OF ICONIC STORE BURNED AT STAKE
to understand the mindset of people from so long ago. She is also keen that people should not interpret illiteracy for a lack of intelligence.
“It is hard now to understand that someone could believe something so strongly to contemplate such a horrific death,” she said.
“He was not just a preacher but a leader of a group of quite radical protestant reformers in Cardiff.
“They [the authorities] thought that if they got rid of Rawlins White everyone else would fall into line.
“One of the things you have to remember about literacy during that period is that a lot of what he knew would have been oral – when you can’t read your memory is better and he would have had the Bible read to him.
“There were a lot of people around at the time who could not read and write themselves, but they did value books.
“A modern analogy would be computers now. Most people cannot write JavaScript but they still value and use computers. Now we think of illiteracy as ignorance but it was not the case at the time.” WHEN House of Fraser shuts for good, it will be just the latest in a number of high-profile and popular stores to leave Cardiff city centre over recent decades.
David Morgan – Rival to Howells, this was another much-loved department store in Cardiff. By the time the store closed in 2005, it had become the largest independent department store in Wales.
C&A – The German chain was a giant for generations – and you couldn’t miss it with that lurid rainbow logo. Renowned for its fashions and ski wear, it announced plans to withdraw from the UK in 2000, and the last stores closed in 2001.
Littlewoods – It’s still an online chain, but we haven’t seen it lining up on the high street since 2005.
Woolworths – Every high street in the UK had one – there were more than 800 stores at its peak. But they vanished from our high streets at the end of 2008, with the loss of 27,000 jobs.
Allders – The Queen Street department store was another must-visit place for keen shoppers. It was based at the site where you will now find Queens Arcade/St David’s shopping centre.
Woodies Emporium – Based in the Morgan Arcade, Woodies shut down a decade ago but was seen as the place to go for any fashion-conscious man. It supplied Cardiff City players with their suits for 10 years and had a huge range of designer clothes and shoes.
Dixons – It used to be one of the largest electronic stores in the UK and one of the best-known brands. But it merged with Carphone Warehouse in 2014, and its famous red and white logo is no longer on the high street.
Etam – The Etam brand – together with Tammy – was bought by Sir Philip Green in 2005, but was swallowed up by some of his other brands.
Freeman Hardy Willis – Who didn’t have their school shoes from Freeman Hardy Willis? This vintage footwear brand was launched in 1875, but was gone by 1996.