Looking back throughout school history
Each year Rydal Penrhos greets thousands of visitors from all across the North Wales area and beyond.
Whether it is prospective parents touring the school for their children, local residents joining us for cake and tea or businesses using our fantastic conference and team building facilities, Rydal Penrhos always strives to put on the best welcome for everyone. Some visits in the history of our school take on an extra level of significance, however, with weeks of preparation and anticipation ahead of an arrival that makes everyone take notice.
Nowhere is this truer than in the various royal visits the school has enjoyed across its history. In the previous edition of the Society Newsletter, we included a photo from the Chatsworth House Reunion, when Old Penrhosians were visitors in the Duchess of Devonshire’s home.
This time, we look back at the occasions when royals visited Colwyn Bay and explored the classrooms, hallways and open spaces that served as our collective childhood home-away-from-home:
1923 – THE PRINCE OF WALES INSPECTS RYDAL OFFICER TRAINING CORPS “His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales inspected the Rydal OTC on 11 November 1923. The inspection, which took place on the Cayley Promenade, Rhos-on-Sea, was one of many engagements undertaken by the Prince on a four-day tour of North Wales.”
1957 – DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE OPENS NEW WING AT PENRHOS COLLEGE From a contemporary newspaper clipping:
“The opening of a new three-storey wing at Penrhos College, Colwyn Bay, apart from providing much needed additional accommodation, also commemorates the war-time evacuation of the school to Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire. The formal opening of the wing was performed by Mary, Duchess of Devonshire, on Saturday, using a gold key presented to her by Mr L. Moseley, Colwyn Bay, the architect.
“The Duchess stated that the wing would provide opportunities for studying many subjects under ideal conditions. She said that it was not necessarily those with the most money or the best schooling who led the most interesting lives. An inquiring mind was necessary to make the most of life. The wing, built at a cost of £35,000, comprises six new classrooms, a modern domestic science kitchen, sewing room and drying rooms. Its construction also enabled two older classrooms to be converted into physics laboratories."
1980 – THE PRINCE OF WALES JOINS PENRHOS CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
“His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visited Penrhos on 1 July 1980 to join in the celebration of the School’s hundredth anniversary. He met many pupils during an informal walkabout and unveiled a plaque commemorating the Centenary of Penrhos.”
From the North Wales Pioneer, Saturday July 12 1980:
“Despite the weather Colwyn Bay’s welcome for the Prince of Wales yesterday was anything but damp.
"He landed by helicopter just a few minutes late at Penrhos College to a cheer from the schoolgirls who lined his route through the grounds. He was presented to local dignitaries and to the school’s headmaster, deputy head and junior school head before starting his tour. "On his way through the grounds he stopped to chat to several of the girls including middle fifth formers Heather Smith, Alex Wade and Rebecca Lindop.
"He was quick to spot the life-saving badges on Heather’s lapel and chatted to her about them. "One girl who did not get the chance to talk to the Prince was his fourth cousin Princess Marie of Rumania who is just in her fifth year at Penrhos. She said she had met the Prince some years ago at Windsor when she was there with her parents. Her father abdicated the Rumanian throne in 1947.
"The Prince stopped to admire the college’s coastguard shore boat Hunkydory. A radio transmitter costing £430 was bought for the boat with a grant from the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Fund.
"He also watched a resuscitation demonstration by fifth formers including Karen Vivian and Nichola Joyce. The girls were demonstrating mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiac massage which is part of the training at school. "The Prince remarked to them how much first aid had changed over the years. Karen’s verdict of the Prince? “He’s very nice,” she said. After that he had a go at firing a line thrower designed to throw out a life-line at sea.
"He saw the school’s displays of mountaineering and camping equipment before moving on to look at Young Farmers Corner.
"He took an interest in the colleges pigs, asking Mrs Kay Peacock, the headmaster’s wife several questions about them. "In the chemistry laboratory he stopped to chat to Jaki Tout and Funke Oyalowo, two 12-year olds who were distilling ink. He asked Nigerian-born Funke about her family and where she spent her holidays.
"After his tour of the school the Prince sat down with 65 guests to a meal of various cold meats with salad followed by strawberries and cream.
"After lunch he visited the school’s new laboratory and unveiled a commemorative plaque.”
2000 – PRINCE EDWARD OPENS THE NEW LIBRARY AT RYDAL PENRHOS “His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, accompanied by his wife, the Countess of Wessex, visited Rydal Penrhos on 1 July 2000. Prince Edward officially opened the new Library and Resource Centre and then, with the Countess, viewed various activities, displays and demonstrations in the Quad.
"Tea was taken in the Memorial Hall giving pupils, parents and staff the opportunity to speak informally to the royal couple.”
