Cardiff’s ‘romantic history’: memories of life in the 1870s
BACK in the 1950s, a Mr GF Courtney wrote a series of An Earlier Cardiff articles in the now long gone weekly Cardiff and Suburban News. And this week we take a look at the first of them.
“Few cities have such a romantic history as Cardiff,” he wrote. “Its rapid growth from a small riverside harbour to a modern port is a romance in itself.
“There are many Welshmen proud of nationality who justly honour that ancestry which fought invaders time and time again, but Cardiff today, as from Norman times, is of cosmopolitan character, its somewhat mushroom growth from a small harbour to the proud position of a great port has emphasised this, yet I know of few cities whose inhabitants have more affection for the place of their birth or adoption than Cardiffians have for theirs.
“As an old inhabitant [I don’t know how old Mr Courtney was but he sadly died during the publishing of these articles] I find that its history is, therefore of particular interest to the citizens, and this strengthens my view that a few words from one whose memories goes back to the middle ‘seventies’ will contribute to their pleasure.
“I will recall my memories in date sequence as far as possible speaking of the town as it was in earlier days, of things happened and of people who lived there in times that have passed away.
“My family came to reside in Cardiff in 1874, and I distinctly recollect the journey in a four-wheeled cab from the GWR to Wordsworth Street (now Avenue). It was night and the crowds excited me.
“It must have been some considerable time after this that I took every opportunity of wandering out by myself, and one day I ventured as far as Newport Road. Was I rewarded? I should just think so. I saw almost opposite, a grey old building within a railed enclosure.
“It was of imposing appearance, with Corinthian pillars supporting the entrance. But, glory of glories, pacing up and down before the building was a soldier in brilliant red, fully accoutred with rifle and shining bayonet.
“He was guarding the Militia Barracks, the one used before the Crwys Road establishment [this should not be confused with the Cavalry Barracks which led out of Bridge Street, the remains of which converted for other purposes may be seen today]. This was in 1876 and I was a constant admirer of the display while it lasted.”
He continued: “For me the first great event of this year was my visit to the Docks. It happened unexpectedly, and was due to the arrival of a fine sea-going yacht.
“This was the auxiliary schooner, Ione, belonging to Captain Benjamin Lee Guinness.
“Yachts of this character were as infrequent then as today, and she excited much interest.
“The owner gave a small dinner party and my father and mother were invited. For some reason I was included, and I had a fine time.
“But I was on the verge of something far more important, and that was school.
“With family changes of environment, my schooling had been somewhat neglected; this and the fact that education at the time hurried on my start.
“The 1876 Education Act had not yet been implemented.
“In Cardiff there were practically only the National and private schools – the first Board schools were not erected until about 1880. The masses therefore had to rely largely on the National Schools; St John’s in Crockherbtown, standing where the Principality Buildings are now, is still remembered by many Cardiffians, especially its spacious playground abutting the main thoroughfare.
“Also in memory are the Tredegarville and Metal Street schools, then much as now. At this time the principal boys’ private schools were Trice’s in Charles Street and Shewbrooks in the Parade, the former, however, did not last much longer.
“In the later ‘seventies’ some prominient business men founded the Propriety School in Dumfries Place, which aimed at the semi Public School standard.
“It flourished for some years under the headmastership of FC Terry, MA, and was the building which in later years has been associated with the Welsh Board of Health in Dumfries Place.”
■ Please send your pictures and memories to Brian Lee, Cardiff Remembered, South Wales Echo, Cardiff, CF10 1XR, or email brianlee4@virginmedia.com – please include your phone number as I cannot reply by letter.