Brian’s blast from the past

OWING to its rural character, the parish of Roath in years gone by was known as “Sleepy old Roath”.

Back then Roath could boast many fields of arable and pasture land which were outside the Cardiff borough.

And where the Cardiff Royal Infirmary building now stands and far beyond was nothing but farmland.

However, in earlier times the Roath area was a dreaded place of executions. The Gallows Field was situated at the junction of Crwys Road, City Road, Richmond Road and Albany Road and on the side of the wall of the National Westminster Bank a plaque can be seen which reads: “On this site on the 22nd July, 1679, Father Phillip

Evans and Father John Lloyd were executed for exercising their priestly duties. Declared saints and Martyrs by Pope Paul IV on 25th October, 1970.”

At their trial in Cardiff, in the reign of Charles II, no attempt was made to convict them of treason; they were simply charged with being Catholic priests. They were first dragged on hurdles to the gallows.

Then they were hanged for a few moments and before they were dead were cut down. Then, while still alive they were disembowelled and finally dismembered.

However, let us fast-forward to more pleasant times to the days of my youth when the area housed the Gaiety Cinema, Andrews 24-hour

Garage, Corgi’s Hardware Store, Globe Cinema, Kennards Dance Hall and Paskells sweet shop on the corner of City Road and St Peter Street.

The shop always had a good selection of chocolates and sweets and the owner ran a Christmas club where one paid a shilling (5p) or so a week.

As a pupil of nearby St Peter’s Secondary Modern Roman Catholic School it became our tuck shop and was visited also most daily by pupils buying ice cream, chocolates or sweets.

I will have more to say about Paskells on another occasion but if you remember the shop or the other places I have mentioned I would be delighted to hear from you.