A Trip down Memory Lane for 90-year old former Children’s Home resident
A 90-year-old North Wales lady has revisited the site where she spent most of her childhood during World War II, and beyond.
Mair Owen recently visited Plas Blodwel in Llandudno Junction, a building with deep personal significance as it was once the children’s home where she lived alongside 70 other children. Now home to NWH, Plas Blodwel has transformed from a place of care for children into a central hub for our housing association, continuing its legacy of supporting the community in North Wales.
We opened our doors on Wednesday to Mair so she could take a step back in time and share her memories with her family and staff.
Mair moved to Plas Blodwel in the 1940s at the age of 6 after starting off life in a children’s home in Criccieth before being moved to Ynys Mon. She was then evacuated from there during the war years to Llandudno Junction, as there were fears the bridges across the Menai Strait would be bombed.
Mair was accompanied on the visit by her husband of 68 years, Idris Owen and daughter, Mandy on her trip down memory lane on Wednesday 30th October.
Mair Said:
“Visiting brought back happy memories, I still see one of my friends from our time here, every week.
“It was a happy time, and I was treated kindly.
“I left here, as we all did at 15 years old and went into service working for a family nearby. On my day off, on a Wednesday I would come here with my best friend Maggie and visit the other children.
Daughter, Mandy Owen said:
“There is no getting away from it that mum had a tough upbringing not having her own family unit, but she has cherished memories of being one of 70 children who all stuck together. Her friends became her sisters at the home.
“We have no doubt that mum found the visit emotional, but she really enjoyed visiting her childhood home.”
The idea for the visit came out of a conversation with two NWH staff who are neighbours of Mair.
Claire Shiland, NWH’s Director of Operations welcomed Mair:
“It was an honour for us to welcome the Owen family here.
“It was fascinating to show Mair around Plas Blodwel, Mair pointed out where her bed was in the girls dormitory, now one of our upstairs offices.
“Our boardroom, where we all sat for a cup of tea, was the children’s playroom. Mair remembered sing songs around the piano and a big rocking horse.
“We hope she was pleased to hear about our work as a social housing provider all these years later and now in our 50th year.”
The NWH site in Broad Street was originally bought in 1914 for a new children’s home but the project was delayed until after the first world war.
The childrens’ home eventually opened on 1 March 1926, with Mr and Mrs Christmas Evans as superintendent and matron until 1947. It’s understood they abolished the original workhouse uniform and were determined to make Plas Blodwel feel more like a home than an institution.
Plas Blodwel later became a nursing home, which closed in 1992. It provided temporary accommodation for several months for local people whose homes were damaged by flooding after torrential rain in June 1993.
Plas Blodwel became the headquarters of NWH in 1994.
