Looking at old postcards brings back a lot of memories. I used to live in Peel Street, before it was demolished (can anyone remember the exact year that took place please?)
My infants school used to be the old Church Hall in Groes Lwyd from where I went to the National School, next door to the modern day library, ending up on a scholarship to Abergele Grammar School, before it became Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan.
The fields I played in as a child have mostly now been built on. Bryngwenallt Hall is only half the building it once was - my mother worked there for a short while when Lord and Lady Clwyd were in residence.
The beach was a fascinating place to play with the remains of the wartime sea defences - pill boxes, tank traps and dragon's teeth still in place. There were lovely walks through Pentre Mawr Park with fuchsia bushes scenting the paths.
The chocolate box cottage (now under the overpass embankment near the Pensarn roundabout) always had a beautiful garden as I recall.
As a toddler, I had my photo taken sitting on Randolph Turpin's knee (he was a boxer) when he was training at Gwrych Castle. There were some lovely walks around the castle grounds and rides on a small steam train if you were lucky.
Where Brynfynnon House is, there used to be a small sweet and tobacconist's shop, later a greengrocer's where a farthing would buy you a lot of sweets in those days. It was the last shop before the terraced houses.
To earn extra pocket money, we would help out by picking sprouts or helping harvest the vegetables in the market garden in Peel Street. On a hot summer's day, we would go to the 'Farm Shop' - just one of the outbuildings really - and perhaps get a lolly-ice.
Behind the old stone terraced houses was the town farm and we would often go to the bottom of the garden, my brothers and I, to feed the sheep that grazed in the field there. Sometimes, we would go round and see the pigs in their sty.
We, like many other children in the street, had pets (cats, dogs, rabbits) and would buy bran from a feed suppliers near the old smithy - I think it was) in the lane that runs alongside the Harp.
For many years, my father worked on the TB wards at Plas Uchaf, part of Abergele Chest Hospital as it was known in those days.
Nigel Hilton
Nigel remembers Bryngwenallt Hall.
Judy shares her memories of 1940s Abergele...
your comments
Dave Allott, Manchester
Can anyone tell me where North Wales Holiday Camp was near Pensarn? We had holidays there as children but now are unable to locate it.
Wed Jul 22 09:47:57 2009
Chris Skilton from York
Can anyone tell me the history of Bryntirion Terrace on Llanfair Road?
Mon Jun 22 10:54:05 2009
Yvonne, Colwyn Bay
Where can I get /info/pictures etc of Peel Street and the surroundings? My taid's house and all family documents/photos were destroyed due a fire.
Tue Mar 3 09:19:41 2009
Colwyn Bay
My grandad robert lane used to run the catering side of Kinmel Hall, I spent many years playing on the curly stairs. Me and my sister and auntie used to have so much fun there, while my mum worked. It used to be religious groups there when my grandad run it. I wish I could go back to have a look.
Wed Oct 29 09:07:23 2008
Derek Benyon from Leicester
Plas Uchaf, I remember it well. At the age of eight I was a patient at Abergele Chest Hospital for six months in 1956. For a young boy from a council estate in Manchester, the local countryside seemed like another world during those summer months. Being separated from my family day after day with only Sunday afternoon visiting was hard to cope with, but the nurses became our surrogate family. Dr Morrison was truly a remarkable man. Thank you Abergele for providing the location for Manchester City Council to open the sanatorium in 1914. Many children benefited from a stay in the hospital.
Wed Sep 24 09:19:11 2008
Scharlie Meeuwes, Faringdon
I was an exchange student from Germany in 1959, I think it was, and spent several months in Clarendon School. Remember the headmistress E.G.Swain fondly and all the other staff. No man anywhere near but the gardner...funny, when you came from a mixed school (with only a few girls). Somewhere I have kept a diary and photographs from these lovely old times. Much later I heard about a fire. What a shame.
Fri May 23 09:35:15 2008
Bob Broadhurst from Nottingham
Does anyone have any memories of the old Harp Hotel in Abergele. My Grandma used to run it at one time then when she passed away My Aunt Florence and her husband Roger Jones took over the place. The last time that I visited Abergele the name of the pub had changed to the Harp Inn. Anybody remember the days when Mrs Roberts had the Harp Hotel?
Wed May 14 10:57:41 2008
W Box, London
My father was chauffeur to Lord Clwyd of Bryngwenallt. He had been from 1909 except for a break during the first world war, and when war broke out in 1939, Lord Clwyd made Abergele his base instead of London. As a family we had to move from London (we had been used to spending our summer holidays there in any case). After a brief stay in the lodge just up the road with the Wynnes, (he was gardener to Lord Clwyd) we moved into Bwythyn yr Ardd.
I believe the widow of one of Lord C's servants had to move out to let us live there. It was very different from our London house. There was no electricity, no bathroom, no running hot water and only an outside loo. The walls were horribly damp, there were just flagstones on the floor laid on top of the earth. After Lord C. died my father was allowed to buy the house and he had electricity put in and a bathroom. This was in a very awkward place in part of the back bedroom. My mother lived there after my father died, until 1984 when she moved south.
I went to Abergele Grammar school. I have very fond memories of the house and surrounding countryside. I last saw the house a couple of years ago when it happened to be for sale.
Mon Apr 14 10:33:05 2008
Andy Hilton
Free access to the 1861, 1871 and 1891 Census for Abergele is available through the 'FreeCen' project. Similarly, the 1881 Census is also available, free to view, at the 'Family Search' site run by the Church of the Latter Day Saints
Thu Apr 3 11:18:24 2008
Nigel Hilton from Abergele
To Ray: As soon as I saw the name 'May', all of the old memories fell into place. Sorry to hear about your dad, but it's great that the rest of the family - especially your mum - are still going strong. Robert & I used to do paper rounds together for the Visitor & I well recall where they lived in Maes Canol from all those years ago. Nice to know they're all well.I think that any of us who saw the fire would have had it 'branded' into our memories - I know that I did. The family were so lucky to get out alive. If it's the same Barry Jones I'm thinking of, I bumped into him in the early 1970's in Flint. The only photo's I've got of Peel Street are on this page, but I have a lot of copies of old postcards of Abergele & Pensarn. As you say, lots of memories.
Mon Mar 3 12:32:53 2008
Raymond Jones, Rhyl
To Nigel Hilton,I lived at No 21, it was my eldest sister May that died all thoes years ago, my other two sisters and younger brother are still going although we are all getting a little worn around the edges, our mother is well and has just turned 82, sadly Dad passed away.Robert and David moved to Maes Canol along with most of Peel Streets inhabitants they still live in abergele, Robert has returned to his parents house in Maes Canol and David is living in the new Peel Street.Tom and Sarah No 19 had two daughters Shiela and Ann, Tom became the park keeper he used to chase us! if we played him up.Do you rember the fire on the street? that was the house where John Tudor Jones, Barry jones lived.My Mother has some pictures of the old Peel Street in the snow also of Pensarn beech. Lots of memories.Ray.
Wed Feb 27 10:06:49 2008
Robert (Bob) Jones from Welshpool
To Nigel - I have only just found your site which brings back many memories. My brother and I where brought up in Pensarn before we moved to Maes Canol, built by Richardsons Builders. I think we where about the first onto the estate. My recollection is of calling for you on the way to school in the old Church Hall in Groes Lwyd and then the big move up to the National School. I remember going into Peel Gardens where, if memory serves me right, there was a small shop. It became a place to buy our cigarettes when we were in the grammar school, having escaped the school field and headed off down the Mount. You mentioned buying bran from the suppliers behind the Harp. This was owned by Vale of Clwyd Farmers, a St Asaph company, and was managed by a chap called Dick Jones. My father also worked for Vale of Clwyd Farmers as a driver. Their premises where on the left of the old sheep market in the Harp Yard. The lovely cottage you mentioned, now under the bypass, was known as Parkies house as the park keeper lived there. He used to open and close the park gates and patrol the place after hours. On the right hand side of Dundonald Avenue going towards Pensarn there were huge allotments where I spent many an hour digging with my father.
Tue Jan 29 11:54:35 2008
Mark - Abergele
I am currently the proud owner of one of Abergele's older buildings. Bwthyn yr Ardd on Llanfair Road I believe was the cottage of the Head Gardener of the Clwyd Estate. I have tried to find references to it in the local library without success and was hoping that any reader of this may shed some light on its previous occupants, or better still, have any old pictures of it hidden away somewhere!I was born and raised in Rhyl, my wife in Abergele, no one in her family have any recollection. Can anyone help?
Mon Jan 28 11:02:02 2008
Evadne Vallance Islip Oxford
Thanks to your responses, I have found out what happened to Clarendon School after Abergele/Haynes. It merged with Monkton Combe School near Bath. In Google, type in Monkton Combe School - Old Clarendonians and you will find the story.
Thu Jan 24 09:11:39 2008
Nigel Hilton from Abergele
For Paul, Bodelwyddan - I've been trying for some time to ascertain exactly when Peel Street was demolished. From a search of the Electoral Rolls in Ruthin's archives, I've been able to find that our family moved from there between February 1962 and February 1963, by which latter date they were living on the newer part of the Maes Canol estate. I've a vague memory that we may have left the street in or around September 1962, but we weren't the last to leave. The only houses in Peel Street that remained occupied by February 1963 were Peel Gardens and the semi-detached property adjacent to the old Telephone Exchange. The February 1962 Register lists one Thomas R Jones & his wife, Sarah, both living at No.19 Peel Street; there is no listing under the Surname 'West'. Would Thomas & Sarah have been your grandparents? Hope this helps.
Wed Jan 23 09:13:16 2008
paul bodelwyddan
I've shown the picture to my father as he was born in Peel Street and lived there till it was pulled down, then went on to live in New Street; he says he can't remember the year it was demolished. Can anybody remember my great grandfather Tommy Jones, better known as Tommy West?
Tue Jan 8 11:17:20 2008
Nigel from Abergele
Hi Jan, Well do I remember your parents' shop, but the sweet shop (and tobacconists?) I was referring to was of an earlier time. It was actually next door, to the right hand side as you faced what in later years became Pandora's Box. I'm thinking back to the very early 1950s now. One entered that shop down a single step - it used to be quite gloomy inside. It was run by an elderly lady. In later years, if memory serves me right, it was a grocer's or vegetable shop for a while and then became a ladies fashion shop. When that sweet shop closed down, we used to visit Pandora's Box - by the 1960s, the crazes of the day were Bubble Gum Cards (Mars Attacks and The American Civil War come to mind)which us young lads used to swap.
Wed Nov 21 09:43:52 2007
Jan , Abergele
Nigel, The sweet shop you mentioned at Brynffynnon House was called Pandora's Box and my Mum & Dad , Bob & Betty Bowdler (both sadly now deceased)ran if from 1964 to 1977. They loved it and we all have very many happy memories of the lovely customers and friends that came in.
Tue Oct 30 09:30:44 2007
Erin Lee from Milton Keynes
I attended Clarendon School when it had moved to Haynes Bedfordshire after the Fire.I have many fond memories of staff and times there. Does anyone know if any of the staff moved from Abergele to Haynes with the School? It closed in 1988 I believe and moved back to Wales and merged with a boys school. Can anyone confirm this?
Wed Oct 24 10:40:00 2007
Andrew Hilton
Hi Rhian & Rachel, thanks for your kind comments. Sadly, I've been unable to find anything more about the property - the copy sketch I referred to is only about six by four inches to cover the whole of the Parish and appears in Ellis Wynn Williams book 'Abergele - The Story of a Parish'. It doesn't give any indication as to the size or make up of any properties on the Parish boundary. I don't know who would hold such information as you're seeking either. There would certainly have been details within the original deeds, though where they would be now, with land being 'Registered' is anybody's guess. Nowadays, you get a sort of 'Log-Book' with a location map bound into it in place of a bundle of deeds. It might be worth a look at H M Land Registry's web site (do a Google Search). For a fee, you may be able to obtain some details though I doubt it would go back far enough for your purposes. You could always e-mail them with your query though and see what they say.
Alternatively, have you tried the local library in Abergele or the County Archives in Ruthin. They may be able to point you in the right direction. Good luck both.
Rachel, yes, we did know each other as children. Our fathers worked together at the hospital and just before we moved from Peel Street, it was arranged for me to spend a weekend with you and your family. I recall that we had to re-home our pet white rabbit which you kindly agreed to keep with all of yours. Also recall being shown some of your father's superb paintings in his 'studio' which overlooked the back 'patio' area. I met up with you and your brothers, in the woods, on several subsequent occasions and then, later, seeing you and your brother at school. Happy days.
Thu Aug 16 10:17:13 2007
Rachel Wrigley
To Nigel Hilton. loved reading your 'memories of Abergele' as my father came over to Plas Uchaf as a tb patient in the early fifties. He recovered and hoped to live in Wales as an art teacher, we were still living in Norfolk with our mother,and when father recovered, he trained as a BTA in Abergele hospital and we moved to the 'house on the hill' Tower Hill, where we grew up in those halsyon days of our youth. Loving it! Now I live next door farm to Rhian, Bodrochwyn Fawr,we are in Bodrochwyn Ganol and like Rhian, interested in the history of this house. It once was called Beech Hall, I believe,%2! 0but don't have a lot of history info. Maybe you might know how old it is? Also, feel sure we met when we were at school, although you were in the grammer school,where my brother Thomas went. Hope Rhian and I hear from you. Regards Rachel.
Fri Aug 3 09:36:02 2007
Pedr from Coedllai
Many thanks to Nigel for his most informative response to my query about the mystery gravestone. Now here's another one. In Patagonia there is a reference in their folklore to Abergele as 'Gwlad Twm 60' (The Land of Tom 60). Twm 60, probably not a member of the RSPB, was famous amongst the settlers in Patagonia for shooting 60 ducks with one blast of his duck gun on the marshes near Abergele. Although there does not seem to be any memory of this in Abergele now, the fact that the 60 is said in English, rather that Welsh or Spanish, points to its authenticity, suggesting at least that the story did not originate in Argentina. Two men from Abergele, with some connection to the local newspaper (perhaps the Visitor, also a woman who worked at the Bee Hotel) are said to have emigrated to Patagonia. Could one of these men have been Twm 60 or perhaps connected to him? Does anybody have a family memory of this? Also, could there be a connection to Hill Sixty which is, as 'old' Abergelites will know, the northernmost outcrop of Tan-y-Gopa overlooking the golf club.
Tue Jul 17 09:26:19 2007
Delyth, Abergele
For Nigel. Ffynnon Elwoc or Elfod is on St George road at the end of Maes y Dre in the township of Hendre Gyda, not on the Kinmel Manor site, but the well that Beverly is enquiring about is Ffynnon Gemig in St George, just inside Kinmel Park on the left hand side.
Thu Jul 12 10:37:00 2007
Delyth, Abergele
To answer Beverly Pounder's question re the well in St George, (one of many around the village). This well is called 'Ffynnon Gemig' and was excavated about 12/15 years ago. It was found to consist of an upper and lower basin some four feet deeep, the whole surrounded by a paved area and a rough but stout perimeter wall. The well was used for the practice of bringing horses to be blessed, water was sprinkled over their backs and the blessing 'Rhad Duw a Sant Sior arnat' (the blessing of God and St George be upon you)was pronounced by the rector. He was paid a groat for this ! service by the farmers to keep their animals healthy and strong for the sowing and harvest season.
Thu Jul 12 10:30:47 2007
Nigel from Abergele
In reply to Pedr, Thomas Pennant writing of his 'The Journey to Snowdon, 1786' in his corrected 1784 two-volume edition of 'A Tour in Wales' states "In the church-yard wall of Abergele is a dateless epitaph in Welsh signifying that the person interred there lived 3 miles to the north of that spot, a tract now entirely possessed by the sea." Ellis Wynne Williams qualifies this in his book 'Abergele - the Story of a Parish'. He states that "... it is not of very ancient date and is not in its original position. As the old inscription was in danger of becoming obliterated and lost, a Mrs Taylor, wife of Archdeacon Taylor, D.D., Liverpool, defrayed the cost of a granite slab placed adjoining it, inscribed in English and Welsh, in 1897." The inscription reads: Yma mae'n gorwedd, Ym mynwent Mihangel, Wr oedd a'i annedd Dair milltir i'r Gogledd. The translation is: Here lieth, In St Michael's Churchyard, A man who had his dwelling Three miles to the north. "It has been suggested that the stone was put up by a literary vicar in the 18th Century." In his 'Parochlia', circa 1698, and which includes a most detailed inventory of Abergele, Edward Llwyd makes no mention of the gravestone. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of J R Ellis's 'A History of Abergele & District' and so do not know if he mentions the stone in question. F J North, writing in his book 'Sunken Cities' mentions that "the original stone had no date but its characters indicate that it was executed in the early part of the 17th Century. According to local tradition it is a copy of a still older memorial, but it is of no value as evidence because it is not in its original position. It has been built into a wall and neither the name of the man nor the place where he lived is given." He continues "...the reference to St Michael indicates a date not earlier than the 8th Century, and most likely not earlier than the 12th Century, since when no great catastrophe involving the loss of a coastal strip two miles wide has taken place."
Wed Jul 4 10:28:21 2007
