Colwyn Bay lies in a wonderful spot on the sunny coast of North Wales. The Ministry of Food relocated to Colwyn Bay in 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War. It is little known just how … [Read more...]
Y Rhyfel Byd
Frederick Marquis, Lord Woolton
Frederick Marquis (Lord Woolton) was born in Salford and educated in Manchester where he became a businessman. In Liverpool he later built up the department store Lewis's. In April 1940 Lord … [Read more...]
John Meerwald
John Meerwald was born in Colwyn Bay, his father died when he was four years old. When the war started his widowed mother was obliged to take in either evacuees or civil servants from the Ministry of … [Read more...]
03. Wireless College
Gordon Scott Whale opened the North Wales Wireless College in Caernarfon in 1918, having trained with the Direct Spanish Telegraph Company and worked for Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Company. In 1920 … [Read more...]
The Ministry of Food: a vital contribution of Colwyn Bay during wartime
Never before in its short history had the Victorian seaside resort of Colwyn Bay had such an important role. In 1940 the town made an extraordinary contribution in housing the staff and manning the … [Read more...]
World War
Many articles on the website include memories of Colwyn Bay during wartime, including the dedicating of the War Memorial and the time of the Second World War when the Ministry of Food was moved to the … [Read more...]
A Wartime Childhood in Colwyn Bay 1939-1945
These are the wartime memories of Gerald J. Davey, who has kindly allowed us to reproduce them here: When on Sunday 3rd September 1939 the Prime Minister spoke his famous words about “consequently … [Read more...]
Albert Rigby and Patricia Wrigley
Albert Rigby represented the UK in the EEC in Brussels, was a member of the Balance of Payments Forecasting Committee and the World Economic Prospects Committee for thirteen years, a career which … [Read more...]
The Life & Times of Penrhos College 1880-1995
Mary Swainson's book about Penrhos College has the subtitle "Recollections and contemporary events" and is a wonderful mix of the history and students' memories of the school. The introduction … [Read more...]
Captain Harry Parker RA 1918 – 2010
Introduction Many people will remember the late Harry Parker as a teacher who worked at Pendorlan for many years. He was born in Canada in 1918, but when his Mother died his Father brought the family … [Read more...]
Alan Wheway 1929 – 2010
Alan attended the Church Walks primary school then later went to school in Eirias Park during the war. ( It was then called the County School.) He remembers vividly the evacuee intake. There was … [Read more...]
The Home Guard
A benefit of the substantial recruitment into the Home Guard was the release of the army to perform its regular duty. Local men living in North Wales who for various reasons were unable to enlist in … [Read more...]
The Wartime Diamond Industry
Frish and Wins was set up on the top floor of a hardware shop in Princess Drive manufacturing diamond tools for armaments. The diamond industry was of strategic importance during the war effort and … [Read more...]
Colwyn Bay Accredited: the wartime experience
Using personal memories of those living in the town during the war as well as documents and previously unpublished photographs this book describes how the town was impacted through its important … [Read more...]
Former Metropole Hotel
Along with many other buildings in Colwyn Bay, the Metropole Hotel was taken over by the Government during World War 2 to accommodate staff from the Ministry of Food who were moved from London and … [Read more...]
