What has a street in Rhyl got to do with a beautiful tropical place in Brazil? Read on!
The answer lies with Captain Robert Wynne (c.1806-1865).
In the early 1820’s Robert Wynne of Rhuddlan began an apprenticeship at a merchant’s office in Liverpool. Before he was twenty he had departed Liverpool for South America, where he ran extensive merchant shipping operations out of the major port of Pernambuco (now Recife) in Brazil. He eventually became a partner of the firm in which he was employed, known as Cotesworth, Wynne and Lyne. During his time in Brazil, he and his sister lived in the historic coastal town of Olinda. Olinda generally translates to “O beautiful” . It is located just a few miles north of the main port and its elevated position made it a scenic, cooler and healthier sanctuary for wealthy merchants.
Ill health brought Robert Wynne back to the UK in 1860 and he and his sister chose to retire to the then fashionable new quarter in Rhyl. Remembering the brilliant white tropical sands six thousand miles away in Brazil they named their new home “Olinda”. In 1861 Captain Wynne was appointed magistrate for the County of Flint and in the same year was elected Chairman of the Rhyl Improvement Commissioners. Ill health meant he was only the Chairman for a short time but he remained a Commissioner until his death. He was Chairman of the Rhyl Relief Fund for the poor and was described as “the most charitable of men”. He died in March 1865.
The Olinda and Pen y Don site is now occupied by Bradshaw Manor Care Home.
Rhyl is known as a seaside resort, but in the early nineteenth century the town had another face. Before the pier, before the promenade became the centre of fashionable seaside life, and before the arrival of the railway, Rhyl was closely connected to the sea, the Foryd harbour and the River Clwyd. Small ships and steam packets brought passengers and cargo, and the difficult waters of the estuary demanded experienced sailors who understood its shifting sands and channels.
One of the men who became closely associated with that maritime world was Captain John Collingwood Tarleton (1792-1859), maritime businessman, shipowner, and among the proprietors of the Liverpool to Rhyl Steam Packet Company. He owned or co-owned “The Unicorn”, “The Snowdon”, “The Vale of Clwyd” and “The Royal Victoria” paddle steamers. His name survives in Rhyl today with Tarleton Street and the lookout tower on the East Parade. He was the son of John Tarleton of Liverpool (1755-1851) politician, West Indies merchant and slave trader.
Credit: National Library of Wales. Image circa 1852
As early as 1835 Captain Tarleton of Rhyl was mentioned in a North Wales Directory, and he is recorded as buying land in Rhyl in 1840.
In 1849 Captain Tarleton was acting as Receiver of Droits of Admiralty, an important maritime responsibility. He had become an official part of the Admiralty system for dealing with wrecks, derelict vessels and maritime property.
The circular tower on the pavement edge on East Parade, between Chester Street and Tarleton Street is a Grade 11 listed building, said to have been built by John Tarleton as a semaphore signalling station. His tower allowed vessels to be watched and signals exchanged. His home on East Parade placed him physically at the centre of this maritime world. The tower was probably built sometime after 1831 when the Foryd pier and steam packet service were developing.
(An interesting fact is that the 1870 sailing directions of the Dee and Clwyd describe the use of landmarks as navigational aids – when a buoy was out of position, mariners could use the alignment of St Asaph Cathedral and Rhuddlan Church as a visual indication of their position).
The Rhyl Improvement Commissioners were instrumental in the transformation of Rhyl from a modest coastal village into a flourishing seaside resort. They held their first meeting on June 3rd 1852 where John Tarleton was appointed as one of the first Commissioners. At a meeting in December 1853, the Commissioners discussed the naming of streets. Among the list of proposals were:
“from High street towards Plastirion – ‘East Parade’ ” (Captain Tarleton owned and occupied a house and garden in Plastirion Road.) and “Mr Tarleton’s Road – ‘Tarleton Street’ “
Interestingly, at a Commissioners’ Meeting in 1854, the Clerk gave notice to Tarleton “that unless the gates at each end of Tarleton Street be removed within seven days, after such notice be given to him, that the Clerk be authorised to remove them.” So, originally the Street was gated.
An old wall in Tarleton street, made of stones from the beach
John Collingwood Tarleton was declared bankrupt in February 1859 and died in Rhyl on December 23rd 1859. The death notice in the “North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality” simply says “John Collingwood Tarleton Esq., for many years owner of the steam boats plying between Rhyl and Liverpool.”
Our new season got off to a flying start last night with an excellent presentation “The sinking of the USS Indianapolis” by Mr Peter Robinson, a volunteer in the Visits Team at Rhyl RNLI. In 1989 Peter joined the RNLI and became second Coxswain in 1993. Peter then took the helm of Rhyl Lifeboat Station becoming Coxswain from 1996 to 2010. Learn about the history of Rhyl Lifeboat Station’s history here
Next month we welcome Dr Marian Gwyn who will be talking about “Atlantic Slavery and the North Wales Connection”. Please see our programme page for details. We charge £10 for admission for the whole season, or pay just £3 on the door. Non members are very welcome.
Our Club has produced notelets which we have for sale at £5 per pack. Each pack contains five notelets, on quality card, printed for us by Gwasg Helygain of Rhyl and include envelopes. They can be purchased on our club nights at The Little Theatre.
One of Rhyl’s recognisable landmarks is this Grade 2 listed building on East Parade. It is said to have been built by John Tarleton as a semaphore signalling station for the paddle steamers which operated between the Foryd Harbour, Rhyl and Liverpool.
In his book “Maritime History of Rhyl and Rhuddlan”, D.W. Harris explains “from 1831 onwards a regular steam packet service ran between Rhuddlan and Liverpool. These packets, usually paddle steamers, not only carried passengers but corn from the Vale of Clwyd together with a general cargo of agricultural produce. Also, during 1831 a small pier for passenger steamers was built at the Foryd.” The tower was also likely built around this time. A guide book of 1831 says “Packets arrive Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Conveyance by water to Liverpool”
Cof Cymru describes the tower thus “Circular two-storey tower, of rubble construction with freestone dressings, corbelled and crenellated parapet. Pointed and slightly chamfered voussoir heads to openings; 3 cast-iron small pane sashes in timber frames, and 3 timber, studded doors, one facing pavement. Low attached crenellated wall with single pointed entry runs west for approx 22 metres to end at far corner to front of No 39.”
John Tarleton was a captain, maritime businessman and ship owner.
There was a celebration today at Rhyl Library to mark 40 years.
The library was opened in May 1986 as Rhyl Library, Museum and Arts Centre at a cost of £700,000, one third of which was provided by the EEC Regional Development Fund. Among those to welcome the project at the time was Councillor Jack Griffiths of Rhyl who had long supported the establishment of better Library and Museum Facilities in the town. He said “it will return the Rhyl Service to its proper status – that of one of the leading libraries in the County.” Today County Councillor Emrys Wynne spoke to emphasise the importance of libraries in our communities, to wish Rhyl Library a Happy 40th Birthday and of course to cut the birthday cake. There was very much an 80’s theme to the celebration including photographic displays and stands.
