Rowen, the Village c1960
Rowen, the Village c1960 Ref: R346026
Memories of Rowen, the Village
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 Conwy, Marine Walk c1955 (ref: C156251) |
Year: 1963
Holidays at Conwy A memory of Conwy, Gwynedd For several years in the early 60's our family spent our summer holidays at the caravan park just outside the town of Conwy. I have very happy memories of visiting the castle and the lovely town. Often in the late afternoon we would walk to town via the Harbour Walk and spend a lovely evening by the harbour quay where I recall there was a little pub where you could sit outside. My father would have a beer and my mother a shandy. Along the Harbour Walk there was an old sanitorium which had fallen into disuse. I wonder whether it's still there, it seemed a fairly substantial building. My brother and I were amazed by the "smallest house", there was really only enough room for 2 people inside and very short at that. We had marvellous times in Conwy, the beach was pristine and the water beautiful. We would swim and sunbathe all day. I still have photos of our holidays at Conwy, we are in our swimsuits by the beach and my mother is sunbathing. I recall lovely hot summers in Conwy and the ice-cream parlour at the caravan park which sold gorgeous ice-cream sundaes in a tall glass. It all seems like a dream. Last edited: 11/04/2007 09:13 by Joan Grey |
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Caravan holidays A memory of Penmaenmawr, Gwynedd Ahhh, glorious Penmaenmawr where I have spent some lovely holidays. The sunsets over the bay to Puffin are really something to see, the Fairy Glen and Dwygyfylchi pubs to stay awhile and drink in the atmosphere. The walks along the beautiful sandy beach and surrounding countryside. We had a caravan there and spent so many happy times collecting shells, blackberries, walking down the many little lanes and across the golf course, up to the Sychnant Pass where there is such solitude and you can hear the sound of the birds and smell the country air. The Jubilee path which was cut to commemorate Queen Victoria is a real joy to behold where on a clear day you can see the Isle of Man. Gladstone called it 'Dear old Penmaenmawr' and he was so right. The little town, is well worth a visit and I cannot wait to go again to once again trace my footsteps. The footsteps where some of my ancesters lived a long time ago. They lived in Llanfairfechan but visited Penmaenmawr often. I shall return.......... Last edited: 15/08/2008 14:28 by Susan Jones |
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 Llanfairfechan, Main Street 1908 (ref: 60771) |
Year: 1967
A wet weekend in Wales! A memory of Llanfairfechan, Gwynedd I used to work and study in Manchester for several years in the 1960's and frequently travelled back to my home town of Hatch End to see my girlfriend, Angela Chapuis. Sometimes she would come up north to see me. One wet weekend in April 1967 Angela and I set off from Manchester to visit North Wales in my old car. We stayed in youth hostels and hoped to climb Snowdon as both of us enjoyed outdoor adventures with the scouts and guides over the years. We were beaten back by appalling weather so she took me to nearby Llanfairfechan to see her grandparents instead. The warm cottage was a most welcome respite. I have not seen Llanfairfechan since 1967 and expect it is now much changed! I still have the postcards that Angela and I sent to my parents on that trip. Last edited: 06/01/2008 20:41 by John Howard Norfolk |
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 Llandudno, Tram Track c1935 (ref: L71230) |
Year: 1930s
''Tram Crash on Tabor Hill'' A memory of Llandudno, Gwynedd On Tuesday, August 23rd 1932 there occurred at almost exactly the same spot from which this photo was taken, the most serious runaway and crash that ever ocurred on the line. Car no. 4 broke away from the haulage cable at the spot that the tram is shown above. Rapidly gathering speed and toppling onto the wall to the left of the image, it uprooted a tramway standard (pole) flinging it up the lane by where the children are standing. The roof of the wildly canted tram crashed along the wall, this dislodged coping stones from the wall which fell into the tram causing passenger injuries. The driver, Edward Harris was thrown sideways from the front platform, into the wall and was sadly crushed to death. Apparently riding with the driver on the front platform, was a twelve year old girl named Margaret Worthington. She was badly injured and died at the local hospital within hours of the incident. Other passengers sitting near to the glazed bulkheads were thrown into the windows suffering severe cuts. Almost all of the others suffered severe shock and whiplash injuries. The conductor was Jim Coleburn who had jumped from the rear platform without injury. The driver had courageously scooped up the child and was thrown from the tram with her in his arms. Sadly they were thrown between the wall and the tramcar.... Normally, such an act of bravery would earn substantial recognition but - passengers were not supposed to be carried on the platforms while the tram was in motion. There were only three small motor ambulances available in the town that afternoon and they were soon overloaded. Some casualties were taken to the hospital by taxis impressed by a local Police sergeant. After treatment 20 passengers were released but 15 were either kept in hospital or had to receive ongoing attention. Of the passengers, the most notable was the Bishop of Killaloe. Rabbi Harris Levin of Cheetham, Manchester was also on board, accompanied by his wife Sarah, who fared rather badly. This gentleman subsequently sued the Great Orme Tramway for the [then] enormous sum of £4000 for shock and injuries - a subsequent settlement was agreed at a more modest £1000 however. But there were also other claims of over £10,000 by other unfortunate travellers. The tramway company whilst viable was hardly awash with funds and these claims compelled the winding up of the company. Subsequently it passed into the hands of The Great Orme Railway Co. - but that's another story.. But what caused this catastrophe ? All of the trams are connected to the haulage cables by means of a metal drawbar. This is in permanent grip with the haulage cable and is secured to the upper bogie between the wheels. It 'sticks down' through the slotted channels between the rails. New drawbars had been manufactured by a Manchester company and one had recently been fitted to car 4. The 'Vibrac' steel had an internal directional tension in only one direction, wheras the tram drawbars required an internal tension in two directions, ie from top to bottom AND SIDE TO SIDE. Without 'sideways strength' the product was flawed and unfit for purpose. The tramway had ordered components without properly specifying the required qualities of the materials that the drawbars were to be made of! Disaster was inevitable... Moreover, within a very short time of the tramway opening, it emerged that an emergency slot brake which had been initially fitted was removed from both lower section cars. So for almost thirty years the trams had gone up and down hill with only their wheel and slipper brakes operational! These facts became evident during the enquiry and subsequent report of February 1933. On a more confident note, the trams were subsequently fitted with new highly efficient wheel, slipper and emergency brakes which remain in use today. Just uphill of the children shown is a stone drinking fountain which is let into the wall. Sometimes called Idwal's Folly, it was fixed into the wall to provide refreshment [at one old penny for a cupful of sparkling cool water] for people walking up the hill. The crystal clear spring had appeared overnight and the nearest property owner, Idwal, cashed in ... A few months later the spring mysteriously dried up [shortly after another local house owner discovered a badly leaking water tap in the cellar of his home!!], leaving Idwal with a useless memorial to his folly and greed. Last edited: 20/10/2008 10:05 by John Owen |
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Year: 1990
Christ Church, Arvon Avenue A memory of Llandudno, Gwynedd Does anyone have any memories or photgraphs of the church and or the church house next door? I know the Sheperd family lived in the house and that the Reverend Sheperd preached at the church, that's all I have (except that I know the church closed its doors as a place of worship a few years ago and nothing has happened to it since). Ken Edwards. Last edited: 29/09/2008 10:00 by Ken Edwards |
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