Abergele memories
Here are memories of Abergele and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Abergele or a Abergele photo.
Happy Days
This photo shows what was known as the black shed just above the first bridge on the river Gele, to the left of the photo was the school field at the bottom of Berth Glyd where I was born. If you go up Gypsy Lane you will come to an old stone bridge, this bridge is known as the first bridge, which is one of four that crosses the river Gele, as you follow the footpath on the right-hand-side of the river heading towards Rhyl where the Gele flows into the river Clwyd, I used to hand tickle wild brown trout in the Gele river when I was 9 years old. Happy days. If Kenny Lamb or any of the lads who went to school with me in Abergele are reading this, they will remember me and my lurcher dog Rex. Still poaching, old habits are hard to break.
Donkey Rides
We had a small caravan in Pensarn and as a child I remember the walk down to the beach and the man with his donkies in this picture. Further along was a small fun fair.
BrynGwenallt Hall
I have lived at BrynGwenallt Hall since 2000 and I'm ten at the moment so it's really fun for inviting friends around and playing in and out the house. It's not like it used to be though obviously, we have really modernised it and made it suitable for our time. As some of you may have noticed the house is on sale now and we hope the person who buys it will care for it as much as we did and hopefully never knock it down or sell any of the land because half of it has already been knocked down and most of the land has been sold. So if you're reading this and you are the one to buy it, make sure you look after it and write on this website about it to keep the memory rolling... thank you :)
Family
My great grandparents used to live at Fairfield, Sea Road, they also used to have a barbers & tobacconists at Stanley House, I think it's Bridge Street. I gGo quite often to Abergele now as my son has a caravan there. Would love to find out more info if anyone has any.
Fire in The Health at Clarendon
I was a student at Clarendon between 1963 and 1966, and how I remember the Sunday evenings curled up before the fire listening to gospel and classical music before supper. Of course there were also the House evenings spent in the Principal's parlour doing our sewing or embroidery or some other craft work, while she read to us from one of the missionary books or short stories that she kept for the ocassion.
Those were really good old days, and memories that are treasured for years. I live in the Caribbean and sometimes its hard to believe that we actually participated in those genteel activities back then. Life has truly changed and the music we hear oround us now resonates with the clash of the dancehall and reggae. What a difference!
Abergele - Beach & Town Circa 1965
Looking at this photo, I'm taken back to summers on that beach full of pebbles and the cafe shown with its novel smell, something like milky coffee! At about this time Abergele had a cinema, upstairs in the market street. My parents owed Coed Mor, a guest house in the town, and some of the children staying with us and I went to see "The Incredible Journey", a film about two dogs and a cat traveling across country (USA or Canada) to find their owners. Not a dry eye in the house and I've never been able to watch the film since!
Margaret Beavan Memorial Home Abergele
I was sent from Liverpool to stay at the Margaret Beavan memorial home in Abergele in the late 1940s early 1950s. I recall it down a road facing a farm only a short walk to the shops and beach. We would often walk to the bearly Gwych Castle and spend hours there. Does anyone else remember this home?
"Uncle Griff."
"Uncle Griff" was Griffith Breeze, originally from Oswestry, but lived in Abergele with his daughter Thelma - he wasn't actually a relative, I think he may have been brought up with my Step-Grandmother Agnes Jones (nee Adams.) I lived in Liverpool and would visit "Uncle Griff" at Oswestry and Abergele - he was such a lovely gentleman, probably in his 80's when I last saw him. Abergele was a nice place. I would love to contact any of his descendents.
Harold
I grew up in Abergele and I remember a man called Harold. He was a sort of 'tramp' I use this word rather in caution because he lived in a small shack by Slaters on what is now the Tesco car park. He helped out at the cattle market which was again sighted where Teso'c is now. As a boy I was a little afraid of him because he tended to be a little erratic which was not surpising considering the boys used to hound him. He cut a rather sad figure and I reckon he must have been around my age now (50 ish). I left Abergele in the 80's and I wonder what became of him. One epsode I remember was that once he stopped a man and asked him "have you got a match?" The man gave him a match and he then said "And a smoke to go with it" Another time he was walking through town and he was complaining about a pram in his... Read more
Memories of Clwyd
Bombs Near Grych Castle
Together with my mother and brother, we lived in Sandy Cove, near Rhyl during the Second World War, to escape the bombing in London. One night in, I think, 1944, I was awakened by some noises and my mother came to get me. By looking out of the living room window we could see that the German bombers had jettisoned their bombs onto the woods surrounding Grych Castle. The whole hillside was ablaze, turning night into day. German bombers used to regularly fly over us in order to bomb the docks and the city of Liverpool.
Aunt Jane's House
The date is approximate. I was very young, about 6 at the time. I lived with my family in a village called Sandycroft, about 7 miles from Chester. We visited my great Aunt Jane who lived in one of the middle cottages in this picture. I remember a very small kitchen and her buttering an uncut loaf of bread liberally, then slicing it very finely for our tea. Afterwards we walked up the steep hill next to the row of cottages. I remember looking down on the cottages from the top of the hill. It seemed a mammoth walk for small legs. This is a very strong memory. My grandfather's family came from Llandulas nearby. These are my Welsh roots. I have lived in Nottingham now for 36 years. I remain in contact with one schoolfriend who lives in Colwyn Bay. I always feel very calm when I visit this neck of the woods compared with the bustle of the city.
Winkups Camp Towyn
When I was 18 in 1955 my Mum booked us a Chalet at Winkups Camp, Towyn. There was Mum, stepfather, myself and 3 sisters aged 5yrs, 3yrs and3 months. Off we went from Huddersfield in Yorkshire in our little Austin 7 (I think), I can remember the excitement now. I think my Mum paid £5 for the week, anyway on arrival we all piled out of the car and Mum went to register in, the lady came and looked at us in dismay and said "But you've only booked for four people". Mum said but there are only four, 3 adults, 2 children make another one, and you can't count a baby, the last bit said with almost a note of triumph, no more was said about that and she led us to our "chalet" which was in fact a hen hut. I'm not saying it had ever been used for hens, but the little gaps that the hens were supposed to use had been boarded over, so it was... Read more
HAPPY DAYS IN TOWYN
I grew up in Towyn and lived in the same bungalow on Towyn Way West until I got married in 1985 at the ripe old age of 31 and moved to Rhyl. My Great Aunt Sarah owned Browns Holiday Camp with Mr Brown from before the Second World War and my mother and father worked on the camp until it was sold in the 1960s. It was just like 'Hi De Hi' in those days, my father did everything from organising the sports days, cinema, fancy dress competitions, Friday night dance to building chalets, emptying the bins, mowing the grass and general all round jack of all trades. My brother and I played on the Camp (as we called it) and made many friends. I remember some of the holiday homes were old trams, not like the modern caravans of today. There used to be bikes to hire and Mr Lord would take photographs of the holiday makers and sell the photos from a booth... Read more
Happy Days
First holiday away without mum and dad. Not yet eighteen and big wories about being served in The Kinmel, crikey, they served anyone!
The gang included Nick Worsley, Chris Booth, Pete Clough, Sally Taylor and many more whose names I have forgotten.
My father used to enjoy fishing off the rocks by the lifeboat station and his ashes were scattered there when he passsed away in 2004
I now go back with my own two kids and stay at The Crown And Anchor cottages by the beach.
Best place on the planet........
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 26,157 memories of 5,730 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Redhill, Surrey
- Kitts Green, West Midlands
- Harrow Weald, Middlesex
- Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
- Mitcham, Surrey
- Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey
- Ringwood, Hampshire
- Lewisham, Greater London
- Kibblesworth, Tyne and Wear
- Marchwood, Hampshire
- Alton, Hampshire
- Gravesend, Kent
- Glossop, Derbyshire
- Horne, Surrey
- Blaydon-On-Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- North Broomhill, Northumberland
- Seaton Carew, Cleveland
- Walcott, Norfolk
- Whitby, North Yorkshire
- Monk Bretton, South Yorkshire
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
