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Death of Mrs. Charles Frost,…

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Death of Mrs. Charles Frost, Bryn=y=Maen. Biographical Sketch. A REMARKABLE personality passed away at 8-50 on Tuesday night in the person of Mrs Charles Frost, of Bryn-y-maen, near Colwyn Bay. at the age of 67. The deceased lady had been suffering seriously during the last eighteen months, Drs Pritchard and Williams, of Conway, being regularly in attend- ance. The climax appeared to have been reached about three months ago, when a very serious re- lapse took place subsequent to a period of compara- tive good health, and ever since then she had not been able to leave ht'r bedroom. On several occasions during this time her medical attendants had given up all hopes of her living a few hours after their visits, but, gifted with a first-rate con- stitution and remarkable vitality, she time and again disappointed their prognostications, so to speak. Finally, death took place in the most peaceful manner in the presence of her three nieces, Mrs Howes Roberts (St. Asaph), Miss Frost, and Miss Alice Frost. Immediately the news became known, the whole countryside in that remote upland spot where she had for a few years reigned with no little influence, became a scene of mourning. Every cottage, farmhouse, and residence for miles around put down their window blinds, and everyone appeared to regret the loss of a good, highly-respected friend, Mrs Charles Frost was the seventh daughter of Mr and Mrs William Jones, small farmers, of Rhwngyddwyffordd, and married, in 1863, in Llan- ddulas Church, Mr Charles Frost, son of Mr James John Frost (a member of the firm of Frost Bros., the well known rope makers), of Shadwell, Lon- don. The First Atlantic Cable. It might here be remarked that this firm made the first Atlantic cable, a portion of which was one of Mrs Frost's most valued relics. After her marriage, she resided in Brondesbury-road, Kilburn. In 1869, Mr Frost retired from active business, and forthwith the family removed to Wales, their first residence being Tanliwyfan. near Colwyn. Three years later Mr Frost purchased the freehold of Minydon from Mr I? "vVhittaker, of Oldham, and they here resided until Mr Frost's death on 30th April, 1.896. For the last thirty years Mrs Frost has taken a leading part in church work in Colwyn and the neighbourhood. Her !ft-st attention was directed to the erection of a wall round the churchyard at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, in whose venerable edifice she had herself been christened, and where her parents and many of her ancestors lay at rest. About the same time she procured a new hearse for Llan- tirillo parish. Then, as years rolled bv, we find her faking the keenest land most practical interest in the erection of Colwyn Assembly. Rooms, and, never wearying in efforts for the uplifting of the standard of churchmanship in the neighbourhood, materially helping in restoring Llysfaen Church, building Llysfaen National Schools, etc. She was also responsible for the clock erected in Colwyn Church tower. A Famous Trowel. In the later eighties she laid the foundation stone of St. Paul's Church, Colwvn Bay, the trowel used (a very handsome one) being the gift of her hus- band. With the same trowel Mrs Frost laid the foundation stones of Bryn-y-maen Mission Room and Bryn-y-maen Church on August 8th, 1895, and May 4th. 1897, respectively, and again in laying the foundation stone of St. John's Church, Colwyn, on October 18th, 1809. As before stated Mr Frost died in 1896, and his was the first body to be interred in the burial ground connected with Christ Church,Bryn-y-maen. As is generally known this fine place of worship was the deceased lady's practical gift to the public to perpetuate the memory of her deceased husband. Not only did she erect the church at her own ex- pense, but she built a vicarage and handsomely en- dowed the benefice with an income of [200 a year, the whole outlay amounting to over [2o,ooo-a magnificent monument eloquent of Mrs Frost's good taste and splendid generosity. The Church was consecrated by the Bishop of St Asaph, on Tuesday,the 26th September,r899-an event which will for many years to come be looked upon as a red-letter day in the history of the parishes of Llan- drillo, Colwyn, and Llansantffraid—three parishes converging at Bryn-y-maen.- Mrs Frost was the owner of about 450 acres of land in the immediate vicinity of the church, and on a portion of it she had erected the Elizabethan- styled residence where she expired. As a Public Benefactor. Not content with all her previous good offices.the deceased lady, right up to within a few weeks of her death, continued her philanthropic duties. When she settled down at Bryn-y-maen, it was found that the water supply was inadequate to cope with the demand of the place for whose growth- she was to a great degree responsible. She therefore had a reservoir built at St Crysto's well, about a mile and a half away from the village. This work, which cost £r,ooo odd, was carried out by Mr Jones) of the Melbourne Works, Conway: Mr William Jones. C.E., of Colwyn Bay, being the engineer. Now, the whole of the tenants are sup- plied, free of charge, with an abundance of water, equal in quality to any for many miles around. Amongst her later gifts were X100 recently sub- scribed towards the Clergy Sustentation Fund; [roo to ards the new church at Llandudno Junc- tion, in the parish of Llangystenin, whilst the very last contribution she made was the handsome dona- tion of i.4ciD towards the furnishing the chancel of the new church at Old Colwyn, on a similar plan to that provided for Bryn-y-maen Church. She had already contributed -f.T ooo to the building fund of St. John's Church. It had been her intention also to provide an hydraulic engine for the beautiful organ in Christ Church, but unhappily she did not live long enough !o carry her wishes into died. Recently Mrs Frost had been busily engaged in an ambitious scheme for the development of her estate at Bryn-y-maen, and her pet idea was to make the village a sort of mountain suburb of Col- wyn Bay. Plans of streets, &c, had already been provided by Mr Hulse, of Colwyn Bay, and Messrs Douglas, of Chester, but owing to her indisposition the work had been left in abeyance. The high- road running through the middle of the village will always remain much the better for her busi- ness acumen,, as the well-constructed walls which she had some time ago built alongside a iengthy portion of it, are not likely to collapse for very many years. Mrs Frost has two sisters living", Mrs Evans, now residing at St. Asaph with Mr T. Howes Roberts, J.P., and Mrs Lewis, of Ysgeifiog. The portrait we reproduce was taken about ten years ago, and from which Mr J. K. Makin, the well-known artist, of Old Colwyn, was commis- sioned to make an oil paintiftg at the time. The Funeral. The funeral will take place at Bryn-y-maen, on Saturday, at 2-30 prompt. The body will be in- terred in the tomb wherein lie the remains of the I late Mr Frost. It is expected that the joint choirs of Old Colwyn and St John's Church wi!l take part in the funeral service.

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