Chilhood And Family

A Memory of Llandudno.

My family connection with LLandudno starts with my grandmother. She moved with her widowed mother, brother and sister from Sutton Coalfield sometime in 1900s. The family name was Ford, it comprised my great-grandmother Emma and 3 children, Gladys, Roland and Constance. My grandmother Gladys married a local Welsh speaker called Howyl Samuel Edwards, I know he was born in the town, was a councillor and a member of St Tudno's Masonic lodge and a painter and decorator by trade. He died in 1952. Constance died unmarried sometime in the early 1960s and I have only vague memories of her. I don't know much more about my grandfather's family yet. I know Roland married but have no other details. I was told my grandmother had Americans billited with her in the war.

My mother was Barbara Joan Kirby, nee Edwards, born in 1921. She attended John Brights. She married my father in a church no longer in existence, I believe originally around where M&S now is. They had their reception at the Imperial. I have loads of pics. My mother had a younger sister Jean Elizabeth who married my Uncle Ray at the church on the corner, now the cultural centre. Ray was the son of Joseph Smith who ran Sunnyside Hotel on LLewellyn Avenue, later Ray took over. The family lived in LLewellyn House, and at one time owned The Branstone opposite. Sadly my aunt died young, leaving 2 small children, Nigel Raymond (also died young aged 23, married with one child ?Melanie) and Romanie Ann. Ray subsequently remarried a lovely lady called Pat of whom I have fond memories and had 2 more children, stepdaughter Dawn and a biological child Amanda, who was 2 last time I saw her. I sadly lost touch with all of them due to a family dispute when I was still small.

I have many happy memories of the town and still visit regularly. Gran and Grandad, Jean, Ray and Nigel are all in St. Tudno's, also Ray's parents.

I know Mum visited Fortees which is still going strong and I still visit. She was married from a house in Gloddarth Avenue which I enjoy walking along after an invigorateing walk around the Orme. I have memories also of running down the back entry with my cousins behind Sunnyside. The shop where now you can go to decorate mugs was a solicitor's premises. Another contributor mentions Reverend Sheperd. He conducted my grandmother's funeral in the church at the top of Llewellyn Avenue.

The last connection I had with family was with Joe Smith's widow Stacia, his second wife, who I visited with my own son, but that must be over 20 years ago when she sold Llewellyn House (now flats) and returned to Ireland.

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