Rhyl’s Town Hall was formally opened on Wednesday, October 11th, 1876, by the Lord-Lieutenant of Flintshire (H.R.Hughes Esq.), amidst a flourish of trumpets. The foundation stone had been laid in December 1874. The plans and designs of the hall were by Mr John Turner, of Barrow in Furness and the builder was Mr J. Rhydwen Jones of Rhyl. The outward walls are faced with Penmaenmawr stone, with Cefn (near Wrexham) stone dressings.
On the day of the opening, tradesmen closed their businesses and the streets were decorated with arches and flags. Spectators watched a procession formed by the Foresters, the fire engine and brigade, the police, Oddfellows, lifeboat and crew (drawn by six horses), the coastguards, the demonstration committee, the commissioners, the carriages of the Chairman and his friends, magistrates of the county, the volunteers and residents and friends. The procession was accompanied by four bands of music. It paraded in nearly every street in the town in spite of squally showers. In the evening a grand banquet was held in the Assembly Room for approximately 250 guests.
The principal entrance was in Water Street, although there was frontage on three streets. Within the building were town clerk’s and surveyor’s offices, fire station, store rooms, soup kitchen, market dining room etc, and a portion was let off for a bank, corn exchange and auctioneer’s office. The fish, vegetable and butcher’s markets were also there. The estimated cost of the Hall was £4,750, although the actual costs were about £6,000.
This extract is from “The Buildings of Wales, Clwyd, (Denbighshire and Flintshire)”, Edward Hubbard, 1986.
“Town Hall, Wellington. Gothic, with poygonal masonry. 1874-6 by Wood & Turner of Barrow-in Furness. Dull, except for a characterful clock tower, which rises straight from the pavement and has an octagonal slated spire. Symmetrical end to Water Street. The main front was also symmetrical, or nearly so, before the addition of the CARNEGIE LIBRARY, in similar style and materials, 1906-7. Previous town halls included a building of 1849 in High Street, and another in Wellington Road, 1849 in High Street, and another in Wellington Road, 1854-6 by T.M. Penson.”
If you look at the tower from either side of Wellington Road then it appears to be leaning over.