Gwrych Castle memories
Here are memories of Gwrych Castle and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Gwrych Castle or a Gwrych Castle photo.
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.
Memories of Clwyd
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.
Visits to Relations
In the 50's / 60's I remember visiting Aunty Agnes , Uncle Trevor and Derrick who I believe were relations of my Mum's. Uncle Trevor was in male voice choir .....Aunty Mary, the sister of Agnes lived in Llysfaen with Uncle Joe (surname Hodge) - I remember in a house high up overlooking the sea. We visited there very often and always went home with a car full of Lilac from her garden. We also stayed in a guest house in Llandulas for our summer holidays and I have photographs taken on the beach 60 + years ago! Is the look-out tower still on the beach I wonder?
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!
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!
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.
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