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Porthmadog

Porthmadog photos (24 available)

Old photo of Porthmadog

Porthmadog maps (2 available)

Old map of Porthmadog

Porthmadog books (2 available)

Porthmadog memories

Be the first to add a memory of Porthmadog.

You can also read memories of nearby places in Gwynedd below.

Gwynedd memories

Borth Y Gest - Simply The Best

I'm privileged to be the first to leave a memory relating to Borth Y Gest. I first had a holiday there in 1964. The owner of the factory where my dad was director owned a lovely holiday home in an elevated position in Mersey Street. The house is called "Mirain" and has unrivalled views across the estuary to Harlech. We had at least one holiday a year there until 1978 when the house was sold. I've continued holidaying in the Portmadoc/Criccieth area every year since and feel like I know it as well as I do my home town. These days when we (my wife, son and I) go to the area we stay in a ...read more here
A memory of Borth-Y-Gest contributed by Paul Woodin

I was fortunate enough to have spent a holiday at "Brynawelon", Criccieth in the mid 50's.  I stayed with my Aunt and Uncle who rented a cottage in the grounds.  My Aunt introduced me to Sosia {Soshia} who was the Polish housekeeper's daughter - we were inseparable.  We would slide down the highly polished wooden bannister in the main hallway, onto a lion skin, {I was horrified!}  We hopped and skipped and jumped the days away and all too soon it was time to say goodbye.  I remember our traumatic parting as if it was yesterday, my Aunt turned to my Mother and said "parting is such sweet sorrow". I often think of the delightful girl with the smile that would ...read more here
A memory of Criccieth contributed by Lorna Enslin

Golfing memories.

Harlech, Castle and Golf Links 1908

My late husband was the professional at Royal St Davids for many years and the only golfer so far to have been both Welsh Amateur Champion and Welsh Professional Champion twice. We lived at 'Plas Owain' which is the house just above the Golf Links on the curve of the road up the hill. It was built in 1907.
A memory of Harlech contributed by Mrs Black

Lon Y Gert

I have a letter dated 1935 signed your brother William Hugh Jones to my grandfather James Oscough Jones who lived in Garn  unable to find my grandfathers birth record not sure if he was adopted still checking he did live at Lon Gert found family possibly his as it states on my grandfathers marriage father as Hugh Jones:-
Hugh b abt 1851-1911 and Anne b 1862-1918. The children were
William Hugh b abt 1884, Maggie Olwen b abt 1888-1918, Alice Mary b abt 1891, Elizabeth Ann b abt 1896, Hugh Thomas b abt 1898,
Annie Elizabeth b abt 1893-1894 and Ann M b abt 1904.

I have a picture of William Hugh Jones aswell.
A memory of Garndolbenmaen contributed by Jeanette Scott

Extracts From Porthmadog & Gwynedd books

Porthmadog, from Marine Terrace  1889

We are looking over the harbour from Marine Terrace. Several of the port’s big fleet of topsail schooners can be seen. These ‘western ocean yachts’ were built here: they carried slate world-wide, and returned with mixed cargoes. The poet Shelley and his first wife Harriet lived for a while at Tan-yr-allt, near Porthmadog; it was here that a mysterious attempt on his life was said to have been made.
An extract from from"North Wales Photographic Memories".

Porthmadog, Harbour 1894

In the middle ground, a substantial stone bridge supports the road connecting Greaves Wharf with South Snowden jetty. This man-made harbour was built originally for exporting slate. The trade reached its peak in 1873, some years before this photograph was taken. Barmouth
An extract from from"Picturesque Harbours Photographic Memories".

Porthmadog, Harbour 1908

Formerly the prime harbour for the export of Welsh slate for shipment round the coast, Porthmadog is now a thriving holiday resort. This view of the harbour shows the working quayside and schooners loading slate. Beyond the harbour is the wide sandy estuary of the River Glaslyn, the treacherous Traeth Mawr.
An extract from from"North Wales Photographic Memories".

Porthmadog, Harbour 1908

Portmadoc handled slate traffic from both south Caernarvon and north Merioneth; the schooners were able to call upon the services of a tug for towing either in or out of the harbour. If the date of the picture is correct, 1908 is quite late for a paddle-tug to be serving at other than a major coal port such as Cardiff, Sunderland or Seaham. Though paddle-tugs were built for manoeuvrability, they lacked the power of screw tugs, and they were becoming expensive to operate as coal and labour costs increased. The Portmadoc based paddle-tug ‘Snowdon’, built in 1885, was sold off in 1900 to John Dry, South Shields. She served with various north- east tug companies until she was finally withdrawn in 1949.
An extract from from"Victorian and Edwardian Maritime Album".

Porthmadog, Harbour 1908

In this view of the harbour we are looking towards the town clustered on the hillside. The harbour, which was designed specifically for the shipment of slate, opened in 1824, and by 1836 slate arrived here by rail to be loaded onto schooners; we can see schooners moored by the harbourside. The slate arrived at the harbour by rail from Blaenau Ffestiniog, travelling the 13 miles along the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which now operates as a scenic tourist route. Originally a horse-powered tramway, the Ffestiniog Railway changed to steam power in 1863.
An extract from from"North Wales Photographic Memories".