Abergele local news and history, incorporating Abergele in Shorts

Remembering the people of Abergele who took part in WWI

Posted on by Gareth Morlais

On 11 November 1918, ‘the war to end all wars’ came to an end. Abergele is remembering this on Remembrance Sunday. The poppies and cutout soldiers as you drive into the town have been a thoughtful reminder for the past weeks. This website has published many articles about WWI (keep clicking the Older Posts link at the bottom to see all the biographies and articles)

Photo from @abergelecouncil Twitter account
Photo from @abergelecouncil Twitter account

We thought we’d look back at the Cofia Abergele Remembers project in which AbergelePost.com worked with local historian Andrew Hesketh and Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan learners to list and record the names in audio of the people of Abergele and surrounds who participated in WWI. Click the triangle at the top-lift of this Soundcloud widget to hear the audio recording.

 


emrysP1070439

Here’s a list of students who made the recordings:
Jordan Harwood
Chloe Merrison
Anna Humphreys
Teigan Thompson
Scott Carney
Alice Naylor
Chantalle Cox
Eleanor Lloyd
Iwan Coghlan
Cian Hanna
Mike White
Ben Stone
Sophie Peake
Laurie Wilson
Lara Wagstaff
Abbey Jacklin
Jamie Edwards

 

We’re grateful to Andrew Hesketh and the Emrys students for this touching tribute. We join with the whole nation, 100 years after its end,  in remembering those who participated and those who died in the First World War.

Nurse Hughes, who worked at Abergele Hospital 1950-1953

Posted on by Gareth Morlais

There was a nurse at Abergele Chest Hospital, or Abergele Sanitorium, in the early 1950s called Nurse Hughes. Her daughter Linda Ramsden has kindly shared some old photos from her personal archive of Abergele Hospital in the 1950s. we’ll publish more of Linda’s photos of life in the Hospital in Abergele Post during the coming months. Many thanks to Linda:

Nurse Hughes
Nurse Hughes with other nurse and unknown children
Nurse Hughes (far right) with unknown nurses
Nurse Hughes with unknown Children
Nurse Hughes and another nurse
Nurse Hughes and Nurse Tubridy
Nurse Hughes with unknown Children.

Richard Pearce Auctioneers, Valuers, Estate Agents, Abergele 1958

Posted on by Dennis_Parr

Here’s a gem from the Dennis Parr Collection of Richard Pearce Auctioneers, Valuers, Estate Agents, Market Street, Abergele. It was taken in 1958. Look closely at the reflection in the door glass of the three women across the road, in front of the Car Park. There’s a poster in the window for the 1958 Royal Welsh Show which took place in Bangor. The Eglwysbach Show is also advertised there.

Father and baby dragged under the wild waters of the River Gele in the 1971 Abergele Floods

Posted on by Gareth Morlais

Lee Rowland Williams has been in touch with Abergele Post to tell his dramatic story as an 18-month-old baby when he and his father, the landlord (from 1967-72) of the Pen y Bont pub  in Abergele nearly drowned during the Abergele Floods of 1971. Here’s his story in his own words:

“My parents Sheela and Hugh Williams , ran the Pen-y-Bont pub on Market Street,
and the only pub that was built over the River Gele and during the flood , a car became stuck under the bridge , therefore causing massive build up of powerful water to engulf our pub.
“My parents decided enough was way too much and with myself (an 18- month-old baby)  my mum and dad and Brian left the pub. Within leaving the speed at which the river was so forceful, my father had me in his arms, but a broken log hit him waist high, and he was knocked underwater with me , into the black water, he couldn’t see me.
“My mum’s heart stopped for what seemed like years. Our friend Brian reacted so fast and, without a second thought, dived under the water and literally grabbed me and raised me up. It sounds dramatic, but it truly was. I went to hospital, but mum tells me that day she saw her only son and husband almost too close to loss, that it’s truly a miracle and also it’s such a huge part of that flood.

“I, Lee Rowland Williams can’t find any archive story of this major story of the history of Abergele. Please help if you can.”

So now Lee’s story is documented on this site. Thanks to him for sharing it.

Looking north along the River Gele towards the Pen y Bont pub during the 1971 Abergele Floods. Photo copyright John Emrys Williams
Looking north along the River Gele towards the Pen y Bont pub during the 1971 Abergele Floods. Photo copyright John Emrys Williams

 

1950s photos of Abergele Hospital from Linda Ramsden

Posted on by Gareth Morlais

Linda Ramsden has kindly shared some old photos from her personal archive of Abergele Hospital in the 1950s. Linda’s mother was Nurse Hughes, who worked at the hospital, also known as the Abergele Sanitorium, in the early 1950s. As well as the buildings shown here, she sent photos of life in the hospital, which I’ll publish on Abergele Post in the coming months. Many thanks to Linda:

Abergele Chest Hospital. From Linda Ramsden.
Abergele Hospital Ward. From Linda Ramsden.
Ward 4 – Abergele Hospital. From Linda Ramsden.

Abergele Fire Station, Pentre Mawr Park 1948

Posted on by Dennis_Parr

Here’s a photo from the Dennis Parr Collection of the old Abergele Fire Station, Pentre Mawr Park 1948.

Abergele Fire Station, Pentre Mawr Park 1948
Abergele Fire Station, Pentre Mawr Park 1948 from the Dennis Parr Collection

See also this old fire engine, now restored and owned by Colin Knowlson. It’s possible that the engine owned by Colin was called out of the fire station that used to be next to the Bee Filling Station, Slaters.