Bae Colwyn aka Colwyn Bay is approximately 11 miles oh all right 17 kilometres to the west of Rhyl and there has been a lot of cross-fertilization of residents and visitors.
If the planned merger of counties Conwy and Denbighshire goes ahead the resorts of Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay & Llandudno would be in the same local authority area - a sensible move.
History of Colwyn Bay is well covered elsewhere, notably by authors Graham Roberts and Cindy Lowe. Here are some of my favourite pix chosen at random:
Above: Old Colwyn, Fairy Glen card posted 1907 and Old Village card posted 1918.
Click on any picture to see a bigger version.
Below: the entrance to Colwyn Bay pier, followed by the entertainment venue Catlin's Arcadia:
You would find more about promoter Will Catlin of Arcadia in Bill Ellis' book 'Entertainment In Rhyl And North Wales'.
[Bill notes that Mr. Catlin's daughter Gladys married Billie Manders whose Quaintesques played season after season at Rhyl's Amphitheatre.]
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Below: Abergele Road, Colwyn Bay, on a card postmarked 1905, and part of Eirias Park on card posted in 1930s:
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Here are shots of The Bay looking eastwards. First is a view from Bryn Euryn on a card postmarked 1917; the more recent photo is (1960s?):
According to reliable sources there is still plenty going on in Colwyn Bay.
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Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk
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