Former Royal Naval club, Llandudno

Link to French translationFormer Royal Naval club, Gloddaeth Street

In 1970 the first floor of this building became the club of the Llandudno branch of Royal Naval Association. The RNA was formed in 1950 to allow people who had served in the Royal Navy to socialise together. Current as well as past members were later admitted. The club in Llandudno was closed in 2006, as local membership dwindled, but the branch continues. The letters RNA can still be seen on the wall above the Blue Elephant restaurant..

Photo of poster campaining for fundsLlandudno’s wartime residents made a valuable contribution to the Royal Navy in 1941 by raising enough money in just one week – dubbed Warship Week – to pay for a minesweeper. Dances, performances and collections were held, and a parade through the town was staged on the first day of Warship Week, 15 November. This was quite a spectacle, involving 100 sailors, personnel from the Royal Artillery and Auxiliary Territorial Services, the Home Guard and many others.

Many people came to this building in Warship Week to make their contributions at the post office, in what is now the Blue Elephant. This was one of many Warship Week events in Britain, organised by National Savings. Each town would adopt its ship and crew once it had raised enough money.

Photo of HMS LlandudnoLlandudno’s target was easily surpassed: the grand total was £222 000, 1 shilling and 9 pence. A Bangor-class minesweeper, launched in Glasgow that month, was duly named HMS Llandudno, and civic leaders looked forward to the proud day when it would anchor off town. HMS Llandudno supported the D-Day landings, when Allied forces captured part of the French coast in 1944. It was sold to the Rorvik Syndicate on 8 May 1947 for conversion to a merchant ship called Rorvik. It was scrapped in 1952, having never visited Llandudno.

By the kerb outside the shop in Gloddaeth Avenue is a rare example of a rectangular King George V postbox, which looks very different from the usual circular design.

FOOTNOTES - Copy of advert used in fundraising campaign.

With thanks to Adrian Hughes, of the Home Front museum

Postcode: LL30 2DD    View Location Map

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