Holiday-Makers' Corner
If you would like to add to this section please email me.
Message from Mrs G 18.8.07: For those at holiday makers' corner. It is with great sadness that I must inform everyone of the sudden death of Mr Jon Styler on 14th August 2007. For all those who knew Jon at Glanymor, he was an excellent assistant to dad, and a very good friend to me. I am sure we will all take a moment to think of the good times he gave us at 2.00 pm on the 30th August when his funeral will take place in Newport.
Reply from Walter Exall 19.8.07: We were very sorry to hear of the death of Jon Styler. We will remember him and his unforgetable piano playing for us at Glan-y-mor social nights. Many thanks to Kitty Gimblet for keeping in touch with us. Our thoughts are with you all.
John Gimblett
From emails 6th and 10th October
"I have just returned from a day out at Cold Knap with my son. I was telling him of all the good times I had there with my father in the 1960s and 1970s. I also showed him the site of Glan y Mor.
I'm John Edward Gimblett. My father was John Gimblett (d. 1987), who was Cled Gimblett's brother. So, Cled was my uncle and Kita (whom I've not seen since 1977 even though I also live in Newport) my cousin. I see my cousin Gaynor is on your site - her father is my dad's brother (my uncle) Doug. I live within 100yds of him and auntie Margaret. My father John had three brothers - Cled, Doug and David (died some time ago now). He also had one sister, Peg, who's lived in the USA since the 1950s, in Oklahoma.
I was just searching for pics of the house, which is how I came across the Glan y Mor site. I have no photos at all of the house or of being there.
Over the years I've thought of Glan y Mor often and very fondly. Good, good memories. I remember much of the kitchens, funnily enough, as Cled and Colin always seemed to be working in there when we visited! Cled would give me packets of jelly to eat, though I don't remember ever having a meal there! The kitchen was always busy, as you can imagine. I remember the snooker room, with two full-size tables, then the Hall which I don't really know the purpose of. There were table tennis tables there sometimes.
I remembered the lawns being huge but looking at the old photos now I see the grounds weren't that big. There were tennis courts at the end by the beach, and I remember horses there too. I don't remember it ever raining at Cold Knap, though obviously it must have - frequently!
The last time I visited was with some friends in the summer of 1977. Blazingly hot, and we swam in the sea there. It was the summer of disco, and I remember vividly there was disco music (Bee Gees) playing loudly in the Hall and students (?) dancing to it. This was in the afternoon, which seems a bit strange!
Do people still swim in the sea at Cold Knap? As a small boy I have fond memories of swimming there with my dad, though the sea was quite rough and the pebbles very uncomfortable.
I know when the family heard the place was going to be knocked down we were all shocked, and I think it had a profound effect on Cled, Rose and the kids."
Walter Exall
Click here to see Walter's photographs.
Walter's embroidered tablecloth. The signatures on there include Colin, Rose, Sandra, David, Cledwyn and M.G.Gimblett
Reg Thomas took Walter's Fancy dress photographs
From Emails 28.9.06 - 3.10.06:
"My family and I spent many many years at the holiday centre Glan-y-Mor during the 1950's - 1960's coming back year after year. We still keep in touch with a few other holiday families and the now Rev. Bryon Jones who has now retired. We well remember the fancy dress nights and still have loads of photographs taken by the photographer that lived just up the road. John Styler took an appointment in Worcester as Headmaster of a school and we remember his piano playing with joy. On a number of occassions we took down to Glan-y mor a tablecloth which many people signed including Cled and then my wife Kathleen and I spent the winter months embroidering their names for a lifelong keepsake. There were the Williams from Port talbot, The Lewis's from Ebbw Vale, the Sparrows from Birmingham and Inspector Jack Manning and his family from London just to name a few. I could go on and on with very pleasant memories. The highlight was the Sunday evenings and hymn singing in the lounge and the endless games of table bowls. It is so nice to re-cap the times past and thank everyone for making our life as full as it can be. Kath and I are in our 80's with children Christine and Brian."
Walter and Kathleen can be contacted at:
59 The Limes
Kempsey
Worcester
WR5 3LG
Click HERE to see Walter's photographs.
Paul Harrison
From Emails 31.5.05 & 1.6.05:
"Yes I have a great fondness for Glanymor and it appears I'm not alone. I came across your website approximately 2(?) years ago. Its an excellent site, the history section is really interesting.
There was a whole group of families who use to meet the last two weeks in August. I must have been going there from when I was about 8 until about 20. We always had such good times and the weather always seemed to be fantastic. A few times after returning home with my Mum from the holiday I would hitchhike back down and spend a week camping out on the headland, leaving my bag behind reception at the Waters Edge. It must have been great for you students living there, the beach, the Waters Edge and the Bridge Café (egg & chips + Fanta Lemon – Bliss!). I stayed at a hall of residence in Grimsby, which was run along the lines of a ship! (From Nelson's day at that…).
I've tried explaining to my 15 year old son about it, knowing how much he would have liked it, but its hard for someone to imagine it if they haven't been there and he thinks I'm daft anyway! Three years ago I took my wife & son to Cold Knap to show them the place. We stayed at the Egerton Grey in Rhoose, very posh but not a patch on Glanymor! They weren't that impressed and said I was just trying to regain my youth, maybe I was. It was sad to see how depressed the whole area had become. The Edge was still an old folks home. I'm surprised nobody had the foresight to reopen it as a hotel, but I suppose luxury apartments make more money. I also remember the story about the Roman remains underneath the Edge, that could be interesting.
For the past few years I've been buying old post cards of Glanymor or of Cold Knap when they have come up on Ebay, but sadly I have very few photographs.
Will have to get the old memory cells working for further memories, Gaynor kept throwing all of these names at me some I'd forgotten about, it was good to be brought up to date. Gaynor remembers the corridors seeming to go on forever, as for me like I said its certain smells and sounds which trigger the Glanymor Overdrive Gland and happens quite frequently – but then that's a sign of old age!
I can still picture some times at Glan-y-mor like they were yesterday but other times are very misty. I seem to remember certain parts of Glanymor feeling quite sinister and intimidating (and I'm not talking about the “secret” staff quarters in the attic). Whereas other parts had warm friendly atmospheres, maybe it was just my over active imagination, possibly too many Newcastle Browns at the Edge or those Damn Romans! "
Laurence (Rogers-) Jones
Source: email of 5th March 2007
Click here to see Laurence's photographs.
"In my days (1954-66) the Bridge Cafe was owned and run by Rob(erta) and Gwyn Gunter. Rob and Gwyn were famous for their hamburgers and coffee, tea or orange juice served to youngsters from G-y-M after a night on the (pick from the following) town/beach/lounge/bedrooms/pubs. Nothing wicked you understand - or at least that's what we think we convinced our parents.
I remember Mr Rees, the Secretary and Cled G was the Chef and then when he in turn became the Secretary. He and his family, Rose (Mrs G), Alan, Sandra and Colin were always there for us and, hopefully, we were there to help them as and when necessary. I recall arriving one Christmas and Cled was up a ladder trying to thaw the pipes and my Dad going to help him.
The weekly competitions, table bowls, snooker and table tennis, the childrens and adults fancy dress competitions that people entered just to have fun, the Friday night concert hosted by the one and only Jack Williams who, with his wife Dorothy (introduced always as his mother) sang the"Spider and the Fly" duet. Aubrey's Dad, Mr Wilde doing his Stanley Holloway poems of Albert and the Lion and being quite enthralled by two of the best pianists I have ever been privileged to now - Jon Styler (Warsaw Concerto, etc. and Mike O'Neill who could play most things but when he played and sang "Ave Maria" and then "Lucky Old Sun" there were many tears rolling down cheeks.
What made Glan-y-Môr so special were the wonderful friendships that were formed, seeing the same people at the same time every year. For our parents it was about enjoying their friendships and watching their children and everybody else's children grow over the years. As children, we all had lots and lots of holiday Uncles and Aunties - and they all looked out for everyone else. Happy, happy times. Some grew older and moved on into marriage and then brought their children back - same fortnight every year, and some like my family, even began to spend Christmas there. The Annual Boxing Day Treasure Hunt to Nash Point - never to be found.....sorry about the year we stumbled upon it by accident.
Other memories of games on the lawns, the lavender bushes, building holes in the pebbles on the beach to shield us from the wind, catching crabs in the Old Watchtower Bay, beating the tide as we walked the beach to Barry Island and there, to enjoy a knickerbocker glory for half-a-crown at Fortes Ice Cream Parlour - before going on the Scenic Railway/Big Dipper and trying not to be sick.....Happy Happy days.
For old friends and holiday cousins, wherever they may be, I have a small collection of photographs which I am happy to share and would of course be happy to receive their memories of our summer home 'By the Sea'".
Laurence (Rogers-) Jones (Ivor and Mary's 'little' lad)
Gaynor Clifford (nee Gimblett)
Source: email dated 21.3.07
"My memories go way back from baby to teenager. As one of the family ( Rose and Cled's niece ) I was lucky to be there lots of times through the year, but the main holiday was the last 2 weeks in August. There are so many people to remember: there's the Mannings - very good friends with Jane. Paul Harrison and his mum, Miss Green, Ivor and Mary Jomne, Willie Jones and family. Derek and Anne Blundells from Swansea, Denise, Peter and Steve and their families from Manchester. Gosh, could go on! They were days that really molded my life and I only wish my family could understand and have experienced it. I am fortunate to get to see Kita (Gimblett) as we live quite close now, and Aunty Rose and Colin.
I remember messing about on the boating lake, freezing in the outdoor lido, ha! And the famous fancy dresses and of course friday night dances - who's for the teddy bears picnic? Such great times. If anyone wishes to contact me please do (gaynorc@aol.com). Will hopefully soon get some pics posted on here . My mum and dad (Margaret and Doug - Cled's brother) are well."