Mr Cough Candy

CARDIFF had more than its fair share of eccentrics and none more so than a street vendor who sold candy which he guaranteed would cure any ailment of the chest.

He was known as “Cough Candy”, and to add to his fame he once entered a lion’s den in a menagerie at Penarth Road.

He never recovered from the ordeal and sadly, a short time later, was said to have killed himself in tragic circumstances.

“THANK you Brian for all your articles on old Cardiff as they bring back many memories for myself who has lived most of my life in this great city.

“You ask for memories of Roath Park and, like many thousands of others, I have visited there on many occasions with my friends, wife, children and grandchildren and done everything from visiting the rose garden, duck races on the stream, children’s playground, rowing boats, paddle boats, feeding ducks, fishing for sticklebacks – the water was clean then – and loads more enjoyable things.

“My parents actually met there in 1937 during the Coronation of King George VI celebrations.

“However, two events stand out. When I was about 10, I was on the iron horse which I had done many times before and I was in the front with my mates behind.

“It had an unusual jerky rocking motion and I was gripping the metal handle in front of me.

“Unfortunately I lost the rhythm and went down when the horse’s head came up and my chin hit the metal bar pushing my tooth right through my tongue.

“Blood everywhere and I can still feel the scar today nearly 70 years later.

“If one wanted a drink there was a little wooden box housing a tap next to the horse and hanging on a chain was a brass cup like a small school bell without a handle and which you filled up and drank, then leaving the cup hanging ready for the next person. No germs in those days!

“Your picture of the Taff Swim reminds me of the time I took part in 1959. I think it was the last one.

“We all lined up on the bank to the right of the clock tower and had to swim two laps anticlockwise.

“We all dived in and it was freezing, swimming towards the islands.

“I was doing crawl and it was ok until about 100 yards from the islands my hands started digging into the slimy mud. The water was only about 2ft deep and too shallow to do overarm so I had to change to breast stroke.

“The water was foul and it is no wonder future events were stopped. However most memories are happy and I will continue to visit the jewel in Cardiff’s crown.”

Clive Phillips Rhiwbina, Cardiff