Old Rhyl remembered

A nostalgic journey down memory lane was absorbingly provided by acclaimed guest speaker Harry Thomas for a packed roomful of members and guests, augmented by a welcome visiting contingent of Abergele Rotarians, at an open meeting at Faenol Fawr. Introduced by Abergele President Haydn Davies, the popular speaker, himself a well- versed local historian, writer and author of 13 books about Rhyl and district, charted the inexorable rise of Rhyl as a major holiday location with a stream of rare and evocative screen pictures and postcards. Graphically depicting many of the iconic landmarks signposting the resort’s entrepreneurial growth from an initial population of 1,000 to its present 25,000, he showed how Rhyl had established itself as a significant seaside destination of enduring appeal for countless generations of visitors, drawn particularly from the North, Midlands and Potteries. Once boasting an unrivalled pier reaching nearly 900 yards out to sea, complete with a 2,000 seater theatre, opera house, concert hall and conference venue until being ravaged by fire, Rhyl’s miles of legendary golden sands, enhanced by inviting seafront hotels, countless boarding houses, cinemas and a dizzying choice of amusement arcades, reached its zenith in the fifties and swinging sixties, he recalled. Despite losing its famous Pavilion Theatre, demolished to make way for a car park, having in turn been graced by a glittering plethora of legendary star performers ranging from Kathleen Ferrier, Paul Robeson, Arthur Askey, Shirley Bassey, Tommy Trinder, Josef Locke and Morecambe and Wise among countless others, Rhyl has never lost its enduring appeal to those looking to savour the timeless delights of bracing sea breezes, invigorating pure air and innumerable attractions fit to meet the tastes and demands of appreciative families of all ages. The speaker was warmly thanked by Senior Vice-President Keith Roberts, who earlier announced a success for the Rhyl team in the Rotary District annual quiz, defeating familiar adversaries Rhos-on-Sea despite being drawn ‘away’ and so now move confidently on to the second round. Members were also given early notice that this year’s annual Christmas Dinner will be held on the evening of December 13, at Faenol Fawr.