Holyhead

Photo Album-North Wales

Holyhead

...is situated on a small island off the north western tip of Anglesey. It is, of course, an important port for boats to and from Ireland. It has an eclectic selection of shops, some of which I am featuring here, either for their humour, colour or character.

Not everybody knows this, but Pinewood studios seem to have upped sticks from London town and removed to this corner of Anglesey.

The local house of God is on a somewhat grander scale. A good friend of mine (Tony Escott) who used to work on Television Outside Broadcasts in Wales saw the picture of the chapel alongside and had some chilling memories of the occasion when he worked there in 1963:

"I lit that chapel for a Songs of Praise and it was not my most favourite memory. I remember that the Producer Ifan O. Williams wanted to see every corner, and it's a big chapel so it meant 100 amps per phase, and a huge generator.

I remember Holyhead as a `dry` place on Sunday (in 1963) when it was impossible to get a beer. I was there in December and had to go by train because of the snow and stayed with the caretaker of the chapel who woke me in the middle of the night because the cold water pipes had burst in the kitchen attached to the chapel. In a dressing gown I found the break and was sprayed with freezing water on opening a kitchen cupboard.

I remember hammering the lead pipe flat to stop the leak whilst being dowsed with icy water. Happy days!"

Bara Brith on sale here		Yep, you saw it here first, Wales's cat action trust. All to do with feral moggies.
	B and B has a distinctly Irish touch.
everything for 99p, including Mr. Blobby. I bet Noel Edmonds paid more for his.		This way to an interesting mixture of goods at Trefs.
	Holyhead has a number of its buildings clearly marked as 'House' this being 'Boston House'. If someone knows what the story behind them is, please e-mail me with the answer.	This one is Clifton House. Another English Port perhaps?
London House.			Here in deepest Wales, evidence of a very English Bank.
	The North and South Wales Bank. Never heard of that one! [see the explanation below]	twas Friday; Market day.

Brian Charlton helps to solve the mystery...

Hello Mike, Thank you for taking the time to put your photos of Holyhead and Holy Island on the web and your kind comments about our Town & Island...	Ann	Holyhead
As a Holyheadian myself, I laughed at your pictures of Holyhead and their accompanying descriptions. However, there's no such peninsula as Llaingoch, as you say in a description as South Stack - it used to be a street, then it got a pub, a shop, a few chapels, a school, and turned into a village. Now it's a suburb, if Holyhead can be said to even have such things...	Dafydd	Holyhead
I am just discovering my Welsh roots, and was looking at your pictures and something about the inside of the church at Holyhead, the one with the angels and beautiful stained glass windows really got to me. I could just sit and stare out those windows and feel peaceful within that beauty. A small church that packs a big punch. So small, yet so beautiful. Thanks so much and I enjoyed your pictures. You have a good eye, and your pictures reflect that. And by the way, our first ancestor John Jenkins, was born in Wales (don't know where yet) in 1716	Cathy Jenkins	Seattle, USA
This bank dates from just before Queen Victoria (circa 1836). Many local banks were set up in the 18th and 19th century and used to issue their own notes because of the danger of transporting bank notes from London (highwaymen, etc). Several banks of this type collapsed and their promissory notes became worthless. If you are fortunate to have a North and South Wales Bank white fiver then you would be worth a small fortune - apparently they are now very rare and sought after. The bank became a public company in early 20th Century and was amalgamated (or taken over) as part of the Midland Bank and latterly HSBC. Don't why it got the name North and South Wales Bank - it was a local bank with branches in far off places such as Porthmadog and the furthest east it went was the England Border (Mold?). The notes from such banks were only ever meant to be used locally and the banks were often owned by single or groups of local businessmen. I must lift up my eyes the next time I'm in Holyhead! Interesting site - anybody going to do an article on the new bridge (what bridge I hear someone say?) Later, I got another e-mail from Brian: New bridge? The pedestrian link being built at the ferry port from the station to the town centre - Celtic Gateway or something - I was expecting something enormous and imposing for the £2 million plus that it's costing - apparently if you blink you'll miss it!	Brian Charlton	Newborough