Vron, Bangor

[Admin (Matt)]

I always wondered about this house. A substantial dwelling in a prominent location too.




Fron and Fron Isaf (Lower Fron)

Turns out its called Fron, a little digging and it was the home of  JOHN PHILLIPS (1810-1867) The Calvinistic Methodist minister and first principal of the Normal College in Bangor.

Also (perhaps later) the home address of Mr. Leonard Lancaster (who appears to have some connection with the C&A hospital)

The 1851 Census shows John (40) here with his wife Ellen (30) and their daughters Margaret (2) and Mary (3).... Here though it's listed as Vron Cottages? with 2 other heads Edward Ellis & family (Master Ship Builder) and Henry Hughes (Gardener?).

[Admin (Matt)]

Mr Leonard Lancaster, Consultant Surgeon (C&A Hospital) married to Dorothy Lancaster (nee Gordon) who herself was a prominant physican specialising in Dermatology. She was the first female consultant appointed at the C&A and developed the Dermatology Dept there.

Ref:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1969190/pdf/brmedj03006-0088b.pdf

[SidneyWhitaker]

In 1964 (or quite possibly 1965) the west portion was occupied by offices for Lecturers of the fairly new Linguistics Department.  David Crystal (now famous Honorary Professor, well-known author, active in Holyhead), had one of three rooms on the  first floor.  I was luckily allotted a front room on that floor, and naturally knew the other occupants.
  The eastern portion was demolished around that time, but the western stood until about 1985, when it was reduced to a car park!  Attempts were made to preserve something of the garden,which had a short tunnel leading under the house.
  When it became a car park and thoroughfare, the University improved the central path and steps.

[John Lancaster]

It was called Vron as written in the picture and never Fron.  Vron was written in cast iron above the entrance gate.  For a time the left, two storied part of the house was occupied by the Nature Conservancy.

[Admin (Matt)]

A snippet of history from 1992, part of a 'Brief for Lobbyists' regarding the developing of the site.

(also from Gwynedd Archives...)
8/3/86 at Vron Bangor Elizabeth Melinda WILLIAMS wife of W Francis WILLIAMS and sister of the late Thom. Llewelyn HODSON surgeon Liverpool aged 64