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Victorian and Edwardian Wales from old photographs

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Introduction and commentary by E D Jones. Batsford 1972

Indexed by Gareth Hicks August 2000

**My copy of this book was deposited with Glamorgan FHS in April 2022

It is NOT possible to provide copies of these photographs.

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Introduction       Contents

Introduction

From the compiler's introduction;

".............'Assembling the material proved to be a fascinating task: and......I have examined thousands of photographs and original plates'

The final selection, as a glance through the pictures will show, concentrate especially on the human element. The whole of Wales is representatively covered, but there is a particular emphasis on bygone customes, costumes and activities. The total effect is to recreate in an uncanny way a past which is at the same time recent , and infinitely remote."

Contents

The photographs are indexed by their number and by reference to key words and dates appearing in the original notes from the book. They are not listed in alphabetical or any geographical order.

The following abbreviations are used for counties; AGY=Anglesey. CAE=Caernarfonshire.CMN=Carmarthenshire. CGN=Cardiganshire. GLA=Glamorgan. FLN=Flintshire. MER=Merioneth. MGY=Montgomeryshire. MON=Monmouthshire. PEM=Pembrokeshire.

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Family life
  • 1.School children at Penlle'rgaer c 1855
  • 2.Playing gypises at Penlle'rgaer c 1855
  • 3.Talbot family of Margam and Llewelyn family of Penlle'rgaer[GLA] in 1855
  • 4.Llewelyn family at Penlle'rgaer in 1855
  • 5.Nevin, CAE ; children with pram and tricycle c 1895
  • 6.Gulston family at Dirleton, CMN c 1870

Rural life

  • 7.Dirleton, CMN ; fisherman and coracle , and women in Welsh costume c 1870
  • 8.Llangynwyd, GLA ; Mari Lwyd c 1908
  • 9.River Tywi ; boat and coracles c 1870
  • 10.Snowden ; group at summit
  • 11.CMN moorland ; peat cutting c 1898
  • 12.Skomer island ; sheep washing c 1870
  • 13.Llanymawddwy, MER ; sheep shearing c 1900
  • 14.A field in MON ; tractor drawing a cultivator c 1912
  • 15.Swansea district ; haymaking c 1855
  • 16.Llanrhystud, CGN ; corn harvest, group on a break
  • 17.Rhandir-mwyn, CMN; horse powered machinery c 1910
  • 18.Llandovery, CMN ; girl on Welsh pony
  • 19.PEM ; women blowing and washing birds' eggs c 1900
  • 20.Skomer Island ; woman fetching water from a well c 1860
  • 21.Vulcan Arms,Cwmbelan, MGY; group including blacksmith  c 1895
  • 22.Hawarden Castle ; servants and implements c 1890

The Seaside

  • 23.Port Dinorwic, Menai Straits ; the slate quay c 1880
  • 24.Barry Dock,GLA ; various ships c 1900
  • 25.Swansea harbour c 1870
  • 26.Tenby, PEM ; beach scene with island rock of St Catherine c 1894
  • 27.Tenby Harbour c 1870-75
  • 28.New Quay, CGN ; ketch unloading  c 1880
  • 29.Portmadoc [Gwynedd] ; ships in harbour c 1880
  • 30.Nevin, CAE ; shipbuilding c 1870
  • 31.Conway Castle ;  adjacent cottages and boats moored c 1800
  • 32.North Wales coast ; paddle steamer from Beaumaris.
  • 33.Bangor ; pier with small sailing boats
  • 34.Threvriw quay; paddle steamer from Conway c 1880
  • 35.Conway ; mussel gatherers c 1890
  • 36.Rhyl ; beach and bathers c 1905
  • 37.Llanasaph, FLN ; Point of Ayr Lifeboat c 1880
  • 38.Rhyl ; west parade c 1905
  • 39.Llandudno; Signor Ferrari and performing birds c 1900
  • 40.Queensferry, River Dee ; old ferry boat c 1900

The Towns

  • 41.Newport, MON ; Tredegar Arms Hotel lounge c 1906
  • 42.Newport, MON ; the Pill Gates with horse drawn trams c 1900
  • 43.Newport ; High Street scene c 1890
  • 44.Newport Bridge ; an accident c 1910
  • 45.Cardiff, Queen Street ; scene c 1895
  • 46.Cardiff, St Mary Street ; scene c 1892
  • 47.Cardiff, Newport Road; horse tram c 1902
  • 48.Cardiff, Roath Park ; lake before being built on c 1896
  • 49.Swansea ; old Island House  before demolition, c 1869
  • 50.Swansea ; Lion Stores and Strand weighbridge c 1870
  • 51.Swansea, High Street ; electric trams c 1900
  • 52.Tenby, PEM ; road to the beach c 1890
  • 53.Haverfordwest ; Salutation Square and Salutation Hotel c 1905
  • 54.Milford Haven, PEM ; Pointz Street Post Office c 1899
  • 55.Pembroke ; High Street and Church Tower c 1900
  • 56.Aberystwyth ; Piccadilly Inn at Antaron or Southgate c 1890
  • 57.Aberystwyth ; Upper Bridge Street and now demolished Town Clock c 1910
  • 58.Llandudno ; farmhouse and fields of Adwy Rydd on Little Orme c 1880
  • 59.Holywell ; bathers in healing waters of Piscina c 1890
  • 60.Mold, FLN ; carts in Upper High Street 1906

Trade, Markets and Fairs

  • 61.New Radnor ; whimberry market c 1910
  • 62.Overton on Dee,FLN ; meat stall in old Market Hall c 1900
  • 63.Maesteg, GLA ; furnishing and ironmongers shop [Howell Davies]c 1910
  • 64.Penmaen-mawr, CAE ; Patrick's Library Bazaar and Photographic Studio c 1870
  • 65.Llanybyther, CMN ; one of four annual fairs, c 1890
  • 66.Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant  [Powys] ; horse sale c 1890
  • 67.Newtown, MGY ; Fair c 1900
  • 68.Brecon ; draper's apprentices c 1900

Transport

  • 69.Llandaff, near ; tollgate 1884
  • 70.Haverfordwest, Scotchwell ; 4 wheeled carriage at , c 1865
  • 71.Dirleton, CMN ; 4 wheeled carriage c 1870
  • 72.Queensferry bridge ; William Gladstone at opening of , in 1897
  • 73.Penderyn-Hirwaun tramroad , GLA; train carrying limestone c 1870
  • 74.Llanelli ; Andrews Patent horse omnibus with adjustable axles for running on tram lines c 1885
  • 75.Newport, MON ; horse bus running between Alexander Docks and High St Station c 1880 [sign writing   for 'Charles Masters; Leeds House, Commercial St; Cheap Clothing' ]
  • 76.Bargoed, MON ; horse drawn furniture van c 1905 [ signwriting for 'The Gwalia Van-A R Williams-Bargoed']
  • 77.Aberystwyth ; four horse brake outside Belle Vue Hotel c 1910
  • 78.Hawarden, FLN ; Margaret the carrier and horse/van outside Post Office [wearing the  'Grand Old Man's Inverness coat']c 1890
  • 79.MON ; family on outing in carriage c 1900
  • 80.MON ; two traps, one drawn by a donkey, other by Welsh pony , c 1900
  • 81.Derwydd, CMN ; the Stepney Gulston men-folk admiring  a boneshaker bicycle c 1870
  • 82. Competitor in motor cycle rally 1911
  • 83.Trawsfynydd Station ; a train and railway workers on the Bala-Blaenau Ffestiniog line, now closed, c 1880
  • 84.Llanelli ; the 4 o'clock train from London arriving on last day of century 1900
  • 85.Holywell ; a London and North Western Railway steam lorry , speed 5 mph
  • 86.A L&N.W.R bus from Connah's Quay via Flint and Northrup to Mold c 1910, speed 12 mph
  • 87.Newport, MON; the first motor car arrives there 24 Nov 1896
  • 88.MON ; Hon Charles Rolls and John A A Williams['Brochmael'] prepare to ascend in a midget balloon 1908
  • 89.Rhos on sea ; the first aeroplane to land there 1910

Industry

  • 90.Aberffraw, AGY ; women morax workers c 1890
  • 91.Milford Haven ; loading blocks of ice on board a trawler c 1910
  • 92.Milford Haven ; repairing the 'Fuschia' 1909
  • 93.Abergorky colliery ' women hauliers 1880
  • 94.Cymmer colliery,GLA ; pit head buildings c 1865
  • 95.Aberdare, Bwllfa colliery , GLA; pit head buildings c 1870
  • 96.Tirpentwys, MON ; two miners at coal face 1905
  • 97.Tredegar Iron Works ; working the rolls 1910
  • 98.Clogau, MER ; gold miners c 1895
  • 99.Henryd lead mine, CAE ; group of miners c 1890
  • 100.Llanidloes  [ Powys] woollen factory ; group and machinery c 1880
  • 101.Rhayader ; a tannery [now removed to Museum of Welsh Life], c 1910
  • 102.Penrhyn Slate Quarry ; quarryman drilling on the rock face c 1912
  • 103.Ffestiniog, Llechwedd Slate Quarry ; the smithy c 1893
  • 104.Bangor ; writing slate factory c 1912
  • 105.Portmadoc ; Greaves' Wharf , loading slates c 1890
  • 106.Dinorwic Slate Quarry ; the engine 'Velinheli' c 1905
  • 107.Aberdare, GLA ; children and wives of colliers taking home coal from the tips during a strike, 1910
  • 108.Colliers and children during coal strike of 1911
  • 109.Abersychan ; 3 colliers with 'lifted' coal on a barrow during a strike 1906
  • 110.Protest by colliers during the 1911 strike
  • 111.Swansea ; Bakers' Union members issue posters to masters during rail strike 1911[ a hand barrow has signwriting 'S Palmer']

The Public Services

  • 112.Llanwddyn ; demolition of buildings for lake Vyrnwy reservoir to supply Liverpool, 1881.
  • 113.Holywell ; water supply [well/pump]  showing old men and young  boys carrying pails c 1880
  • 114.Hawarden castle ; Sandycroft Fire Brigade practising, with W Gladstone standing in doorway, 1891
  • 115.Royal Welsh Fusiliers ; group c 1898
  • 116.Caernarvon ; County Gaol staff c 1892
  • 117.Montgomery Gaol; closed in the 80's,  c 1880
  • 118.Lamphey, PEM ; Yeomanry in camp c 1906

Religion, Education and Cultural Activities

  • 119.Llanrwst ; a group of local bards ; Scorpion, Gethin, Prysor, Cowlyd, and Threbor Mai. Includes a billy goat brought by David Jones of the Boot, Llanrwst, c 1880
  • 120.Sarn, CAE ; a Calvinistic Methodist Preaching Assembly in 1910[shows hundreds of people].
  • 121.Dowlais School ; Lady Charlotte Guest at prize day c 1855
  • 122.Bontnewydd Council School, CAE ; staff and children c 1905
  • 123.Cwm-Ann, Lampeter,CGN ; a sewing class 1894
  • 124.Bontnewydd School, CAE ; housecraft class c 1905
  • 125.Caernarvon ; National Eisteddfod platform, welcome to Prince and Princess of Wales and three daughters 1994
  • 126.Caernarvon, Castle Square ; Archdruid and members of the Gorsedd of Bards at National Eisteddfod 1894
  • 127.John Ceiriog Hughes, the stationmaster and lyric poet playing the harp for John Williams [Eos Mon], shoemaker of Llanerchymedd, and a noted singer,  in 1884.

Characters

  • 128.John Dillwyn Llewelyn, photographer, with camera and equipment c 1853
  • 129.The sawyers c 1900
  • 130.The basket maker c 1900
  • 131.John Tuck, the cobbler c 1900
  • 132.Ellis, the pedlar of Llanfair c 1885
  • 133. A Glamorgan chimney sweep c 1910
  • 134.Sion Catrin, sexton of Llanrwst c 1880
  • 135.A Welsh woman at her spinning wheel c 1885
  • 136.Two MGY drovers c 1880
  • 137.Town crier of Llanidloes c 1905
  • 138.Two Aberdare colliers c 1900
  • 139.A tip girl of Dowlais c 1860
  • 140.An old woman and her knitting c 1885
  • 141.A cocklewoman from Llangwm, PEM c 1890
  • 142.Fisherwoman holding salmon caught in seine net at Newport, PEM 1895
  • 143.Murphy, the last man hanged in Caernarvon Gaol, 1910
  • 144.Tenby fisherwomen c 1890
  • 145.The dentist c 1912

Entertainment

  • 146.Llangefni ; Punch and Judy show c 1910
  • 147.Haverfordwest ; the circus comes to town c 1920
  • 148.GLA ; captive aeroplanes at a fair 1912

Some Notable Occasions

  • 149.Swansea ; the Royal Train on the Mumbles Railway on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales 1904
  • 150.Haverfordwest ; Mrs Pankhurst addressing a meeting during Women's Suffrage campaign c 1907
  • 151.Madryn Park, CAE ; tea party to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee 1897
  • 152.Caernarvon castle ; Investiture of Edward, Prince of Wales 1911
  • 153.Holyhead ; Queen Victoria boarding the Royal Yacht 'Victoria and Albert' in a wheeled chair on her departure for Ireland from the now demolished Mail Pier 1900
  • 154.Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales ; At Laying the Foundation Stones ceremony, Queen Mary signing Visitors' Book ; with King George V , the Prince of Wales and Princess Mary looking on, 1911.