Questions about places

[Cambrian]

The quarry structures comprised a crushing plant and some hoppers which discharged via a chute to boats which moored alongside.  There was a bungalow the foundations of which can be seen towards Angel Bay.  There used to be a manhole at the top of the slope which was part of the bungalow's drainage system. The quarry had its own railway system and there's a fair bit of information on the history of the workings - and a plan - in Volume 3 of JIC Boyd's "Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire".

[DaveR]

There's also a lot about both the Quarry and the Artillery School in the history of Penrhyn Bay book by Dr A. H. Stamp.

[DaveR]

"...A Coast Artillery Practice Camp was established on the Little Orme which whilst enabling Gunners from the East and South coasts exercise, also served, operationally, as the base of 21 Coast Defence Battery R.A."

[richardfaz]

Thanks Dave, cambrian and Jack. So now I know...!!

[richardfaz]

Before anyone comments - the title should be North WEST Prenrhyn Bay....!!! Ooops!

[Hugo]

I've just been looking at a photo of the Little Orme Quarry at pg 91 of Jim Roberts' book "Llandudno"   It's a telephoto shot taken from Llandrillo but shows clearly the old buildings that were there on the Little Orme.
On the same page is a photo taken C1900 of the quarry workers. In 1896  50 men were employed in the quarry and 29 were outworkers.

[Llechwedd]

OK I'm not known for my powers of observation.  Just came through the arch through Littlewoods, connecting from Madoc Street to St. Mary's Road across the end of Brookes Street and Caroline Road. Was suprised to see a road sign saying Marble Arch, sort of outside the back of the Catholic church house.  Has it always been there?

[Jack]

Don't know about always Llechwedd, but it has certainly been there for many years

[Hugo]

That tunnel was once the entrance to private farmland belonging to St George's Hotel.

[DaveR]

It's just a nickname that has stuck and was officially adopted as its name.

[Cambrian]

From what I have been told, there was a gateway made of local limestone leading into the garden - this probably prompted the nickname.  According to "Streets of Llandudno", the name has been in use as an address since at least the 1920s.

[Cambrian]

There's a good plan of what the Coast Artillery Practice Camp comprised in a book called "Wings across the Border".

[Llechwedd]

So I'm basically the most unobservant person on this forum, gosh.

I worked with a teacher in a school in Birmingham whose family owned the farm where the George is now, he was very interesting.

[daveroberts]

My mother's family (her name was Mary Francis) owned and ran Francis Garage in the West End (now Lidl covers the site, before that Gordon Ford). Prior to this they had a business based in The Mews, next door to the Central Hotel. They provided coach tours around Snowdonia amongst other things. There is a very widely published photograph of my great grandfather featured in many Colwyn Bay history books which shows one of their horse drawn coaches outside the premises. I have a few photos from that period that show the arrival of motor cars and motor coaches. The West End garage at first catered for both horse driven transport as well as building and selling cars on the premises. My mother was born in the domestic part of the building on corner of Carlton Road and went to Lynden School which was close by. If anyone has any stories to share concerning the garage or the mews and who may have had a connection or further knowledge of them I would be very intrigued to hear about it. Any photos would be even more welcome. Some of mine can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/firstpresence/sets/72157627965206313/

[Michael]

Hello. dave Roberts. Presumably not DaveR of moderator fame.
I guess you must be the next generation after me because you mention your Mother going to Lyndon school. Well I went to that school, I think around 1937/8 and I think it only opened around 1930 or so. The head mistress was a Miss Anthony and her second in command a Miss Withey. They lived together in Penrhyn Bay. Mike