Under my feet : Mt Stuart Ship Repairing Yard marker

Under my feet today is a marker I walked over many times before, after deciding to pay more attention to what was ‘under my feet’, I stopped to read what it said and take photographs.

The plaque reads, in English and Welsh: ‘The granite setts show the line of the dockwall and the entrance to the former Mount Stuart Ship Repairing Yard : Mae’r sets ithfaen yn dangos llinell mur y doc a’r fynedfa i hen Iard Trwsio Llongau Mount Stuart’.

Cardiff had long been a port but it wasn’t until the early 19th century that it grew dramatically when the coal and iron trades increased rapidly to service the needs of the industrial revolution. Huge docks were constructed, starting with the Bute West Dock in 1839 and running right through to the Queen Alexandra Dock in 1907. And, though Cardiff never developed into an important shipbuilding location, it did become a major hub for ship repairing companies. 

In 1843, the Batchelor brothers, John and Sidney, moved from Newport to Cardiff to set up a ship repair yard. From their initial location on the banks of the River Taff, they moved six years later to the West Dock and then, several years after that, they opened the Mount Stuart Graving Dock. After the Batchelors’ operation went into liquidation in 1873, their business was eventually sold to Sir John Gunn, and the company became the Mount Stuart Ship Building, Graving Docks, and Engineering Company.

The 1882 sketch of the Mountstuart Dry Dock and Engineering Co’s Works, above left, is from William Turner’s publication The Port of Cardiff *. The photograph, above right, shows the three docks in use at a much later date, probably sometime in the mid 1900s (the image is not dated) **. Advertisements for the Mount Stuart company, dating from 1891-92 and 1895-6, can be seen on the Grace’s Guide to British Industrial History website.

 As you can see from the photograph above right, there are three docks, ranging in length from 430 feet (131 metres) to 543 feet (165 metres): Coflein, the online database for the National Monuments Record of Wales, gives the exact measurements, and details of how these changed over time.    

After the Cardiff Bay Barrage was completed in 2001 and the bay changed from a tidal harbour to a freshwater lake, the three Mount Stuart docks were flooded. Two remain empty but dock number 3 contains pontoons, used to moor small boats. The photographs below show dock number one as it currently looks.

* Image from Wikimedia Commons: Dated 1882. Accession no: British Library HMNTS 10369.cc.8. Image extracted from page 110 of The Port of Cardiff, by TURNER, William - Author of Custom Houses, an out-of-copyright book. Original held and digitised by the British Library. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/TURNER%281882%29_MOUNTSTUART_Dry_Dock_and_Engineering_Co%C2%B4s._Work.jpg

** Image from Wikimedia Commons:  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Mount_Stuart_dry_docks_%28451103725%29.jpg

 

Note re the term ‘graving’: I was not familiar with this word when I started researching the Mount Stuart plaque so was fascinated to learn its meaning. If you’re interested, there’s a short explanation on the Wikimapia entry for Mount Stuart Graving Dock 3.   

Cardiff : the Thompson’s Park stones

If you go down to Thompson’s Park today (only as part of your exercise walk, of course), you might be puzzled, as I was, by the many strange stones poking up amongst the grass and wildflowers on the park’s verdant slopes. I had hoped to return to get photos of the many other stones to be found around the park, but the corona virus lockdown means I can no longer access this park, so the stones pictured here are just a taster of what can be found with a little searching.

The land that is now known as Thompson’s Park was once owned by Charles Thompson, a senior partner in the well known Cardiff milling company, Spillers, and Thompson’s house, Preswylfa, once adjoined the park on the eastern side (the house was demolished in the late 1990s and the site is now occupied by a modern housing development).  

The land adjoining Preswylfa was then known as Sir David’s Field (in Welsh, Cae Syr Dafydd), and Thompson opened up this property to the public in 1891. Later, in 1912, he gifted the park to Cardiff City Council, and the stones we see today relate to that transfer of land from Thompson to the Council.

The stones, all of which have Roman numerals inscribed on their sides, were boundary markers. Originally, there were 17 such stones but only 10 are now visible, and one of those has been turned on its side, so its number can no longer be read.

When I last visited Thompson’s Park, in February, I only found four stones but it was a cold day with intermittent hail showers so I didn’t explore far. During my subsequent research to uncover the story behind the stones, I discovered the excellent information on the Cardiff Parks website, which also includes a map of the locations of the additional stones. When I am finally able to return to this lovely Cardiff park, I will try to find all the other stones and will add their photos to this post.

Cardiff : St Mary’s Church

Even in the short time I have been in Wales – not yet five years, I have seen massive change in Cardiff and not, in my opinion, for the better. Rather than valuing the city’s history with projects that conserve and restore life to the heritage buildings, the city council seems intent on letting developers swamp Cardiff’s lovely old buildings with tall and ugly tower blocks. And don’t even get me started on the (surely now) outdated trend of façadism – there are at least two such construction projects underway in the central city as I write this – such lazy architectural design!

The reason for today’s rant is that I almost missed seeing what remains of St Mary’s Church because of yet another inner city construction project. The church itself is long gone – and I do mean long – due to the severe damage it suffered in the Great Flood of 1607, the church was abandoned in 1701. But the ghost of the church remains as an outline of pale stones on the side of the building that now stands where it once stood.

John Speed's 1610 map of Cardiff, Wikimedia Commons;
St Mary's is at bottom right

St Mary’s began life as a Benedictine priory way back in 1107, but its riverside location (prior to the River Taff being diverted in 1850) meant it was always susceptible to flooding and, apparently, bodies were frequently washed out of its graveyard.

In 1878, the site of St Mary’s was used for the construction of a theatre, the NewTheatre Royal, but that once grand building has seen many subsequent reincarnations, even for a time being a cinema showing pornographic films – I can’t imagine what the Benedictines would have thought of that. The building is currently a Wetherspoon’s pub, the Prince of Wales.    

I don’t know how visible the outline of St Mary’s will be once the current construction project, part of the Central Square development, is finished but, if the wide expanses of bland concrete underfoot and the wind-tunnel-creating skyscrapers overhead are anything to go by, I doubt the developers would have even considered a nod to Cardiff’s historic past, so I’m glad I managed to pay homage to the old St Mary’s Church before it disappears.

Cardiff : more drinking fountains

Historic drinking fountains are one of my many fascinations and I’ve blogged previously about others I’ve found in Cardiff (October 2016), a couple in Penarth (March 2017), one in a park in Barry (May 2019) and a couple of chance discoveries in London (November 2019). Here are a couple more I’ve found in Cardiff.

Thompson’s Park

The Cardiff Parks website notes that the drinking fountain in Thompson’s Park

was shown on Ordnance Survey maps from 1901 until the 1950s, immediately to the west of the path running west of the miniature lake. It was moved between 1950 and 1980 to its present position, near the Romilly Road entrance, and it is not operational. The inscription states that it was presented by Mr C. Thompson.

I have not been able to discover precisely when this drinking fountain was first commissioned, though the need for such public watering places was recognised in the mid 1850s and Mr Charles Thompson, the man who gifted both this fountain and the park itself to the people of Cardiff, was present at one of the first meetings to discuss the need for drinking fountains. This report on the monthly meeting of the Cardiff Board of Health was filed in The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette, 4 December 1858:

DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
The Mayor said he had received a letter from a gentleman, named Lewis, suggesting water fountains in the town. He brought this subject forward six months ago, but it was then thought to be premature. Mr. R. Williams said, Mr. C. Thompson was very anxious to do something in the matter, and he asked him to second any proposition which the Mayor might bring before the board. The Mayor was of opinion that the Surveyor should recommend the trial of two or three places where fountains might be put up at the expense of the town, private parties supplying the water.
Mr. Batchelor: Mr. Thompson had been in correspondence with Mr. Melby, of Liverpool, and had asked Mr. Paul to produce some designs. That gentleman had produced the two designs which were on the table, and were accompanied by the following:— The material proposed to be used throughout is the very hard and clean limestone from the Pennant quarries near Bristol. The arch above in design No. 1 to be of red and white bricks. In both cases the stone would be inserted in an existing wall, or incorporated with a new wall in course of erection; and the whole would thus be solid and firm, and not liable to displacement by rough usage. Design No. 2 would be applicable only to a thick wall—such as the Castle wall, but design No. 1 could be inserted in a brick wall nine inches only in thickness.
The character of the design is unique, and free from objections, which may be justly taken to a protruding head or spout for the flow of water. In either design it is intended to arrange the drips so that nothing larger than a small can or jug may be used in obtaining water.
The general idea is taken from the accompanying paper published by Mr. Melly on the drinking fountains recently erected in Liverpool and the suggestions there given as to supply and overflow are equally applicable here. The estimated cost of one complete fountain according to design No. 1 is £7 10s. Design No. 2 would cost about £9.
The Mayor moved that the surveyor be requested to name three places as best fitted for the purpose, and then advertise for the tenders, provided the water be supplied. Mr. Reece hoped that the Board would be more liberal than that. He thought that a public body should not only find the fountains but the water. Mr. Batchelor moved that the surveyor report upon the most eligible spots, and the number required for the entire town, and put himself in communication with the Water Works Company, to ascertain the cost per annum at which they will supply the fountains. A very small stream would be required. The motion was carried.

It would appear that the Thompson’s Park drinking fountain was not one of the initial three suggested by the Mayor at that 1858 meeting. Indeed, it may have been another 35 years before it was installed, as I discovered from a report in the South Wales Echo, 10 August 1893

CARDIFF WATERWORKS COMMITTEE
... A letter was read from Mr C. Thompson, Penhill Close, near Llandaff, asking that the water might be laid on to Cae Syr Dafydd [St David’s Field was the original name for Thompson’s Park]. The water would be required for watering the flowers and grass, as well as the supply of a small fountain.— The committee granted the application subject to such restrictions as would be required by the engineer.

Corner of Llandaff and Romilly Roads

I thought the Thompson’s Park fountain was looking a little sad and neglected but that was nothing compared to the remains of another drinking fountain, just along the road, on the corner of Llandaff and Romilly Roads. This fountain is perhaps 25 years older, having been officially inaugurated in April 1877.

Here’s the report from the South Wales Daily News, 17 April 1877

OPENING OF DRINKING FOUNTAIN AT CANTON.
Yesterday the fountain erected at the junction of the Llandaff-road and Romilly-crescent was opened for public use by Alderman Joseph Elliott, Mayor of Cardiff. Among those present were the Rev Mr Saulez, rector of Canton, Mrs Saulez, and other ladies; Mr T. V. Yorath, Mr G. F. Webb, Mr Benjamin Wright, Mr Alex. Melville, Mr G. Salmon, Mr J. A. B. Williams, Mr Geo. Robinson, the architect; and Mr F. S. Lock, the builder. The proceedings commenced by the Rev Mr Saulez offering up an appropriate prayer, followed by the reading of a psalm and the singing of a hymn by the Canton school children. The Mayor, after a few pertinent remarks, declared the fountain opened. Mr G. F. Webb, Mr B. Wright, and Mr A. Melville severally expressed their satisfaction in the event, and the proceedings concluded by a vote of thanks to the Mayor, and a benediction from the Rev J. W. Saulez. The fountain was prettily decorated with flowers.

It’s wonderful to see that this drinking fountain has been preserved from demolition but how much nicer it would be to see it respected and valued as an important part of Cardiff’s heritage.

Bandstands : Cardiff

While researching this piece about Cardiff’s two remaining bandstands, I was amused to uncover this newspaper article, from the Cardiff Times 13 August 1904, in which local councillors were reported to be arguing over where the bands should play:

“Wardism."
The Parks Committee's recommendations that for the next week bands should play only at the Roath Park, Victoria Park, and the Llandaff Fields was vigorously contested. Councillor Roberts urged the claims of Splott, and moved that one of the bands play there instead of at Llandaff Fields; whereas Councillor Kidd declared that if any were made Loudoun-square must be considered. Councillor Chappell said the bands were placed at points on the tramway line which had proved most profitable to the tramways. The sum available for bands was now wasted – exhausted rather, because they had been putting bands where they couldn't get audiences. Councillor Beavan thought that other parts of the town would pay the tramways equally well if they were equally treated. Alderman Mildon, having accused previous speakers of “wardism," proceeded to complain that Grangetown was not catered for in any way. He would not ask for a band for Grange, although they had a bandstand there rotting for want of use. Councillor Courtis: Or want of paint. (Laughter.) Alderman Carey proceeded to champion the claims of the people of Tyndall-street. (Renewed laughter.) Councillor Roberts’s amendment was rejected, and the committee’s recommendation adopted.

Sadly, only two of the locations mentioned in this report still have bandstands, Victoria Park and Grange Park, and, perhaps even more sadly, the Grange Park one is still/again ‘rotting for want of use’ and/or ‘want of paint’. So, let’s start with it ...

According to the Cardiff Parks website, the Grange Park bandstand was Cardiff’s first:

In February 1895 the Council accepted a tender of £100 from the Lion Foundry Co. of Glasgow, for construction of a bandstand. This, the first bandstand to be provided in any of Cardiff's parks, was completed by [the] beginning of June.

The park, then called Grange Gardens, was formally opened on 19 June 1895 and the bandstand hosted its first musical performance that evening. The South Wales Daily News of 20 June 1895 has the story:

The latest addition to the open spaces of Cardiff—that of Grangetown—was formally declared free and open to the public on Wednesday evening, the ceremony being performed by the Deputy-chairman of the Parks Committee of the Cardiff Corporation (Councillor Joseph Ramsdale, J.P.). The members of the committee with their friends assembled at the Town Hall, from whence they were conveyed in carriages to Grangetown ... The borough engineer presented Councillor Ramsdale with a key, with which he unlocked the gates. The party afterwards proceeded to the band stand, where congratulatory speeches were delivered. The Mayor proposed a vote of thanks to Lord Windsor and Lord Bute for the gift of the ground, and Alderman Jacobs having seconded, and support coming from Councillor Jenkins and Councillor Johnson, the vote was carried amidst much cheering ... [more speeches and cheering] and the party then returned to the Town Hall, leaving Mr D. A. Burn's Brass Band to render a popular programme of music.

Though you could be forgiven for thinking that the bandstand we see today is the original, it is, in fact, an exact replica (the original plans were uncovered in a library in Glasgow) that was installed in 2000. The Cardiff Parks website reports that

The original bandstand is thought to have been removed during the Second World War, though the Parks Committee received a report in 1937 on the condition of the Grange Gardens bandstand and the question of repair or demolition was left to the Chairman and the Chief Officer. Aerial photographs from 1942 appear to show an empty space where the bandstand stood.
From the summer of 1943 music for open air dancing was provided using gramophone records and loud speakers. Also in 1943 the Parks Committee decided that the Roath Park bandstand, which had fallen into disuse, should be removed and re-erected in Grange Gardens. There is no evidence that this was carried out.

Let’s hail a carriage and move on to Victoria Park's bandstand ...

It took Cardiff Council several years first to agree to and then to achieve the transformation of ‘the swampy ground known as Ely Common’ (Weekly Mail, 19 June 1897) to the 45-acre park initially referred to as Canton Park but later christened Victoria in honour of the queen’s jubilee. It was officially opened on 16 June 1897, with its magnificent bandstand already in place. The construction of a bandstand had been already been agreed by the Parks Committee, as reported by the Evening Express, 14 April 1897:

CANTON PARK. A BAND-STAND TO BE ERECTED AT ONCE. The Parks Committee showed on Wednesday [14 April] that they are not devoting their whole attention to the magnificent park at Roath. The claims of Canton, which have been persistently advocated by Messrs. Gerhold, Ward, and Illtyd Thomas, have been recognised, and the parks committee on Wednesday decided to erect a band-stand at Canton Park at a cost of £212.

Here’s an extract from the Weekly Mail’s report, of 19 June 1897, about the new park’s opening:

DESCRIPTION OF THE PARK.

The Victoria Park ... is irregular in shape, and for this reason perhaps lends itself to a lay-out which is both ingenious and attractive. The main paths are 30ft. wide, and from these branch out others, of smaller width, to the band stand, the lake, and other portions of the park. Entering from Cowbridge-road, one becomes at once interested in a very fine series of flower beds, with paths intersecting in the form of a wheel. A little further on is an ornamental lake of about an acre in extent, which is supplied with water from the corporation mains by two very handsome fountains and is approached from about a dozen different directions. Further north is a band stand, surrounded by a gravel footpath 30 ft wide, from which other paths radiate and communicate with the main roads. There are also a couple of ornamental shelters and a drinking fountain. A large number of shrubs and flowers have been planted, and already give proof that they like their new situation. About two acres are set apart at the northern end of the park as a playground .... It is satisfactory to find that the work (except the iron railings and band-stand) has been carried out by corporation employees, under the borough engineer (Mr. W. Harpur) and Mr. Pettigrew (superintendent gardener).

The wonderful Cardiff Parks website says that

As in other Cardiff parks, there were regular band performances in Victoria Park on summer evenings. These were organised and paid for by the Council Parks Committee, which allocated £500 for musical entertainments in the City's parks. In January 1913 Pettigrew reported that the season for band performances was from May to August and the majority took place in Roath Park, with performances in other parks only during June and July, and on specific days of the week. In Victoria Park this was every Thursday evening. Pettigrew also stated that "at Roath Park only the very best class of (local) bands are engaged; whereas at Splott and Victoria Parks a few second rate bands are sandwiched in between those of a better class."

As time passed and fashions changed, the Victoria Park bandstand was less used and less well maintained, and it was eventually dismantled and removed some time in the 1950s. Fortunately, for the park’s centenary in 1997, the replica we see today was commissioned and installed. Let’s hope the city’s future councillors will value and treasure these wonderful nods to a bygone age of leisure and entertainment - both structures could certainly do with a little timely maintenance!