Llanaber, Gwynedd

Wharton & Son, High-Class Grocers and Provision Merchants

My grandmother, Isabella Graham Wharton, was the proprietor of Wharton & Son in the 1930s in Barmouth. I believe she sold the store to WH Smith c1936 when her son, my father, returned from boarding school and they moved to Liverpool. I would be interested to know if anyone recalls my grandmother's shop and if in fact WH Smith did... [more]

Grandfather's Birthplace 1908

My grandfather Edward 'Ted' Powell was born in Barmouth in 1908 and lived in Tai Croesion, Llanaber. His mother was Sarah and father Evan Ellis, and he had a sister Bessie. His grandparents owned the grocery store in the village Powell & Sons. When he was a toddler he ran out into the road and was hit by a passing car,... [more]

The Birthplace of my Step-Grandmother.

Just before her death I went to Barmouth with my Step-Grandmother, it was her Birthplace, and was a grand town. Her maiden name was Agnes Adams, if there are any people by name of Adams in Barmouth, I'd love to make contact and exchange family history.

'The Rock Shop' 1960's

I have many fond memories of Barmouth. My parents, 2 brothers and myself spent our holidays in a caravan at Williams'. No T.V, gas light (those damn mantles!) but what wonderful times we had. We would go 'over the beach' at night armed with shrimping nets and scour the rock pools, climb over those huge rocks and... [more]

The Plas Mynach Llanaber road

60 odd years ago Plas Mynach was de-requisitioned from war service.  I worked for a Mr Hamblin from Birmingham, he had purchased the building to reopen as a hotel after we had refurbished throughout. All food stuff was still on ration so we kept a pig, ducks fowl etc, and scoured the district farms to buy eggs, butter and the odd... [more]

MY PARADISE

Way back in my childhood, brothers two and then plus me,
Mom and Dad said let us pack our bags, and go down to the sea,
Down to the railway station, our entourage did go,
Comic books within our hands, cause, four hours, they went so slow

Now as the train pulls into town, his whistle he did blow,[more]

Fairbourne

I first went to Fairbourne when I was probably only about 6 months old. My mother's parents lived in Friog. Hendoll Bungalow up Fford Hendoll was to be a holiday destination for many years after that, right up to 1995 which was the last time I was there. I had always promised my daughter that we would visit one day and... [more]

1950's

My first introduction to Fairbourne I think was in 1953 (the same week that we heard that Everest had been conquered and the Coronation). As a child resident of St Christopher's Railway Orphanage in Derby, we went camping for the first time ever. The site was in a field by Fford Yr Ysgol (Google map search). We camped in ex-army bell... [more]