Nathan Abrams reveals the forgotten Jewish history of Gwrych Castle.
One thing that has been missed in the excitement of the announcement that Gwrych Castle in Abergele, north Wales is hosting I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here is the location’s Jewish history.
During the Second World War, Jewish refugee children were housed in Gwrych Castle after arriving on a Kindertransport. The castle served as a training institute for those preparing for Aliyah.
As recounted in Dr. Cai Parry-Jones’ book, The Jews of Wales, of the twenty Youth Aliyah centres established throughout Britain between 1939 and 1945, one of them was set up in the north Wales location. It was acquired on 28 August 1939, after the castle’s owner, Lord Dundonald, offered it rent-free for use by the Jewish refugee children. Three days later the Gwrych Castle Agricultural Training Centre, as it became known, was opened, on 31 August 1939, with a total of 180 children in its care.