One for Tony

Some time ago I promised Tony “where in Rhyl” an aerial photo of his
childhood house on Wellington Road.

First problem was remembering in which safe place I’d put my postcard collection!

Having stumbled on it just in time for today’s first Rhyl Air Show of recent times…
my second problem was could I scan and enlarge the image clearly?…anyway here goes -with some help from the kids…



The card is postmarked Rhyl 9.15pm 6 July 1921 and carries a threehalfpenny stamp,
Addressed to Miss B Bundell, 56 Salterford Road, London,



“ Dear Bertha,
Am enjoying myself very much, and looking forward to coming back ( I don’t think)
Yours truly
Minnie x “

( Sadly she doesn’t report on whether the bass are in )


The card is labelled, “ Exclusive Copyright Publication by Photochrome Co Ltd
London and Tunbridge Wells By Arrangement with The Aircraft Manufacturing Co Ltd” and has a biplane in the watermark

I’ve always liked to think the photo was taken by pioneering Rhyl Aviator Vivian Hewitt,
but maybe not reading this week’s Journal, seems he didn’t fly much after World War One.

On April 26th 1912 he flew from his airfield near the Foryd to Holyhead and then on to Dublin.
A new distance record for a flight over water and the first plane to land in Ireland.



Talking of the Foryd,
This card , “Wrench Series 13594 “ is undated or stamped
but it’s marked “1/2D inland” and “Printed in Saxony“







http://rhyl-life.blogspot.com/2009/06/mr-hewitt.html

Good stuff Paul.

Very interesting.

Makes me wonder why i dropped history in high school.

Fantastic pics there!

No sign of the Sky Tower in the first and all that's missing from the perfect scene in the 2nd is a modern 'Butterfly' Bridge

I dropped history too, it just wasn't what it used to be.

Bridges for butterflies? Now, That's going too far!


Been trying to date the Foryd postcard, best I can come up with is 1906 - 1910
but I am open to correction.The next 3 images are not from my own collection, unashamedly nicked them off the interweb..

hi Tony,

I'll lend you the Wellington Road card to copy sometime.


I'm basing my guess on the age of the wrench card of the harbour on when wrench went Ltd and then went out of production

did occur to me that the indistinct feature in the distance is the pier and that could give a clue but on checking it out on following link that was built in 1867 so it doesn't narrow it down at all.

some gems here if you've time...

http://www.francisfrith.com/rhyl/photos/the-pavilion-and-victoria-pier-c1867_2254/