Trelawnyd Carnivals

A carnival from 1952 with a most unlikely and dare I say unattractive gaggle of  "carnival Queens"
It was held on the fields in front of Erw Wen

The 1995 carnival programme designed by Tim Jones

The late Pat Ellis (centre) surrounded by village children

Thanks to Peter Ellis for the loan of the photographs

Mr Basil Davies/ Miss Mona Davies

Mr Basil Davies                                                                             Miss Mona Davies

Basil and Mona's Grandfather lived in the police house Bryn Hyfryd which is located in the village at the junction of High Street and the lane to the farm "Ochr-y-Gop"

He was then the village policeman and in this photograph which was taken at the turn of the century he can be seen standing before the typically rural looking home which did in fact house a functioning prisoner cell. although it is unknown whether or not it was ever used. One of the little girls is Basil and Mona's mother



Bryn Hyfryd

  Basil " Most villagers in those days had their own policeman. Trelawnyd, Dyserth and even Llanasa had one.
The policemen in those days were tough, big men who had to be able to handle themselves and as you can see my grandfather was a broad chap"

Mona and Basil's mother and father went on to farm Ochr-y-Gop, which is one of the grandest farm houses in the village. Apart from Mr Bryn Davies (Chapel House) Basil and Mona are the only two Trelawnyd residents that still live in the house in which they were born.

The Beautiful Ochr-y-Gop (above) before it was obscured by the Maes Offa Bungalows

This family bill from 1921 is the November and December bill covering bread purchased from Siop Newydd (G.O.Griffith)
Note the penny red which was applied as "bill paid"
Hubert Evan's father at the bakery next to the Mostyn Arms probably sold the bread to Siop Newydd



School Children at the village school around the 1940s
Basil is the second boy on the left
The girl in the centre of the group with her smiling head raised is Daphne Jenkins
Pat Bagguley is just behind her to the left ( with all the hair)

 

This fascinating document is an invoice of payment from the point of Ayr mine to Mona and Basil's father for the rather larger sun of twenty Nine pounds/ ten shillings.
The date was 1921 and Basil suspects that it was payment for Haylage for the mine's pit ponies

Basil and Mona highlight a common but hitherto largely unsaid phenomenon from the 1920s and the 1940s, and that was the fact that times were very hard indeed.
"We used to have a a great many tramps turning up at the farm. Men without a home or a job. Many would work on the farm, paint a wall or so for some food and a bed for the night. They used to sleep up in the hay loft where it was warm, but my father always used to demand that if they had a box of matches on them, they would have to hand them over to him...my father would not risk a fire"
Audrey Jones in her testimonial told a story that an old lady from the village Ester Parry, used to come to their family farm (Gop Farm) just to darn socks . Her payment again would be a meal or a bag of potatoes.
   OlwennaHughes recalls that most people had their own piece of land given over to the growing of vegetables. Indeed the allotments for Bonc terrace can be still seen today and have recently been converted back to their allotment roots.  Pat  Bagguley also recalles a local piece of history when around ninety years ago a local man who was down on his luck lived and indeed died in the Dove house of Gop farm ( below)

                    

                                                 Milk delivered by Basil and Mona's Brother Tommy ( known as Tommy Ochr-y-Gop) around 1960. The horse was called Polly.                                                                                               

An Overview

From all of the previous resident testimonials, I am beginning to glean together a picture of what the "old" Trelawnyd might of looked like.

This old survey map published well before  1962 shows clearly some of the features before Rhoda Arthur, the pensioner bungalows and Bron Haul were developed.

Interestingly it shows The Historic Offa's Dyke transecting the village opposite The Crown Pub where the new Park Offa is now located

Key:

1. The Site of the Livestock Market "Cae Sale"
2. The "Roft" 
3. The Wynstay Pre Fabricated house and Wynstay Cottage
4. The tree lined drive to the Old Rectory
5. The Carnival field in front of Erw Wen
6. The old High Street Houses and Cottages before Bron Haul
7. The old Cottage above the village

1 "Cae Sale"

The old Police station on London Road

"Cae Sale" was the site of a livestock market. In the above picture, although not clear you can see a flat area of land just before Upper Bonc Terrace ( the row of cottages in front of the larger Plas yn Dre to the left of High Street).Pat Bagguley and daughter Joanne remember playing on the site as children, though it had not been used as a market since the early 1930s.
.Trevor Evans recalls that the village boys sometimes used the auctioneer's ring as an improvised boxing ring after the market was run down
In front of "cae sale" you can just make out the roofs of Bryn Hyfryd Cottages and just after that the detached farm house that is called simply "Bryn Hyfryd". Bryn Hyfryd at one time was the village police station. The police station was then moved to a house on London Road (next to the school)


2 The Roft
Just to the right of High Street and obscured by the trees was a patch of overgrown allotments and "rough ground" which was called The Roft . The site of the Roft is now the Entrance to Bron Haul



Looking down High Street Today.
The Roft would have been on the right of the road.
To the left is Bryn Hyfryd. "Cae Sale" would have been situated beyond Bryn Hyfred's garden

3 The Wynstay "prefabricated" Bungalow

Audrey Jones of Gop Farm and Ty Newydd Farm remembers her grandparents living in the Wynstay Bungalow. It was an old army structure lifted directly from Kinmel Camp in the 1920s

It was part house, part shop and later in its existence became a popular fish and ship shop, complete with a small dining area. A small holding was attached to it.

This rare photograph Shows Audrey Jones' Grandfather behind the "Prefabricated house"

The Wynstay Bungalow was situated at the end of Chapel Street and was flanked by Wynstay Cottage which has now been demolished and which is the site of a bungalow.

The site of the Wynstay Bungalow today

Wynstay Cottage Roof can be seen to the right

.


Gwyneth Evans (left) who still lives in the village and Jean Roberts outside Wynstay's shop























4 The Entrance to The Rectory

The once imposing drive, to the rectory which was lined with trees is alas no more

The Rectory Entrance as it is today

5 The "Carnival field opposite Erw Wen

This  photograph  taken at Trelawnyd Carnival on Coronation Day 1953 has been included as a bit of fun. It Shows John Richard Morris Roberts, Kinsey Roberts and Edwina Fidgeon celebrating the day.
The photograph also shows Erw Wen just across the road.

London Road/ Erw Wen Today

6 The Old Houses and Cottages on High Street

Where the Sheltered Housing is located today up to Bron Haul used to be situated a row of houses and cottages. At varying times The pubs The Black Boy and The Cross Keys were situated along this row.

7.The Old Cottage "Ar y Gop"
Hidden away behind some newer buildings is an old cottage Ar y Gop

Islwyn Thomas stated that he was born in a stone cottage which was located in this area.

This photograph  could well be the cottage in question

(if anyone can verify this please could they contact me)