A health giving mountain

As we enjoy, what could be, the remaining few days of warm sunshine before autumn approaches, it seemed apt to return to Old Colwyn and the seaside home of Tanllwyfan, which opened 100 years ago. This provided for children, not eligible for admission to the permanent homes, a recuperating agency by the seaside for several weeks.

The new home at Old Colwyn

By the time of the opening of the home in summer 1915, the country was in the throes of World War One. Alongside the rest of the country the Manchester Refuges was already seeing the financial effects of a kingdom thrown into turmoil. As homes and departments were shut it was perhaps surprising that the charity was pooling its resources into one service. The need for a larger respite home had been acknowledged since 1896 however, as the twenty beds at Lytham were often oversubscribed.

The opening was presided over by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Alderman Daniel McCabe and the Lady Mayoress. On addressing the crowd the Mayor made reference to the condition of Manchester and Salford during the time. This was reported in the Manchester Courier:

Admission details

He congratulated the committee on having secured that health giving mountain for the children of the city and the neighbouring borough of Salford. Attention ought to have been devoted more earnestly and strenuously to the character and physical strength of the children in the future then had been the case in the past.

He had been looking at some fashionable ladies’ papers and was struck at the amount of money spent on dogs and their pampering. Against the dog he had nothing to say, but he did think the time and money expended by fashionable ladies on dogs could be better used in the care of the children.

The opening of Tanllwyfan allowed for more children to spend a few weeks in the invigorating air of the seaside away from the city centre. And fortunately for the charity through those lean years, the local community (and fashionable ladies) provided support and donations to ensure the service could continue to help throughout the War period and beyond.