Llwybr Wartski
Stryd Fawr, Bangor
The Wartski Trail
High Street, Bangor
Morris and Flora Wartski with their seven children, circa 1894.Courtesy of Wartski, London. Morris a Flora Wartski gyda'u saith o blant, tua 1894.Trwy garedigrwydd Wartski, Llundain.
Morris (Moritz) Wartski was born in Turek, near Kalisz, Poland (then part of the Russian Empire) in 1855 and arrived in Bangor sometime in the early 1880s. As with many other immigrants across Britain, the Wartski family did much to help shape their adopted city. They provided the entrepreneurial energy, ambition, financial acumen, willingness to take risks, and vision essential to building modern businesses. The Wartski legacy lives on in their continuing connections with the City of Bangor and its university. This trail is a tribute to that history.
Ganwyd Morris (Moritz) Wartski yn Turek, ger Kalisz, Gwlad Pwyl (rhan o Ymerodraeth Rwsia bryd hynny) ym 1855 a chyrhaeddodd Fangor rywbryd yn gynnar yn y 1880au. Fel llawer o fewnfudwyr eraill ledled Prydain, gwnaeth teulu Wartski lawer i helpu i lunio'r ddinas a fabwysiadwyd ganddynt. Nhw a ddarparodd yr egni, yr uchelgais, y craffter ariannol, y parodrwydd i gymryd risgiau, a'r weledigaeth sy'n hanfodol i adeiladu busnesau modern. Mae etifeddiaeth Wartski yn parhau yn eu cysylltiadau parhaus â Dinas Bangor a'i phrifysgol. Mae'r llwybr hwn yn deyrnged i'r hanes hwnnw.
21 High Street/21 Stryd Fawr
Morris moved his family from 8 Eldon Place to above his shop at 21 High Street when he took over the tenancy there on 1 May 1891. 21 High Street was just a two-minute walk from the station, and the attached living quarters were spacious, with three entertaining rooms, five bedrooms, a kitchen, and a pantry. In October 1893, he purchased the property at auction for £235.
Morris spent the next decade building his business. Slater’s Directory from 1895 shows that Morris was trading from 21 High Street, individually as a ‘watchmaker etc.’, and also as ‘Wartski & Bolloten, drapers & Clothiers.’ This joint venture was short-lived, and the partnership dissolved in February 1896.
Morris took advantage of the additional space at 21 High Street, facilitating the earliest Jewish community worship there. The founding of the Bangor Hebrew Congregation is credited to Morris and Flora Wartski and Mr L. H. Aaronson. Lewis Henry Aaronson was a long-standing resident of Bangor, having been born there in 1841.
After 1896, Morris focused on his status as a watchmaker, and gold and diamond merchant and left the drapery business to be run by his son Isidore. When Henry Cyril Paget became the 5th Marquess of Anglesey in 1898, he became a significant patron of Wartski’s business. He was a colourful character whose passion for extravagant parties and theatricals, women’s clothes, finery, scent, and jewellery led him to be known as ‘The Dancing Marquess’.
Morris Standing outside his shop at 21 High Street. Image courtesy of Wartski, London.
Morris yn sefyll y tu allan i'w siop yn 21 Stryd Fawr. Delwedd trwy garedigrwydd Wartski, Llundain.
Symudodd Morris ei deulu o 8 Eldon Place i uwchben ei siop yn 21 Stryd Fawr pan gymerodd y denantiaeth yno ar 1 Mai 1891. Dim ond dwy funud o waith cerdded o'r orsaf oedd 21 Stryd Fawr, ac roedd y lletyau cysylltiedig yn eang, gyda thair ystafell adloniant, pum ystafell wely, cegin, a phantri. Ym mis Hydref 1893, prynodd yr eiddo mewn ocsiwn am £235.
Treuliodd Morris y degawd nesaf yn adeiladu ei fusnes. Mae Cyfeiriadur Slater o 1895 yn dangos bod Morris yn masnachu o 21 Stryd Fawr, yn unigol fel 'gwneuthurwr oriorau ac ati', a hefyd fel 'Wartski a Bolloten, dilledyddion a brethynnwr.' Byrhoedlog oedd y fenter ar y cyd hwn, a diddymwyd y bartneriaeth ym mis Chwefror 1896.
Manteisiodd Morris ar y lle ychwanegol yn 21 Stryd Fawr, gan hwyluso'r addoliad cymunedol Iddewig cynharaf yno. Mae sefydlu Cynulleidfa Hebraeg Bangor yn cael ei briodoli i Morris a Flora Wartski a Mr L. H. Aaronson. Roedd Lewis Henry Aaronson yn breswylydd hirhoedlog ym Mangor, ar ôl cael ei eni yno ym 1841.
Ar ôl 1896, canolbwyntiodd Morris ar ei statws fel gwneuthurwr oriorau, a masnachwr aur a diemwntau a gadawodd y busnes dillad i gael ei redeg gan ei fab Isidore. Pan ddaeth Henry Cyril Paget yn 5ed Ardalydd Ynys Môn ym 1898, daeth yn noddwr sylweddol i fusnes Wartski. Roedd yn gymeriad lliwgar a'i angerdd dros bartïon a theatrau afradlon, dillad menywod, dillad moethus, persawr a gemwaith a arweiniodd at gael ei adnabod fel 'Yr Ardalydd Dawnsio'.
27 High Street/27 Stryd Fawr
In 1901, Morris’s eldest son, Isidore, was living by himself at 27 High Street, just a few doors away from his family. He was running a drapery shop from this address, and adverts were placed in the local press for a travelling draper in 1897 and a Welsh-speaking traveller in the early 1900s.
Image credit/Credyd delwedd: North Wales Chronicle, 20 January 1900.
Ym 1901, roedd mab hynaf Morris, Isidore, yn byw ar ei ben ei hun yn 27 Stryd Fawr, ychydig ddrysau i ffwrdd o'i deulu. Roedd yn rhedeg siop dillad o'r cyfeiriad hwn, a rhoddwyd hysbysebion yn y wasg leol am ddillad teithiol yn 1897 a theithiwr Cymraeg yn gynnar yn y 1900au.
72 High Street/72 Stryd Fawr
By the time Morris arrived in Bangor, his two older brothers, Joseph and Philip, had already settled there after moving from Liverpool in the late 1870s. In 1883, Joseph was trading in ‘Watches, jewellery, and optics in great variety’ from his shop at 72 High Street. He also cleaned and repaired watches, clocks, and jewellery.
Joseph was achieving public recognition both socially and in business. As early as 1883, he was nominating candidates for a seat on Bangor Town Council, and in 1885, he was involved with the local Freemasons. He had businesses in both Bangor and Colwyn Bay.
Erbyn i Morris gyrraedd Bangor, roedd ei ddau frawd hŷn, Joseph a Philip, eisoes wedi ymgartrefu yno ar ôl symud o Lerpwl ddiwedd y 1870au. Ym 1883, roedd Joseph yn masnachu mewn ‘Oriorau, gemwaith ac opteg mewn amrywiaeth fawr’ o’i siop yn 72 Stryd Fawr. Roedd hefyd yn glanhau ac yn atgyweirio oriorau, clociau a gemwaith.
Roedd Joseph yn ennill cydnabyddiaeth gyhoeddus yn gymdeithasol ac ym myd busnes. Mor gynnar â 1883, roedd yn enwebu ymgeiswyr am sedd ar Gyngor Tref Bangor, ac ym 1885, roedd yn ymwneud â’r Seiri Rhyddion lleol. Roedd ganddo fusnesau ym Mangor a Bae Colwyn.
76 High Street/76 Stryd Fawr
The building that formerly stood on this site was known as Arvonia Buildings. As the Jewish community grew, Morris Wartski’s home at 21 High Street became too small to host services. In 1894, appeals were made to the wider Jewish community to help them fund suitable and permanent premises for a synagogue.
At this time, there were fourteen Jewish families in the town. When sufficient funds had been secured, two rooms in the Arvonia Buildings were rented, furnished as a synagogue, and consecrated on 8 July 1894.
This building was used for religious services until 1963. It was the hub of the Jewish community in Bangor, holding social gatherings and hosting various societies alongside religious worship.
Adeiladau Arvonia oedd yr adeilad a safai gynt ar y safle hwn. Wrth i'r gymuned Iddewig dyfu, daeth cartref Morris Wartski yn 21 Stryd Fawr yn rhy fach i gynnal gwasanaethau. Ym 1894, gwnaed apeliadau i'r gymuned Iddewig ehangach i'w helpu i ariannu safle addas a pharhaol ar gyfer synagog.
Ar yr adeg hon, roedd pedwar ar ddeg o deuluoedd Iddewig yn y dref. Pan sicrhawyd digon o arian, rhentwyd dwy ystafell yn Adeiladau Arvonia, eu dodrefnu fel synagog, a'u cysegru ar 8 Gorffennaf 1894.
Defnyddiwyd yr adeilad hwn ar gyfer gwasanaethau crefyddol tan 1963. Dyma oedd canolbwynt y gymuned Iddewig ym Mangor, gan gynnal cyfarfodydd cymdeithasol a chymdeithasau amrywiol ochr yn ochr ag addoliad crefyddol.
196-200 High Street/196-200 Stryd Fawr
We do not have an exact date for Isidore’s move to 196-200 High Street. He was likely operating both 204 High Street and 196-200 High Street simultaneously for several years. Images of Isidore’s new premises appeared in the local newspapers in 1922, while he was still listed in trade directories at 204 High Street until 1926. It is difficult to distinguish each premise in advertising, as both were usually described as ‘Wartski’s by the Cathedral’, with no street number.
Isidore made shopping in Bangor an experience. Shoppers were welcome to view all the exhibits at Wartski’s with no obligation to buy. ‘Come today-any day-every day’, his adverts blared.
Image credit/Credyd delwedd: Herald, 17 January/Ionawr 1922.
Nid oes gennym ddyddiad union ar gyfer symud Isidore i 196-200 Stryd Fawr. Mae'n debyg ei fod yn gweithredu 204 Stryd Fawr a 196-200 Stryd Fawr ar yr un pryd am sawl blwyddyn. Ymddangosodd delweddau o safle newydd Isidore yn y papurau newydd lleol ym 1922, tra roedd yn dal i gael ei restru mewn cyfeiriaduron masnach yn 204 Stryd Fawr tan 1926. Mae'n anodd gwahaniaethu rhwng pob safle mewn hysbysebion, gan fod y ddau fel arfer yn cael eu disgrifio fel 'Wartski's wrth y Gadeirlan', heb rif stryd.
Gwnaeth Isidore siopa ym Mangor yn brofiad. Roedd croeso i siopwyr weld yr holl arddangosfeydd yn Wartski's heb unrhyw rwymedigaeth i brynu. 'Dewch heddiw - unrhyw ddiwrnod - bob dydd', roedd ei hysbysebion yn dweud.
201-203 High Street, The Castle Hotel/201-203 Stryd Fawr, Gwesty'r Castell
The Castle Hotel sat directly opposite Wartski’s drapery store at 196-200 High Street. The building was one of the oldest hotels in North Wales, dating back to at least 1792. It was once part of the Penrhyn Estate. When Lord Penrhyn sold a portion of his estate in 1928, Isidore (who was a councillor at this time) purchased the hotel for £4,500.
In 1930, Isidore applied to make considerable alterations, which provided a second sitting room and enlarged the dining room to seat 120 instead of 75. Exterior modernisation betrayed Art Deco influences, with changes to the gabled dormers and the ground-floor façade. At the rear of the hotel was a garage with space for one hundred cars.
The Castle Hotel, Circa 1931—credit uknown.
Gwesty'r Castell, tua 1931 – credyd anhysbys.
Safai Gwesty’r Castell gyferbyn â siop ddillad Wartski yn 196-200 Stryd Fawr. Roedd yr adeilad yn un o’r gwestai hynaf yng Ngogledd Cymru, yn dyddio’n ôl i o leiaf 1792. Ar un adeg roedd yn rhan o Ystâd Penrhyn. Pan werthodd yr Arglwydd Penrhyn ran o’i ystâd ym 1928, prynodd Isidore (a oedd yn gynghorydd ar y pryd) y gwesty am £4,500.
Ym 1930, gwnaeth Isidore gais i wneud newidiadau sylweddol, a ddarparodd ail ystafell eistedd ac ehangu’r ystafell fwyta i eistedd 120 yn lle 75. Dangosodd moderneiddio allanol ddylanwadau Art Deco, gyda newidiadau i’r dormerau talcen a ffasâd y llawr gwaelod. Yng nghefn y gwesty roedd garej gyda lle i gant o geir.
202 High Street/202 Stryd Fawr
In June 1903, Morris’s son, Charles, purchased The Star Hotel, opposite Bangor’s Cathedral, for £2000. It had an impressive frontage of forty-six feet.
Advertisements from April 1906 present a high-class shopping experience, with a large stock of engagement rings and private rooms for viewings.
Ym mis Mehefin 1903, prynodd mab Morris, Charles, Westy'r Star, gyferbyn ag Eglwys Gadeiriol Bangor, am £2000. Roedd ganddo ffrynt trawiadol o chwe throedfedd a deugain.
Mae hysbysebion o fis Ebrill 1906 yn cyflwyno profiad siopa o'r radd flaenaf, gyda stoc fawr o fodrwyau dyweddïo ac ystafelloedd preifat i'w gweld.
204 High Street/204 Stryd Fawr
As 21 High Street began to focus on the jewellery trade, Morris’s son, Isidore, moved his drapery business from 27 High Street to 204 High Street. The property was described as being ‘situated opposite the Cathedral, in the centre of the City, close to the market, with a long frontage to the High Street’ and having ‘a fine and commodious shop and showroom with a convenient dwelling-house with a private entrance.’ In the Autumn of 1904, a new dressmaking department was opened.
Isidore also introduced the idea of the fashion show to North Wales for the first time in 1914. The event was named a ‘Mannequin Parade’, and it engaged ‘ladies whose profession is to show off to the best advantage beautiful indoor and outdoor costumes.’
Image credit/Credyd delwedd: The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser .23 February/Chwefror 1917.
Wrth i 21 Stryd Fawr ddechrau canolbwyntio ar y fasnach gemwaith, symudodd mab Morris, Isidore, ei fusnes dillad o 27 Stryd Fawr i 204 Stryd Fawr. Disgrifiwyd yr eiddo fel un a oedd ‘wedi’i leoli gyferbyn â’r Eglwys Gadeiriol, yng nghanol y Ddinas, yn agos at y farchnad, gyda ffrynt hir i’r Stryd Fawr’ a chanddo ‘siop ac ystafell arddangos gain a chyfleus gyda thŷ annedd cyfleus gyda mynedfa breifat.’ Yn Hydref 1904, agorwyd adran gwneud dillad newydd.
Cyflwynodd Isidore hefyd y syniad o’r sioe ffasiwn i Ogledd Cymru am y tro cyntaf ym 1914. Galwyd y digwyddiad yn ‘Orymdaith Modelau', ac fe ddenodd ‘ferched y mae eu proffesiwn yn cynnwys dangos gwisgoedd hardd dan do ac awyr agored i’r fantais orau.’
224 High Street/224 Stryd Fawr
Isidore bought this property at auction in July 1919 for £1025.00. At the sale, he was described as ‘The well known silk mercer and milliner’.
Prynodd Isidore yr eiddo hwn mewn ocsiwn ym mis Gorffennaf 1919 am £1025.00. Yn y gwerthiant, cafodd ei ddisgrifio fel ‘Y masnachwr sidan a’r hetiwr adnabyddus’.