Three Towns Forum
The Local => Ask a Local => Topic started by: hollins on January 03, 2012, 07:49:47 pm
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I have just finished reading the book, Llandudno, Queen of the Welsh Resorts by Ivor Wynne Roberts.
The tale ends in about 1975. Can anyone recommend a book to me that covers more recent history of the town?
Thanks.
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Sounds as if you have the early edition. Landmark produced a much later one - in 2002 - which Ivor revised and up-dated.
One which is often overlooked is Derek Roberts' "Llandudno - A History and Celebration" published by Ottakers in 2004. Both these are well worth getting if you can find copies.
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Thanks cambrian.
I have just had a look on bookfinder.com
The Ottakers 2004 edition of the Derek Roberts book is much more expensive than the one published by Frith also 2004. Do you know if there is much difference?
You are right. I do have the 1975 edition of the Ivor Wynne Jones book. Looks like I will have to buy another one!
Here is a link to the bookfinder search, if it works.
http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=EYa,8SKNl77GnU7kP,F5vJ8kGM0_5780712351_2:1:106&bq=author%3Dderek%2520roberts%26title%3Dllandudno%2520a%2520history%2520and%2520celebration%2520of%2520the%2520town (http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=EYa,8SKNl77GnU7kP,F5vJ8kGM0_5780712351_2:1:106&bq=author%3Dderek%2520roberts%26title%3Dllandudno%2520a%2520history%2520and%2520celebration%2520of%2520the%2520town)
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You can often pick up Llandudno Queen of the Welsh Resorts from one of the cheaper book shops. I got one from the one on Mostyn St. near Ponden Mill for about £4.99 for an American visitor.
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You can often pick up Llandudno Queen of the Welsh Resorts from one of the cheaper book shops. I got one from the one on Mostyn St. near Ponden Mill for about £4.99 for an American visitor.
I have just had the experience of getting a copy. I tried on-line via Amazon, just before Christmas there were two sellers offering a new book at less than £10, I clicked to buy one, the next day I received a message they were out of stock, I tried another seller, the same thing happened. I then noticed they were for sale at over £70. The book is no longer in print, so these people are cashing in. Anyway, in the end I got TWO second hand copies, but both are the first editions. I have one of these to spare, so if anyone wants it, I will sell it on at cost to me of £9. Because of it's age the pages are slightly yellow, but the book has not been read, the only pages that have been opened are the ones with the photos. If interested send me a PM.
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Hi Martin, Is it the Landmark 2002 version you are selling?
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Hi Martin, Is it the Landmark 2002 version you are selling?
No sorry, it's a first edition October 1975.
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You can often pick up Llandudno Queen of the Welsh Resorts from one of the cheaper book shops. I got one from the one on Mostyn St. near Ponden Mill for about £4.99 for an American visitor.
Thanks Nemesis. It will be worth another fiver to catch up with the latest instalment!
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Two available today (5 mins ago) from awesome books at Amazon at £7.99 plus £2.80 P & P. Money back guarantee if not happy.
$good$
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The Derek Roberts book does appear in two separate editions - both are Firth's but one is branded as exclusively for Ottakers and bears their emblems. I seem to think the only one actually on sale in Llandudno was Ottakers (they also sold note books, diaries etc with the same photo on the front as that of the book itself). There is a voucher to buy Frith prints of Llandudno included in the book.
Possibly similar books were written and branded for other towns where Ottakers had branches but using the Frith library of photographs as a basis. I will ask Derek when I see him about.
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Cambrian, is that the same Derek Roberts who lives directly across the road to me on Liddell Park?
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Brian - he does live on Liddell Park.
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$thanx$
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The Derek Roberts book does appear in two separate editions - both are Firth's but one is branded as exclusively for Ottakers and bears their emblems. I seem to think the only one actually on sale in Llandudno was Ottakers (they also sold note books, diaries etc with the same photo on the front as that of the book itself). There is a voucher to buy Frith prints of Llandudno included in the book.
Possibly similar books were written and branded for other towns where Ottakers had branches but using the Frith library of photographs as a basis. I will ask Derek when I see him about.
Thanks Cambrian for recommending this book to me. I ordered the cheaper one and when it arrived it does say "Produced for the Francis Frith Collection exclusively for Ottakar's.
It arrived very quickly this morning from a seller in Anglesey. I haven't read it yet but it is a lovely book.
Thank you also to Derek Roberts if he is reading this forum!
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Thanks, Hollins, glad you could get a copy at reasonable price. I will pass on your thanks to Derek. He tells me that Ottakers commissioned about 18 local authors to write similar books about the towns they had certain shops in. The paperback edition was issued later and for which he was asked to write an up to date final chapter. He didn't hear any more from them and wasn't sure it had been published!
I am glad you like it - as I said this book rarely gets a mention but in many respects it is arguably more thorough and readable than some of the later, similar books.
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Received my copy of IWJ's Queen of Welsh Resorts today and it is brand new and never been read! A bargain from eBay! It's a Landmark Updated Second Edition.
$good$
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When launched, I was fortunate to have mine signed by Mr Jones in Ottakers.
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I do not want to hear anything more about this book, I have had a bad experience. A few weeks before Christmas I tried everywhere to find a copy, without success, until I saw a couple on Amazon. One seller had a new first edition at £9 and a further one at something like £78, I ordered the cheap one, next day, got a message from him saying he could not supply me as "he was sold out". Looked at his site a few days later, he had two on for £78, sod! It's because they are first editions. Anyway, I tried another supplier, he he two for sale, and once again, with very similar price differences, both first editions and both new, the same thing happened, order cancelled by the seller the next day. I was just a bit brassed off. A few days later I found two on E-Bay, one paperback, the other hardback, and both first editions, so I ordered both and thought that there is bound to be someone on the Three Towns who wants a copy and I will sell it on at the £9 cost. Both arrived, neither had been read, the hardback had been a reserve library book, and the paperback, a present that had never been opened save for at the pictures pages. So I was going to sell the paperback on the forum, but of course, no one on here wants a first edition, so from start to finish, it has been a bit of a pain, so as I said at the start, I do not want to hear anything more about this book, or in my case the plural, books. :'(
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On eBay as a Buy It Now at £5.17 inc postage a 1975 hardback edition. >>>
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Llandudno-Queen-Welsh-Resorts-Ivor-Wynne-Jones-/220917707800?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item336fb8b418 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Llandudno-Queen-Welsh-Resorts-Ivor-Wynne-Jones-/220917707800?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item336fb8b418)
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Or a better use of this Forum could be... to borrow my copy FOR NOWT! :)
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I have a copy of both Editions, theres a couple of illustrations in the earlier one that aren't in the revised version.
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Is there a thread on the forum giving a list of local history books or would people post in seperate threads regarding the subject, area etc. Just wondering if anyone knew to save me scouring the forum.
Found an interesting read here published in 1861 by Thomas Williams, Chemist:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=i7kHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=llandudno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yWqlT5aGJ-H80QWssNTxAw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=llandudno&f=false (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=i7kHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=llandudno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yWqlT5aGJ-H80QWssNTxAw&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=llandudno&f=false)
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Sam, if you want a book on Llandudno then I would recommend Chris Draper's book "Llandudno before the hotels". It covers up to about the 1850's and is £9.95.
There isn't a lot about Pant Y Wennol or Penrhynside in it though in case that's what you were after. Llandudno in those days was a small village situated mainly on the lower slopes of the Great Orme ( where the Tram Station is now)
It's a very interesting book though and very informative.
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Sam, thanks so much for posting the link to that old book. It looks fascinating, so I've bookmarked it to study later.
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Thanks Hugo, yes I've heard of the book - think my mum may have a copy I could borrow. Would like to get all Chris Drapers books eventually. Incidentally if anyone didn't see it there was an interview with Chris Draper in the week before lasts NNWN. Gives an insight into what makes the bloke tick. I like his style!
Hope you enjoy the book Blodyn - some interesting info about local flora and fauna which would be good to compare with what we know about today. Found another free e-book from Google: "The Holidays in Llandudno" 1868, not sure of the author - a bit Enid Blyton- esque but I for one will be settling down with a bag of sweeties to read it :P
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YAsCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=holidays+in+llandudno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e8yuT5q4Beak0AWS-5ifCQ&ved=0CFEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=holidays%20in%20llandudno&f=false (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YAsCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=holidays+in+llandudno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e8yuT5q4Beak0AWS-5ifCQ&ved=0CFEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=holidays%20in%20llandudno&f=false)
Still hoping to get hold of copies of Kenneth Dibbles local history books...proving elusive so far. He apparently lives locally - does anyone here know him? If so any chance of asking him if he has any copies for sale...signed would be even better :) One is called I think "Ochr y Penrhyn : Houses and Families." Another is "Ochr y Penrhyn : Historical and social survey" 1999, the other might be called just "Penrhynside". Would be great to get hold of even one of them.
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Sam, the book that would be good for you would be Kenneth Dibble's "Bodafon and Pant Y Wennol" but it seems to be unavailable.
However I was looking at a posting in Rootschat.com about a Robert Williams of Penrhynside when a reply was received from Morag Wight the Senior Library Assistant at Penrhyn Bay/ Llandudno Libraries.
She talks about the author Kenneth Dibble and said that he had written a few books about Penrhynside and as far as she was aware he was alive and well and living in Penrhyn Bay
Copies of his publications are in Penrhyn Bay Library, they are out of print but Morag believes that you can still get copies from him. In actual fact Morag said to the person that if they still wished to have a copy then she would attempt to contact him and ask him to send copies out to this person.
If you are still interested in the book then you could try contacting Morag Wight at the Library Tel 01492 548873
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Being an old Llandudno boy I have three other books besides Ivor Wynne Jones's on Llandudno. I used to buy the odd book whilst on leave to compensate for home sickness (sad!) when I went back. Anyway they are Llandudno's Story by Michael Senior printed in Llanrwst 1986, Llandudno in Colour by J A Brooks dated 1970. Finally, I picked up The Weekly News Guide to Walks around Colwyn Bay at a car boot, original price 6p, and though it is not dated it must be from the 1930's looking at some of the illustrations and advertisements. It comes complete with a mapshowing Rhos pier intact sheltering the Royal Fishing Weir. Z**
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Found another free e-book from Google: "The Holidays in Llandudno" 1868, not sure of the author - a bit Enid Blyton- esque but I for one will be settling down with a bag of sweeties to read it :P
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YAsCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=holidays+in+llandudno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e8yuT5q4Beak0AWS-5ifCQ&ved=0CFEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=holidays%20in%20llandudno&f=false (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YAsCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=holidays+in+llandudno&hl=en&sa=X&ei=e8yuT5q4Beak0AWS-5ifCQ&ved=0CFEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=holidays%20in%20llandudno&f=false)
Sam I've got a copy of that book, which I picked up on ebay (there's a copy in Llandudno Museum, too). It's quite a nice little book and the descriptions of Llandudno and the surrounding areas are fascinating.
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If you are still interested in the book then you could try contacting Morag Wight at the Library Tel 01492 548873
Will do Hugo $good$
Some more books for my list ... cheers tonyf
I used to buy the odd book whilst on leave to compensate for home sickness (sad!) when I went back.
....awwww bless :(
The "Holidays in Llandudno" book is now considered historically important - wonder if the author thought that would happen when he/she wrote it :)
More freebie ebooks relating to North Wales for anyone who's interested:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20096/20096-h/20096-h.htm (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20096/20096-h/20096-h.htm)
The Project Gutenberg eBook,
Title: Welsh Folk-Lore a Collection of the Folk-Tales and Legends of North Wales
Author: Elias Owen
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c0OqXyWp4EcC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c0OqXyWp4EcC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false)
"British Goblins - Welsh Folklore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions"
Author Wirt Sikes First Published 1880.
Republished 2007 by Forgotton Books.
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Is there a thread on the forum giving a list of local history books or would people post in separate threads regarding the subject, area etc. Just wondering if anyone knew to save me scouring the forum.
Sam,
I don't think there is a list anywhere but my apologies if there is. I have picked up a few books recently from mentions and recommendations from forum members including yourself.
Thank you for the link to Holidays at Llandudno. I read this online from your link and then like Blodyn managed to find a copy to buy. It is so charming. My favourite bit is the donkey ride to the top of the Great Orme.
Anyway thanks again. Here is a photo of some that I have bought.
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Another worth reading, 'historic landscapes of the great orme' by Mary Aris, some on amazon at the moment.
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Thank you for the link to Holidays at Llandudno.
You're welcome Hollins :) And thanks for the photo, the list is growing longer! The book by Mary Aris sounds good too Craig.
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I recently bought a 1928 copy of the Ward Lock guide to Llandudno and North Wales. There are plenty for sale on ebay and they are inexpensive but I think they are good value. They are full of interesting adverts and fold out maps.
One of the adverts says, "Let's run up to Chester and have lunch at Browns." This brings back happy memories for me as that is just what my great aunt and my mum used to do!