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Penmaenpool
Penmaenpool maps
Historic maps of Penmaenpool and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Penmaenpool maps
Penmaenpool area books
Displaying 1 of 2 books about Penmaenpool and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Penmaenpool
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Gwynedd memories
Arthog
From early 1960s onwards: At school in London we had 2 summer holidays at Min-y-Don. The first time we travelled by coach, we got lost and arrived in the dark. The following year we came by train from Paddington. We had to change at Gobowen and Ruabon, arriving late in the afternoon. My pals and I spent all our time exploring the area, on one excursion we were dropped off at Abergwynolwyn and had to make our way back over Cader Idris. Two of us lost our bearings slightly and arrived back nearer to Dolgellau than Arthog and had to thumb a lift home. Probably wouldn't be allowed now. Walking one evening a farmer pulled up in his Land Rover and roped us in to helping him get a cow out of a ditch. That was when I learnt my first words of Welsh.
After this we left school and my mate worked for a travel company which enabled him to see the world and I worked as a long... Read more
'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 cross the railway track and stroll back to the caravan to eat our chips. Does anyone remember the little girl dressed in Welsh costume giving out samples of rock outside the Rock Shop? Happy Days !!
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, these days to see a car was very rare let alone to be hit by one! My grandfather was seriously injured and needed surgery immediately, coincidently the passenger in the car was a top neuro-surgeon from London. He was operated on and thankfully made a full recovery to later go on to tell the tale. When he was 8 years old the cottage was sold to the Hooper family from Llanaber.
I have very fond memories of Barmouth and have been fortunate to hear many tales from my grandfather. In 2005 we visited the town but now he was in a wheelchair, we still wrapped him up and... Read more
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 purchase the store and this is it in the 1960s photo. There was also a house called 'Cremlin'? behind the shop in which my grandmother lived.
Rock Shop
The Welsh costumed young lady outside the Rock Shop had an unlimited supply of Pwllheli Number 8 rock. A joy to eat, unlike so many of today's softer offerings at other seaside resorts. On a day visit to Barmouth from my home village of Dyffryn the three main events were the Rock Shop for a free sample, the Milk Bar for lunch and an hour or so on the seafront before catching the Crosville service home. Barmouth has changed quite considerably since then but has managed to retain its charm, some old and some new and inovative. O.K so no more green Crossville buses, double deckers in summer, no more steam trains including The Cambrian Coast Express or the occasional Sunday excursion trains from the midlands. Changes do happen and some not for the best but I believe Barmouth has evolved well and its inhabitants are as ever welcoming. I rarely visit these days but my heart has very fond memories of this seaside resort which has much to offer, even wild winds on... Read 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,
To warn the people off the tracks, so he could pull in, real, real, slow
When we had helped to pitch the tent, and all was most secure,
The three of us crossed the promenade, to play upon the shore
We walked a little way and saw, men making pictures in the sand,
And sitting close a Harpist, playing songs of this Welsh Land
At evening time, we`d walk to town, buy fish and chips in a pack,
And as the old saying goes, twas a finger lickin snack.
We came upon the harbour, what a lovely sight to see,
All the little pleasure boats, bobbing gently... Read 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 lamb, all very hush hush in those days. The work was very hard, from 7.30am until 9pm was quite common. I well remember the new white cinema with a tin roof, when it rained you could not hear the sound track.
What has happened to Plas Mynach now, I have many memories.
