Grangetown

This selection of almost 200 old photographs, maps and illustrations explores the history of Grangetown down the years and celebrates the character and achievements of this fascinating suburb of Cardiff. Author, Barbara Jones, starts with the ancient origins of Grange Farm, tracing the story from the building's beginnings as an 'outpost' of the Cistercian abbey at Margam, through to the present day when his delightful historic 'kernel' of Grangetown is now a Grade II listed building.

The reader is given a superb overview of how and why Grangetown has developed over the last century and a half. We get a flavour of many aspects of the late-Victorian era from the illicit Sunday drinking booths on the Marl to the confident celebration of national and industrial success shown by images of the 1889 opening of the Clarence Road Bridge or the 1897 Diamond Jubilee. The bulk of the book then deals in depth with themes of religion, education, business and industry, the war years, and sport and leisure. In these varied spheres of life Grangetown has had much to offer and we encounter several of the men and women who have contributed to the strength of this community, and of Cardiff as a whole, through public service, entertainment or sheer hard work. Out of one builder's yard in Penarth Road, for exmaple, local craftsman once fashioned Cardiff's famous Civic Centre stone by stone.

All in all, this is a collection of photographs and memories which is sure to interest and intrigue all those for whom Grangetown has been home.