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Bethesda
Bethesda maps
Historic maps of Bethesda and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bethesda maps
Bethesda area books
Displaying 1 of 1 books about Bethesda and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Bethesda
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memories of Bethesda.
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Bethesda Memories
I used to rock climb in the area during the 1960's with my friends.
Not that I was a good climber, but I loved the rugged freedom of the mountains. I also have memories of a young girl from Gerlan who was very nice to me. Her name was Sylvia.
Gwynedd memories
Manchester House Stryd Gerlan
My grandfather, W R Edwards moved into Manchester House from Tal y Bont in the Conwy valley with his family, a wife and 4 children around 1910. He ran the grocery business from the shop also dedelivered groceries to the local inhabitants, having to negotiate the steep streets! My mother, his 3rd child, took my sister and I to Gerlan in the late 1940s and early 1950s to visit my grandparents. I remember the wonderful views from the back of the house. My parents were married in the Calvanist Methodist Chapel in Stryd Fynnon on Boxing Day 1929. The Chapel now regrettably has been demolished. I did however take photographs of its interior and exterior many years ago. My maternal great grandfather Thomas John Hughes oif Bethesda worked as a miner in the Penrhyn Slate Quarry. Gerlan, for me, will forever hold special place in my heart. Dr Brian Garston, Southport.
Happy Home
Halfway, with Uncle Idwal and Auntie Lal, was full time home from about 1951 to 1954 whilst mum was in hospital. She died in 1954 and I returned to live in Chester with Dad though I spent holidays at Halfway up to about 1964, including the long summer breaks. I always loved Halfway with Uncle Id and Auntie Lal, but is only when adulthood crept up on me that l began to appreciate fully my 'Swallows and Amazons' childhood, and the many things I learned courtesy of my surrogate parents (learning to swim in the icy Ogwen pools, how to 'whip' a fishing rod, about the use of slate in coffin making. Uncle Id was undertaker, postmaster at Halfway Bridge PO, carpenter, river bailiff for Penrhyn Estate (landlord of Halfway), and organist at Talybont church. I began my school life at Llandegai village school in 1953 and still remember finding life difficult as a non-Welsh speaking 4 year old so much so that I have vivid memories of... Read more
Pre-Fabs
I was a child in the pre-fabs at the top end of Maesg and wonder if anybody else remembers them?
Bangor Bus Station
For a young bus enthusiast in the 1960s, the bus station on Garth Road was the gateway to Anglesey and many of the country routes behind Bangor. Such exciting places as Gerlan, Bethesda, Tregarth and Rhiwlas could be reached for modest fares using bus services provided by the 'buckingham green' Crosville buses. They also ran along the coast roads to Llandudno and Caernarfon; also on to Anglesey with destinations such as Holyhead, Beaumaris, Llangefni and Llanfairpwll. Their large, rear entrance double deckers of Bristol manufacture ran on the main roads with smaller single deckers in the country districts. There was a prevalent type of single decker with about 35 seats which the company called SSG's which were apparently very economical to run, but were VERY noisy and seemed to almost 'run out of puff' when aimed up anything steeper than an anthill. On any Saturday afternoon when heading up the narrow lanes with a full load of returning shoppers, families etc, their speed was 'walking pace' - but they always... Read more
Grandad Driver
My grandfather was a Crosville driver in the 1960s, his name was Bob Jones, married to Margaret, does anyone remember him?
Caernarvonshire & Anglesey Hospital
I remember doing my nurse training in this hospital 1967-70, it was a beautiful old building, now I believe it is a supermarket, oh dear!!! I wonder is there anyone out there who did training at the same hospital,I am so surprised to see no one has left a memory of Bangor.
