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When was this the fire station? My memories go back to the mid ’50’s and at that time the fire station was by the Council offices in Pentre Mawr — it was very exciting when we were playing in what we called “the park”, with its highlight, “the ditch”, to see the fire engines rush past after the siren had sounded.
A few years after that time (late 50’s) this was a slaughterhouse — my primary school friend Gareth’s (Gaz) dad worked there and it was part of my growing up to see the newly killed cows being converted into butcher’s cuts in this building. I still remember the smell.
cheers,
Richard
I’d agree with Richard’s comments above. When I was in the National School (opposite Slaters) back in the 1950’s, one of the lads in our class, Gilbert Davies of Water Street, had a father who also worked in the slaughter house – the building shown in the photo. I remember watching the livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs) arrive at one end of the process & ending up as carcases.
The old fire station was in Pentre Mawr. The house was used for Council Offices, a dental clinic & such. The fire station adjoined the house, roughly where the modern Housing Association (?) properties are today. In one corner of the yard was an old wooden trailer pump of some description, partly overgrown & rotting. Every Wednesday at 6-50pm, the old air rain siren would go & the firemen would speed to the station for the 7pm practice. I seem to recall that they would often use ‘Green Goddess’ engines on those days, the red, ladder engine being reserved for actual fires or ladder practice I believe.
I too remember the Fire Sation being in Pentre Mawr when we grew up, however this was not the original that I refer too in the photograph. If we look at the history, in 1938, Pentre Mawr was a private school which closed when the lease ran out. In 1939 Abergele Urban District Council bought Pentre Mawr to use as the Council offices. The fire station was relocated to Pentre Mawr in 1939 with the new station being officially opened by Mr D B Jones, Vice Chairman of the Council, on 27th February 1940. It was during 1939 that the fire engine that Colin Knowlson owns today was aquired by the council. Prior to the move to Pentre Mawr, the fire station was in the building to the right of Slaters in the picture. The original fire department was started by Abergele Urban District Council in 1901. Originally a fire bell was mounted on the side of the Bee Hotel which was later replaced with a siren above the fire station. In the picture, you can see the mounting structure for the siren at the top of the building above the doors. The building must have become a slaughter house some time after the move to Pentre Mawr.
Hello I picked up on the info above whilst trawling the net looking for possible leads on my fathers time in abergele during ww2. He was evacuated there from Liverpool. We were in Abergele last week to let my dad look around to stir his memories which was great. He remembered his old school though not the name: it is now the community centre and opposite A car dealership and tesco’s. he remembers that being a slaughterhouse. I am sure it is as shown in the picture above. I would really really appreciate any info on helping my dad remember his time there which he does with huge fondness. We did find one of his old houses (road name escapes me) though he did remember another house in peel street which sadly was no more. Again any help on that era and the names and places would be fantastic. Kind regards Anthony Cunningham