Author Topic: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories  (Read 107560 times)

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Offline DaveR

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #165 on: January 05, 2013, 10:41:36 pm »
Whilst looking for something else, I found this superb aerial shot of the Craigside Hydro Hotel - click on it to view full size:

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Offline RichieC

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #166 on: January 06, 2013, 06:20:27 pm »
Greetings for the new 2013 everyone.

Regarding the Villa Marina post #156 the property does have an architectural pedigree, having been designed by Harry Weedon in 1936.

Weedon was the partner in the design practice of Clavering and Weedon, which during the 1930's designed almost all the 1930's Odeons nationally in the famous cinema circuit.

Whether Llanwrst fitted into the partnership series is unclear, but the Odeon, Colwyn Bay in the same year as Villa Marina certainly did.

Some more pictures and details here:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Weedon
http://www.ribapix.com/index.php?a=wordsearch&s=item&key=Wczo2OiJDb2x3eW4iOw==&pg=23
http://www.ribapix.com/index.php?a=wordsearch&s=item&key=Wczo5OiJMbGFuZHVkbm8iOw==&pg=5
http://www.ribapix.com/index.php?a=wordsearch&s=item&key=Wczo5OiJMbGFuZHVkbm8iOw==&pg=6

http://www.ribapix.com/index.php?a=wordsearch&s=item&key=Wczo5OiJMbGFuZHVkbm8iOw==&pg=8


Offline Blodwen

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #167 on: January 26, 2013, 05:41:27 pm »
Im now looking into the history of The Four Oaks Hotel, 1-4 Penryhn Crescent. Does anyone know when these building were turned into a hotel ? I have found 1-4 Penryhn Crescent on a listed buildings site which says Quote- ' A terrace of 6 houses built in the mid to late 19th century as properties for long seasonal letting to superior families. Numbers 1-4 now combined as The Four Oaks.'
My great grandmother is listed as living here at number 1 in 1906(aged 22)......i would presume as a servant of some kind. At the age of 17 on the 1901 census she was still living in Wednesbury so maybe answered an advertisement for a position in the house.
Would be grateful of any early photographs too ?
thanks , em.  ;)

My great grandmother Elizabeth Williams (Lizzie) was the cook in 4 Penrhyn Crescent in the 1911 census. It would be so great if anyone has a photo of the building at that time. This was before it was the 4 Oaks Hotel I suppose. Any info gratefully received.
Shirley (aka Blodwen Chardon - Llandudno Museum)

Offline Blodwen

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #168 on: January 26, 2013, 05:54:32 pm »
Brian - No 4 was St Bernards, (see dwsi's post) then it was called Plas Pabo and eventually ended up as Penrhyn before being absorbed into the extended Four Oaks.


Do you know when the name changes took place? I am particularly interested in c1911 as my great grandmother worked there as the cook.

Offline Trojan

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #169 on: June 10, 2013, 04:34:31 pm »
The Parade Hotel (date unkown)

Note the Vadre Lane arch which no longer exists.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #170 on: June 10, 2014, 09:56:59 am »
Just found this interesting view of the old Bath House at the Craigside Hydro Hotel, dating from 1920. First time I've ever seen it.

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Offline Bedelia

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #171 on: June 13, 2014, 03:48:26 pm »
It was Cae Mor, then Kiddies Funland, then Gwynedd Road, then the Arcadia...I think!

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That circular ride in the foreground is where Catlins cafe in the Theatre is now.

more info on 'Kiddie's Funland' http://bit.ly/qt0Is8

I remember Kiddies' Funland well, from when I stayed with my grandparents in the 70s.  The mini ferris wheel made a "shoom-shoom" noise (like giant maracas!) as it went round.  The trampolines were built into the ground and probably quite dangerous by today's standards!  Loved to go here though.

We also went to the summer shows and panto at the Arcadia next door.  (I've posted some photos of a Showtime programme from 1973 in the Photo Gallery, Theatre Programmes.)

Offline born2run

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #172 on: June 13, 2014, 04:22:17 pm »
They should knock down that waste of space arena and build it back again. We need something for families in the town. I loved that place as a child and I know my own children would.
The extravaganza once a year is not often enough!

Do they still have Proffesor Peabodys on the pier these days? I've not been in a long time

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #173 on: June 13, 2014, 04:31:21 pm »

Do they still have Proffesor Peabodys on the pier these days? I've not been in a long time

They have a Clairvoyant, but last time I went by she was "Closed due to unforeseen circumstances!"  :D
Wise men have something to say.
Fools have to say something.
Cicero

Offline Bedelia

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #174 on: June 13, 2014, 06:14:19 pm »
My mum's family was from Llandudno; I used to stay with my grandparents in Deganwy as a child and was last back up there in 2006. 

I've been reading the earlier posts in this thread with great interest, as I am a screenwriter and investigating the possibility of developing a TV drama set in wartime Llandudno.  I was always intrigued by family stories of the wartime influx of the Inland Revenue taking over the seafront hotels and have been trying to find out more about this.  I'm surprised it's not been much written about.

I'm ideally looking for personal stories from families who owned or worked in the hotels before the war: what happened when the hotels were requisitioned?  Where did the hotel owners and their staff go for the duration, and how were they recompensed for loss of their businesses?  If anyone has any records or recollections of how this all worked, I'd be very interested.

I'd also like to hear from anyone who worked for the Revenue in the town. 

And also anyone with links to the POW camp at Pabo Hall.  I have seen online the postcard written by a German POW to his family back home, but I know there were those who stayed on in the area after the war (e.g. a TV repairman my grandparents knew in Deganwy); there must be some stories from their families? 

Please get in touch if you have any info.  I'm based in London and am trying to research online at the moment, prior to a research trip to Llandudno further down the line, if I get some development funding. 

Would love to hear from anyone in the meantime.  Thanks!

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #175 on: June 13, 2014, 06:20:04 pm »
I'd also like to hear from anyone who worked for the Revenue in the town. 

There is a lady in her late nineties living in Craig-y-Don who was the secretary for the boss of the Inland Revenue in Llandudno during WW2.

Offline Bedelia

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #176 on: June 13, 2014, 06:27:52 pm »
Yes, I had seen a reference to her on here.  I have been in touch with John and Barbara Lawson-Reay though, and I think they may have spoken to her and found that she could not remember much about it. 

I know it's rather late now for first hand accounts, but hope to find some second or third generation family members who have been told about it or have photos and documents tucked away somewhere!  I was going to ask you, Bri, if you have any contacts, as I noticed you mentioned various people you knew who had been connected with the hotels?

Thanks!

Offline Cambrian

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #177 on: June 14, 2014, 03:27:12 pm »
DaveR

Very interesting photo of the bath house/pump house at the Craigside Hydro.  The pump was used to convey sea water up to the hotel for use in the pool there.  There was at one time a tank or reservoir at the rear of the hotel which stored the sea water.

A while ago I posted an brief account of a sad incident at the pump house.  I will recap here so folk can relate to the photo.

On 1st March 1946, three 17 year old lads  (from Rhos, Old Colwyn and Llandudno) were employed at the Hydro by the Inland Revenue.  During their lunch break they had taken to  visiting the old pump house and, given its derelict state, were given to knocking bricks out of walls.  On that fateful day, their activities caused the upper floor of the two story building to collapse.
Their absence was noticed and staff went looking for them.  A supervisor found the building in a state of collapse and investigated.
Two had died at the scene and the Llandudno lad was taken to hospital in shock and with leg injuries.

At the subsequent inquest on 26th March, at which the Llandudno lad gave evidence from a stretcher, the Coroner, noting the existence of warning signs, said "They must have known they were playing with fire.  Boys will be boys - that is the spirit which won the last war".

Given this tragedy, it must be assumed the remains of the building were quickly removed afterwards.

Compared with today, it is noteworthy that a full inquest was conducted within the month.

Offline Cambrian

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #178 on: June 14, 2014, 03:33:54 pm »
Bedelia

In addition to the IR (James Callaghan was here for a period and one of his daughters born in the local hospital) there were also the Coast Artillery School and Practice Camp; Companies House; and something called the Anglo-Spanish Clearing Office (which has a vauge whiff of MI6 or MI9 about it); the RAF radar station and a mysterious experimental radar station eventually demolished in 1956.  The CAS is well covered elsewhere on this site and a leaflet is widely available locally. Plenty to be going on with!

Offline Jack

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Re: Early Hotels - Questions & Memories
« Reply #179 on: June 14, 2014, 07:54:50 pm »
Hi Cambrian

In one of David Atkinson's papers that are lodged at the archives he mentions that one of the three bombs that landed on Llandudno during WW2 landed close to the Craigside Hydro pumping house.  Is that the reason the pumping house building was in a semi derelict state?