took over from the Haris family. Glyn was a good guy. He took us young kids to the baths in Buckley once a week. I used to wash his car for a bit of pocket money. I cut his grass. I trimmed the front lawn like a clover shape for him.
Mon May 22 10:44:54 2006
Stuart Lowe from Wimborne, Dorset
My Grandfather and Grandmother, Glyn and Hilda Holden, ran the post office for 4 years. Not sure of the dates but it must have been late sixties/early seventies. They moved to Rhydymwyn from West Kirby. I recently read a piece that my Grandmother wrote about her time there - it gave me the impression that she was very happy during that time.
Wed Feb 8 09:00:15 2006
Mike Gibson from Prestatyn
My recollections of Rhydymwyn Post office date back to 1960 to 66. The then Postmaster was Mr Harris. My grandparents and parents owned the Antelope during that period. We came from Stoke on Trent. We then moved in 1966 to Prestatyn.
Fri Aug 19 01:07:38 2005
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