Cardiff
Cardiff maps (2 available)
Map of South Glamorgan
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
See this old map of South Glamorgan
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Cardiff books (4 available)
- 96 photos on Cardiff appear in 3 Frith books - View photos of Cardiff
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Cardiff and South Glamorgan
Cardiff memories
Read and share memories of Cardiff and South Glamorgan inspired by Frith photos
working life
I like this photograph because it
reminds me of when I used to travel
in to Cardiff by train from Barry where
I lived.
I worked in the National Provincial
Bank in St.Mary Street. I had some
lovely friends and times
Contributed by wendy john
Grandparents
My Grandparents William Garside and Evelyn Bowden were married on 29th February 1896 in Cardiff and Grandad lived in Roath prior to his marriage. I imagine they may have also stood in this spot when courting, looking quite similar.
DAVID MORGAN
The David Morgan Dept store left of picture was one of the few privately owned Dept Stores in the U.K. This store sadly closed down in 2006 and is now being refurbished and made into apartments and smaller shops.
Contributed by michael tucker
South Glamorgan memories
Grandparents
My Grandparents William Garside and Evelyn Bowden were married on 29th February 1896 in Cardiff and Grandad lived in Roath prior to his marriage. I imagine they may have also stood in this spot when courting, looking quite similar.
Extracts From Cardiff & South Glamorgan books
From the same vantage point as 32663 we now look northwards. With blissful symmetry the
horizon here is occupied by Cardiff Castle - the iconic home of the Bute family, facilitators
of the modern city and much of its wealth. From here and through 32663 one can trace an
imaginary route of influence flowing from the castle, across the town then via the docks and
on to the sea. Landmarks ancient and modern, still familiar to us today, cluster on the right
of the picture. These include St John’s Church, Howell’s store and the Cottage public house.
At left is Westgate Street where only 40 years earlier ran the course of the Taff. The Cardiff and
County Club, later to find a home here, is a new venture founded only three years previously.
An extract from from"Cardiff Old and New Photographic Memories".
From the same vantage point as 32663 we now look northwards. With blissful symmetry the
horizon here is occupied by Cardiff Castle - the iconic home of the Bute family, facilitators
of the modern city and much of its wealth. From here and through 32663 one can trace an
imaginary route of influence flowing from the castle, across the town then via the docks and
on to the sea. Landmarks ancient and modern, still familiar to us today, cluster on the right
of the picture. These include St John’s Church, Howell’s store and the Cottage public house.
At left is Westgate Street where only 40 years earlier ran the course of the Taff. The Cardiff and
County Club, later to find a home here, is a new venture founded only three years previously.
An extract from from"Cardiff Old and New Photographic Memories".
Although the castle entrance is enlarged, the Animal Wall re-sited and the trailing vines long since removed, this remains a
familiar scene. A busy thoroughfare still but horses and tramlines have long vanished. The motorbus was introduced into
the city c1920 and a stationary open top example (left) awaits the next party of inquisitive tourists and sightseers.
An extract from from"Cardiff Old and New Photographic Memories".
The prosperity
of the town is
evident in its
grand commercial
frontage. The
theatres Royal
and Philharmonic
(left) flank the
Victoria Tea
Company, here
perhaps taking
delivery from the
horse-drawn cart
outside. A rival
tea merchant,
Broomhall
and Company,
trade just three
doors down. An
ecclesiastical echo
of Cardiff’s past is
also situated on
this busy block - St
Mary’s Vestry Hall,
some 50 years
after the church’s `relocation`.
An extract from from"Cardiff Old and New Photographic Memories".
The view shows an
abundance of public houses
and hotels. At far right three
stand side by side - the
Theatre Royal, then Clarence
and (out of picture) the
Cambrian. They in turn are
overshadowed by the much
larger Royal Hotel across
the street. The original
building (with canopied
entrance) opened in 1866,
with its façade in the Italian
Renaissance style. Lack of
capacity precipitated the
huge Wood Street corner
extension of 1890.
An extract from from"Cardiff Old and New Photographic Memories".