Further to the photo of the George & Dragon, here is what it looked like in 1875.

I recently came across an interesting article about Abergele during World War II. During WARSHIP WEEK, a National Saving Campaign in 1942, Abergele community raised money to adopt two ships. One was a Flower Class Corvette named HMS HOLLYHOCK  (launched August 1940) and the other a River Class Frigate named HMS DERG (launched January 1943).

HMS HOLLYHOCK served in the Far East but was unfortunately sunk in April 1942, off Ceylon (Sri Lanka), in an attack by aircraft from the Japanese aircraft carrier SORYU, with the loss of 53 lives.

HMS DERG served through till the end of the war on convoy duties to South Africa. She was renamed to HMS WESSEX in 1951 (later HMS CAMBRIA) and was used as a training ship until she was broken up in 1960.

 

The town was presented with a plaque by the Admiralty .

The inscription reads;

PRESENTED BY

THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF THE ADMIRALTY

TO ABERGELE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL

TO COMMEMORATE THE ADOPTION OF

H.M.S. HOLLYHOCK and H.M.S. DERG

DURING WARSHIP WEEK.  MARCH 1942

I was reminded about life in the old “Nashy” Junior School in Abergele while reading through The War Years by Robert J Griffith. In his book, he talks about the Army Cadet Force during the Second World War. “their headquarters was in two Nissan huts opposite the National School where the Americans had once been based and had used as a canteen”. This recollection reminded me of my early days in the school when the Nissan huts still existed and we used it as a canteen also. We used to have to walk across the road, under the escort of the teachers, to await the arrival of school dinners. They always arrived in a little van and the food was in large metal containers. I can still smell it today. I have no idea from where the food came but I remember it well. Of interest, I didn’t know that Americans were based in Abergele during the War.

This brings me to ask, when did the Nissan huts get removed ? I think it must have been done by Slaters to extend their parking area and well before the Tesco development. There was also a bus station where you could find Harold and Bert sheltering from inclement weather. I have looked but never been able to find any photographs of the Bee field in those days. I can remember what it was like in the Sixties, the Nissan huts, bus station and toilet block (which I believe did disappear during the development for Tesco) and of course the Sale Yard and Scout hut, located at the bottom, roughly where the fire station is now.

If anyone has photographs or memories they would like to share please comment to this post.

I went to look at the recent Carnival in town. Great to see it being supported by the town people and lovely weather as well, as you can see.

Pentre Mawr Park looked as it used to when I was a child. Lots of things going on, music and sunshine. Brilliant day for all.

 

In the background was a replica tram from the old tramway that ran between Colwyn Bay and Llandudno. It brought back memories of when I was a small child, catching the train from Pensarn to Colwyn Bay and then the tram to Llandudno. Here is a picture of a tram decending into Rhos on Sea. Sure you will all recognise the place. It’s now a two level roadway.

While browsing the Northern Ghost Investigation website I came across these articles concerning the history of the Bull Hotel in Chapel Street.

“In late 1848, Jane Roberts of Abergele, opened up her home to a Mormon preacher, John Parry Jr, who was a convert from Newmarket. Jane Roberts, Jane Parry, Elias and Barbara Morris became his first parishioners, but in the years that followed many people in and around Abergele became baptized and were converted to Mormonism.

The Bull Hotel became a place of worship for the Abergele Branch of the LDS Church on April 30th 1849. However it was  discontinued to be used by the Mormons by April 1856, as many of the members had emigrated to Salt Lake City and other areas of America.

A plaque which hangs on the restaurant wall at The Bull Hotel, shows the photographs of John Parry Jr and Elias Morris, and states the Bull Hotel as a place of worship”.

Also;

“The Bull Hotel is reputed to inhabited by several ghosts. A ghostly monk is said to reside in the building having died after slipping on a wet surface at the location.

Another haunting is that of a young man who once lived at the hotel.  He apparently died in a motor bike accident. The young man was buried in the local cemetery just up the road from the hotel. The figure of this young man still dressed in his “black leathers” has been witnessed by many staff and guests and is said to roam around the whole of the hotel. Yet another haunting is that of an unknown female. There have also been reports of shadows, strange noises, cold spots, orbs and unusual smells all around the hotel”

 

Some nice pictures of the Castle appearing but this one is unusual. I’m not sure if originally it was a photo that has been enhanced or was a painting. The most unusual thing is that it is not from the normal view. Most postcards show the Castle from the front, but this is of the East side which most people wouldn’t recognise. Interesting that people would buy a postcard from this view.

I recently picked up a copy of The War Years, Personal memories of Pensarn and the Abergele area, 1939-45 by Robert J Griffith circa 2005. Some very interesting things are to be found in the reading which details his experiences in the ARP and the Home Guard during the Second World War. Here is a story I found interesting,

“When our headquarters above the Visitor Office was occupied, a sentry was posted outside. Once, one of these sentries was marching back and forth on the pavement between the door to the HQ and the corner of the NP bank. He halted and ordered arms with his rifle which was a routine movement, but on this occasion, as the butt of the rifle hit the ground, a single round was discharged. The bullet chipped a hole approximately 3 inches in diameter underneath the eaves of the bank. A patch of cement concealing the damage can still be seen under the eaves today.”

I wondered if it was still there after all these years, so armed with camera I went to look….

Similar view taken in about 1870 from almost the identical spot.

From ‘The Illustrated London News’, September 2nd, 1848

Ocean Monarch, Captain Murdock.  Sailed on Thursday morning, August 24th, from Liverpool for the United States with a total of 398 persons onboard. When 5 – 6 miles to the east of Great Orme’s Head, in Abergele Bay, fire broke out. The flames were seen by Mr Littledale, Commodore of the Royal Mersey Y.C , who was returning to Liverpool in his yacht Queen of the Ocean. He proceeded at once and saved 32 persons. Mr Littledale described the flames as burning with a fury from the stern and centre of the vessel. Passengers, men, women and children, crowded to the fore-part whilst many others jumped into the sea. In a few minutes the mizen and main went overboard but the foremast remained standing. As the fire moved forward, passengers and crew clung to the jib-boom in clusters as thick as they could pack, one lying over another. At length the foremast went overboard, snapping the fastenings of the jib-boom, and the jib-boom plunged into the sea, taking all with it.

The Brazilian frigate Affonso, Captain J.M. Lisboa, was on a pleasure cruise in the area with Brazilian dignitaries, Prince de Joinville and the British Admiral Grenfell aboard. She bore down to the Ocean Monarch and launched five boats to assist. The Admiral took charge of one boat and Captain Lisboa, another. Because of the numbers of people in the water, and the tangle of floating spars, the boats from the frigate could not get as close they wished. The Affonso, nevertheless, rescued 156 persons including 13 seamen.

Burning of the Ocean Monarch off the Great Orme. Samuel Walters 1850

Charming picture of Pensarn from the West.