Blaenau Ffestiniog, Oakeley Quarries 1901
Photo ref: 46746
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Photo ref: 46746
Photo of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Oakeley Quarries 1901

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This was one of Blaenau's major quarries; it closed after the Second World War. Ffestiniog slate is of very high quality, and can be split into very thin sheets of great length. It has to be mined because the slate beds dip under a cover of other rocks. The non-slate rocks form huge tips of waste material that scar the hills around, creating a surreal and fantastic landscape.

An extract from North Wales Photographic Memories.

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North Wales Photographic Memories

North Wales Photographic Memories

The photo 'Blaenau Ffestiniog, Oakeley Quarries 1901' appears in this book.

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A Selection of Memories from Blaenau Ffestiniog

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Blaenau Ffestiniog

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

My Ancestral 2nd cousin Lucy Margaret Marzials 1870-1885 :-An inquest was held on Monday, at the Pengwern Hctel, Festiniog, before the coroner for Merionethshire, on the body of Miss Marzials, a young lady from London, who, with her parents, had beeu on a visit to Festiniog and the slate quarries. Miss ...see more
My great grandfather, Edward Lloyd, emigrated to the United States from Ffestiniog. He was a famous tenor in his day and had high ranking with the Eisteddfod both in Wales, and later, in upstate, NY. I am told by a cousin, Dr. Alwyn Jones, that Lloyd descendants still reside in Teddy's boyhood home on 152/153 Manod Road. Teddy's mother, Mary (née Williams) Lloyd managed a farm/butter-making operation even ...see more
Nice memories. Post office behind the bus, across I think was Crosville depot. There was a billiard hall on bridge somewhere. Central School till war broke out then work; Joined RN, spell in Malta, was AA Man in Bettws Y Coed for couple of years then restless so Australia. Have been back twice now only one school friend in Manod - Frank Roberts. Now 86... so not much travel left. Wales, beautiful... but oh ...see more
I was brought up in Blaenau Ffestiniog and lived there until 1971. The High Street photograph brings it all back. The shop on the extreme left of the photo was my mum's hairdressing shop and we lived in the flat above. My dad was the Superintendant Registrar and he used to marry people, usually on Saturday mornings. I well remember the lobby to his office always had bits of confetti. ...see more