50 years ago

Extracts from the Barry & District

News of September 3, 1964:

Should Barry seek to bring the National Eisteddfod of Wales to the town, probably in 1968?

The Town Council is considering sending a formal invitation to the Court of the National Eisteddfod, and the mayor (Ald. C. T. Price) has called a public meeting to be held at the Memorial Hall, Barry, on Tuesday, September 22, to consider the matter and see whether there would be sufficient local support for such a considerable venture.

Opportunities for taking part in a performance of Handel’s best-loved oratorio, “Messiah,” are more numerous than they are for any other work. Nevertheless, a performance which has artists such as celebrated names as Victoria Elliot and Trevor Anthony, together with Barry Philharmonic Choir of nearly 200, and an orchestra of professional musicians, must surely be a rather special occasion.

A well-attended reception and cocktail party – there were about 150 guests – marked the formal opening on Monday evening of White’s Wine Lodge in High Street, Barry, which promises to become one of the most popular rendezvous in the area.

On Saturday there were capacity attendances at a series of meetings held in the Bethesda Chapel, the Murch, to mark its opening.

One of the fastest banana-carrying vessels in the world, the “Geestbay,” completes her maiden voyage tomorrow when she docks at Barry, carrying her first load of bananas to the port from the Windward Islands.

Barry Old People’s Week begins on Monday, September 28, and plans as far as entertainment is concerned, are well in hand. The Barry Council are sponsoring this full week of pleasure free of charge to OAP’s in the town, irrespective of whether they belong to an old people’s organisation.

The extensive alterations and refitting of the Barry Docks branch of Barclays Bank, which is under the managership of Mr. A. R. Creed, will be completed by Monday, September 7.

The redesigned premises are part of the Bank’s ambitious building programme designed to meet the growing demand for bank services.