Penmaenmawr discovers hidden links to World War Two

Apr 14 2011 by Rayyan Parry, North Wales Weekly News

A SPRING clean in a community centre unearthed dusty memories of World War Two.

Chairman of Penmaenmawr Community Centre Viv Mooney was cleaning up the centre last week when she stumbled across old books dating back to 1923.

The history enthusiast explained: “I was cleaning the office out and in the bottom drawer there was a box. I took it out and there were some very old books inside.

“It was marvellous, I was up until half past one reading them. It’s amazing that they were there and only a couple of people know about them. It is nice to read what went on in those days.”

The books Viv found in the building, formerly the Penmaenmawr Young Man’s Institute, include minutes for the ordering of black-out curtains used to stop light being seen in windows during German bombing in World War Two.

Back in 1923 the building included a snooker hall on the ground floor which still functions today and a centre of learning to help the young into work.

“Penmaenmawr likes to keep its roots alive,” said Viv.

“I was going through the minutes and the conversation back then was very gentlemanly, very English.

“It was quite funny that they didn’t refer to it as World War Two, they referred to it as ‘incidents abroad’.

“It is all hand written and the handwriting is beautiful.”

Now the valuable notes have been forwarded to Penmaenmawr Historical Society and will be put on show.

Myfanwy Baines of the society said she was delighted with the find.

“It’s important to keep the history of Penmaenmawr alive. People can come to the museum, browse and do research,” she said.

“Things like this shouldn't be thrown away. Any old photos of Penmaenmawr, any old minutes from old clubs that no longer exist, we want to put it in the archives to make it relevant for the people of Penmaenmawr.”

rayyan.sabet