|
Adamsdown |
Butetown |
Caerau |
Canton |
Cardiff Bay |
Cathays |
City Centre |
Coryton |
Creigiau |
Cyncoed |
Ely |
Fairwater |
Gabalfa |
Grangetown |
Heath |
Lisvane |
Llandaff |
Llandaff North |
Llanedeyrn |
Llanishen |
Llanrumney |
Maindy |
Morganstown |
Pentwyn |
Pentyrch |
Penylan |
Plasnewydd |
Pontprennau |
Radyr |
Rhiwbina |
Riverside |
Roath |
Rumney |
Splott |
St. Fagans |
St. Mellons |
Thornhill |
Tongwynlais |
Tremorfa |
Trowbridge |
Ty Glas |
Whitchurch |
| Butetown was barren moor land until
the late 1800's, when the 2nd Marquis of Bute decided to build the
first dock in Cardiff.
The dock opened in 1839, but unfortunately the Marquis never lived
long enough to see how successful the dock would be, and passed away
in 1848. is infant son, John Crichton-Stuart, became the 3rd
Marquis of Bute. John continued his Father's dream of making Butetown a respectable, middle-class suburb. The houses were mainly
occupied by sea captains & merchants with Ferry Road being
particularly well known for it's fine houses. |
Offices with stunning architecture were built in
Mount Stuart Square and Loudoun Square for powerful people and
companies. The town attracted many sailors looking to spend their
wages on food, a keepsake for their wife or to indulge in some of
the more seedy activities that Butetown offered!
Race Riots sometimes broke out and the seamen's strike of 1911 was
particularly vicious, as Chinese laundries and lodging houses were
set ablaze, while white people felt their living was under threat
from blackleg labour.
Unfortunately, during the decline of coal exports in the late 1920's
Butetown, which now had a unsustainable population, began to suffer
from the effects of mass unemployment. It became dirty, noisy and
crime levels were rising.
As a result, the wealthier of it's inhabitants moved to the more
reputable suburbs in Cardiff, and in their place arose a
multi-ethnic community formed by people from all over the world. |
 |
| The docks acquired the nickname
'Tiger Bay' and Greek, Arab, Chinese, African, Irish and French
people were just some of the many people you could find on Bute Road
(now Bute Street) in a single hour! Another person who was
easily found on Bute Road, was Tommy Letton. A familiar face in the
area, Tommy sold fresh fish in the street from his barrow. He was
famous for being ever-ready to help other people and Letton Way is
named after this friendly, hardworking man. |
 |
In 1937 Shirley Bassey was born at
Adeline Street. By the time she was 20, Shirley was starring in
shows in London, Paris, Monte Carlo and also sang three title songs
for the 'Bond' films.
During World War Two, the docks' decline was prolonged for a short
time, as three quarters of American supplies came through here
during the build-up to the D-Day landings.
Coal finally ceased to be exported from the docks in 1964, and West
Dock, the first dock in South Wales, closed. The beautiful buildings
quickly lost their powerful looks, and lapsed into decay with most
of them being demolished. The film Tiger Bay, was shot mainly
on location in 1959 and contains some of the final memories of that
district.
The Norwegian Church was built in 1868 for the Scandinavian
community near the West Dock and has close associations with Roald
Dahl (he was Christened there) and his family. It was located a mile
from its current position, but by the 1970s it had been seriously
vandalised and what parts could be saved were moved, piece by piece,
to its new location in 1990. |
At the end of the 20th century, the
waterfront started to see a massive regeneration. In the
1980s, County Hall, the council headquarters, was established at
Atlantic Wharf overlooking the partially filled in former East Dock.
The 1990's saw the building of the Cardiff Bay Barrage which when
finished, would create a huge freshwater lake.
I remember getting notices about the possibility of raised
groundwater levels in the area I lived in at the time which would
have been a direct consequence of creating the lake. However, it
seems that the initial worries about the barrage's effects have been
replaced by feelings of pride and progress in how it has helped to
rejuvenated Butetown and Tiger Bay. |
The Pier Head Building, built in 1896 and
originally the home to the Bute Docks Company, was taken over by the
Welsh Assembly in the late 1990's. The Coal Exchange in Mount Stuart
Square, was the venue where the world's first £1,000,000 (one
million pounds) cheque was signed, and at present stages various
events including boxing, concerts and award ceremonies.
The Millennium Centre was finished in 2004, and is the new home for
the Welsh National Opera while on 1st March 2006 (St. David's Day)
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II arrived in a snow covered Cardiff to
open the new debating chamber for the Welsh Assembly. There have
been many concerns about what to name the new chamber (Senedd seems
to be the unofficial name at the moment) and there has been outrage
over the spiralling cost of the new building, ultimately reaching
£67 million.
Personally, I would have thought that this money could have been
better spent on urban regeneration, providing youth centres to help
reduce crimes committed by teenagers, cheaper
public transport or a new children's hospital. But politicians know best, don't
they....? |
 |
| There is no doubt however, that the
development and conversion of Tiger Bay into Cardiff Bay, has given
a new lease of life to Butetown. The revived docklands have provided
20,000 new jobs, and when the regeneration is complete, the City of
Cardiff will have one of the most attractive and cosmopolitan
waterfronts in Europe. |
|
