Saturday 19 September 2009

NEW OLD VIEWS

Recent acquisitions here at Jones Towers include these unused and undated postcards.

At the top we have a view of the skating rink on the prom, between Queen Street and Water Street. The site was on the east side of the original Rhyl Pavilion and bore the name Pavilion Gardens. The picture looks to be from the late 1970s/early ‘80s, by which time the Pavilion was gone.

It is a pity that there is no roller skating in Rhyl these days. Some people point to skateboarding as being its successor, but they can’t be looking closely or they would see that there are hardly any girls on skateboards. Girls like roller skating and tend to approach it as another way of dancing.

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The other card shows part of Ocean Beach Fun Fair in 1960s. The ride that looks like a rollercoaster is the legendary Mad Mouse which was owned by John Butterworth. The Mad Mouse was a high-speed gravity ride with sharp cornering; it ricked the necks of an entire generation.

Also in this picture: Billy Williams' hot dogs stall!

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