Author Topic: Llandudno Pier & Pavilion - Old Photos & Memories  (Read 152604 times)

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Offline hkjroberts

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Re: Llandudno pier - payment onto it
« Reply #195 on: March 19, 2016, 09:42:30 pm »
Being an outsider, born Stoke on Trent and now in Derby I have loved visiting Llandudno again in the last two years with the next 2 generations. I have cinefilm from my childhood holidays including the bumper/dodgem boats on the pier. Judging from my appalling curly hair and nappied bum I guess the films are from the late 1940s. Does anyone remember Blackfriars hotel somewhere along the Llandudno seafront. My father became friends with the owners and went climbing with the owners son. They would start out early (when I started to wake up and cry in my cot apparently).
According to my father, the owner and his son, on holiday, got tired of sitting on the beach and went for a walk. Sometime later they returned to the rest of the family only to announce they had, quite unplanned, attended an auction and bought the Blackfriars hotel!

I read this piece above, and recognise this as my family.  My Mum and Dad are celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary on 21st April, next month, and my Mum grew up in Blackfriars (now Cae Mor), the man who went climbing with this man's father would be my uncle and I would love to buy a copy of the cinefilm mentioned as a gift for my parents so please get in touch as we only have 4 weeks until their party.
Bye for now

Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #196 on: May 19, 2016, 11:39:26 am »
Here's an interesting snippet of an old Pier Photo. It's dated as 1860 but that can't be correct as the present pier wasn't built until 1877. There's also no sign of the Pier Pavilion (1886), so a date of circa 1880 would seem fair?


Offline Michael

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #197 on: May 19, 2016, 08:56:54 pm »
  I've expanded this a bit. I cannot be sure, but, but ---- is that Fester outside the first kiosk?

Offline Fester

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #198 on: May 19, 2016, 11:56:35 pm »
  I've expanded this a bit. I cannot be sure, but, but ---- is that Fester outside the first kiosk?
Yes Mike!  It was 9am on Thursday 8th January 1881,  and I was open for business, and I will be there for the next 1000 years too!
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Clivemd

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Re: Pier silouettes
« Reply #199 on: November 17, 2016, 12:44:12 am »
Dave Apologies I think I deleted your original post about the Pier sketch artist, sorry.
So I have cut and pasted it back above my post. Read Below.

DaveR
Re: Pier silouettes
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2010, 08:57:40 AM »
I always recall the name Richardson as doing the Silhouettes?

"In 1960 William Richardson left his native Potteries for Llandudno when he was 37 and became a star tourist attraction in his adopted town.

The former student of Burslem School of Art made his name doing quick-sketch portraits of visitors in his tiny studio on the pier, completing a charcoal drawing in 15 minutes.

When I met him nearly 20 years ago, William told me he'd drawn around 30,000 people and couldn't remember one dissatisfied customer in more than 30 years.

His sitters included two Prime Ministers, Harold Wilson and Margaret Thatcher. Both were in Llandudno in the days when party conferences were held at the resort.

William recalled another visitor who told him she'd been recommended to go to him by her neighbour – in Peru!"

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Clive Massey
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17 November 2016

Dear Sirs,
DaveR, Fester, Merddin Emryss

The Late William Richardson – Sketch Artist Llandudno Pier

I’m currently researching the History of the late William Richardson, Sketch Artist from the Llandudno, Colwyn Bay & Conwy area who sadly passed away aged 93 in March 2016.

I’ll explain my particular interest in him in a moment but firstly I’m having a little trouble navigating around the site / responding to entries such as you 3 contributors. So please forgive me if I’ve broken any protocols.

Are you or any of the local parishioners aware that William Richardson painted the large Artwork ‘Aberfan Calvery’ depicting the tragedy of the 116 children that lost their lives in the 1966 disaster. I make this connection, as back in early 1966, I moved into a house in Windermere Road, Clayton, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire. The house was directly opposite a small Co-operative Supermarket which was managed by a Welshman William Richardson. I spoke with him often and found him to be a quiet reserved man.

Not long after the Aberfan disaster Mr Richardson left this employ & moved on elsewhere. In 1967 a local newspaper printed a short article showing a photograph of Mr Richardson, Clayton Co-op Manager standing in front of the large painting (approx. 7 feet x 4 feet). The article stated that Mr Richardson had in 1967 contacted the relatives of the deceased children explaining that he wished to painted a memorial of the children and asked for copies of photographs, details of hair colour etc. The article stated that the work of art was hanging in one of the Aberfan churches. I immediately recognised him. My understanding is that the picture has the 116 children painted along the outstretched arms & body outline of Christ and is catalogued as ‘Aberfan Calvary.’


The 50th Anniversary of this dreadful event past recently and as I’d often wondered what had happened to both the Artist and picture I contacted some of the Churches in the Aberfan & Merthyr area but no-one seemed to know very much about the subject.

I eventually spoke with the Local authority Archives at Cyfartha Castle Museum, Art Gallery & Archives, Cyfarthfa Park, Brecon Rd, Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8RE. To my surprise and understanding I learned that William Richardson painting had never been on display in any of the area churches. It seems that decision makers and possible the relatives of the lost souls decided that the painting was ‘Too Direct’ given the sensitivity of the subject.

The painting is housed in the Archives of the Cyfartha Park facility and can be viewed by any interested person free of charge by a simple request to the Archivist. The Lady Archivist explained that during the course of a year quite a number of people visit from across the globe asking to see the painting. The Staff are more than happy to arrange a viewing. She further stated that if and when anyone asked about the Author William Richardson they had no knowledge of him, current whereabouts and details of any other artworks by him.

My searches on Google brought up the link that connected everything together i.e. comments on the Three Towns Forum website by, DaveR, Fester & Merddin Emryss.

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that your Pier Sketch Artist was rather more than just a sketch artist but seemingly a man of hidden, kindness, love and skill. He was the man who created the Aberfan painting.

During the course of my research I’ve been in contact with dozens of people from both the Merthyr & North Wales Llandudno areas, all of whom have been excited and happy to help.

The purpose of this work is to have sufficient information to place in the Archives at Merthyr & Llandudno area archives. However we are lacking in a few bits and pieces that would enhance William Richardson’s persona and respect for what he really was.


I still have further enquiries to make. Earlt in 2017 I intend to travel to Merthyr to view the painting.

In a perfect world it would be marvellous if we could locate a photograph of him (to be copied), Photographic copy of any piece of artwork created by him i.e. copy of any sketch he made whilst working on the pier.

I’m happy to meet the cost of copying any photos, documents etc.

The smallest bit of info could be very useful.

Thanks for reading and hope someone can respond positively.


Clive Massey.

« Last Edit: November 20, 2016, 09:00:31 am by Ian »

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #200 on: February 01, 2017, 02:14:26 pm »
   I wonder if anyone remembers the kiosk where a man sat and cut out (excuse this, my spell checker won't come up with the correct spelling) siluetes of whoever was sat on his chair. And of course paid the fee. The kiosk could well have been the one occupied by our very own Mr. Fester.
  They were brilliant. My first wife had one done of our son, and years and years after I could look at this sil u et and I instantly went back in time better than I could by looking at a photo.

I somewhere have one of me done in the mid '50s. I will see if I can lay my hands on it.

I finally did lay my hands on the thing ! So here it is ! :laugh:
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline Fester

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #201 on: February 01, 2017, 03:40:45 pm »
Yes!  Nemesis, that was indeed created in my very own kiosk, by a very talented person.
Thanks for posting
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #202 on: February 01, 2017, 06:19:14 pm »
Had to go under the roof to find a frame for a lovely letter which we received yesterday from Ken Dodd !
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline snowcap

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #203 on: February 02, 2017, 10:14:14 pm »
not changed much Nem.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #204 on: March 17, 2017, 01:09:02 pm »
Came across this recently dont know if it is a repeat.....

Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #205 on: September 07, 2017, 09:27:11 am »
This shot, from 1983, is how i remember the old Pavilion & Per Entrance in my childhood. Click image for larger version.

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Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #206 on: September 12, 2017, 01:41:09 pm »
Not that old a photo, this shows the waves touching the underside of the Pier back on 31/03/2010:

Offline DaveR

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Re: Llandudno Pier & Pavilion - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #207 on: September 27, 2017, 08:29:29 am »
Nice shot of the Pavilion in the 1980s - you don't often see this side of the building in photos:

Offline SteveH

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Re: Llandudno Pier & Pavilion - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #208 on: February 05, 2018, 12:42:50 pm »
Llandudno’s long and sometimes unlikely past has been revealed in a book by local historian John Lawson-Reay, chairman of the Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Historic Society.

Article and photos.....

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/secret-llandudno-history-unknown-facts-14239141


Offline ThePopman

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Re: Llandudno Pier & Pavilion - Old Photos & Memories
« Reply #209 on: April 21, 2018, 06:45:15 pm »
To Clive, who was researching the artist William Richardson. I am his nephew.