Tom Clemett's History of Barry

DISAPPEARING BARRY

When in 1901 Albert Edward, eldest son of Queen Victoria announced that he had decided to be known as King Edward VII, it ushered in what was to become known as "The Edwardian Era". Properties built around this time are still being used as dwelling houses and business premises all over Barry. There are many fine examples in and about the High Street area. When the purposes that many of the buildings were constructed for altered or ceased, a great number were demolished. Some of these building had architectural features such that nowadays, many would have been listed and preserved.

Below are some of the buildings that were demolished.

A landmark building in Barry was the Refuse Destructor Chimney in Barry Road Depot. Built in 1901, it was capable of burning over 30 tons of refuse in a 24 hour period. The heat produced by the furnace enabled electricity to be produced to light the yard and Jenner Park School. The destructor was closed in 1965 as it was considered to be too small for the amount of refuse collected in the town, and the steam driven generator was given to the Industrial Museum in Cardiff. The chimney, after being declared unsafe, was demolished in 1972 after three attempts were made by explosive experts to demolish it.

Glamorgan Training College, at the junction of Buttrills Road and College Road opened in 1914 at a cost of £50,000. Its first extension was in 1931 when the old engine shed was turned into a weaving shed. The next was the purchase of the "Laurels" in Buttrills Road as a hostel for 10 students, followed closely in 1932 by the opening of the "Quiet Room", which in 1956 became the College Chapel. Also in 1956 the gymnasium was opened, and with the increase in student numbers after the Second World War, two further hostels were opened in Colcot Road. By 1959 the college, needing more room, underwent further expansion and extensions were built. In 1961 Barry Grammar School moved to its new site at the Port Road, giving the College room to expand further. By 1962 additions to the college were two new gymnasia, and two hostel blocks capable of accommodating 200 students, were built on the former school playing fields. Later a swimming pool was built on the site of the old metalwork shop. The total cost of these extensions in 1964 was in excess of £500,000. On the break-up of the Glamorgan County Council in 1974, the college was transferred to Mid Glamorgan, who decided to concentrate all its resources in the Polytechnic of Wales at Treforest. The college was sold off and most of it was been demolished. Although some of the older buildings have been retained, housing development has taken place on most of the site.

Pauls Builders Merchants Yard, at the junction of Broad Street and Buttrills Road was one of the largest Builders Merchants in South Wales. The business started at Cadoxton in 1891, moving to Thompson Street in 1894, then in 1910 to new showrooms at Numbers 2-8 Holton Road. In 1920 these premises were extended by the acquisition of Number 10. The yard, opened in 1916, was situated on the site of the old Barry Brewery. After the company ceased trading the ground was sold, offices and stores demolished, and Ellis Fisher and Buttrills Courts built on the site.

Vickery Bros Offices, Yard and workshops in Beryl Road are now Flats. One of the prestige building firms in South Wales, among the many contracts undertaken by the firm was the building of the Memorial Hall, the oversight of the construction of the Promenades and Shelters at Barry Island and the Knap, Bindles Ballroom and numerous other prestige projects in the Principality, such as the old Wales Empire Pool in Cardiff.

HR Rendell Offices, Yard and workshops in Barry Road belonged to another South Wales prestige building firm that was responsible for the construction of All Saints Church. This was built in two stages, and the first stage was consecrated in 1908. The tower, organ loft, and chancel choir and vestries were consecrated in 1915. The yard, workshops and offices were taken over by the council and demolished. There has been no development on the site.

Meggitt and Jones were one of the largest timber suppliers in the Principality. Its business was started in a building at the Old Harbour in 1884, subsequently moving to a yard at Cadoxton. When the company outgrew these premises it moved to a site on the Docks. There it established saw mills where timber could be unloaded directly from vessels tied alongside, straight into the mill. The Jones name was dropped and the company became known as Meggitt and Price, until it was finally taken over by the Powell Duffryn Group. The timber yard has since been closed and BRT International, a Transport firm are now using part of the site.

Reliance Garage at 11 Holton Road was opened in 1919 and was used as a bus depot for many years. In 1937 it was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire. Reliance Motors were taken over by the Red and White Bus Company, and the garage was used by them until 1956 when it was sold to the Council to be used as a depot for their vehicles. It has since been demolished.

Western Welsh, Broad Street was home to the largest bus company in South Wales, which was started in 1908 by Tom White as a garage repair business in Flora Street (now College Road). By 1912, with Tom White as its manager, it became the Barry Motor Bus Company. Over the years Tom White expanded the business until in 1921 the company changed its name to Thomas White & Company. By 1924 with its continued growth it moved its headquarters to Penarth Road in Cardiff. The Western Welsh purchased it in 1935. Additional buildings in Kendrick Road that were used by the company as garages and as a social club were demolished, and part of the General Post Office and the Social Security Offices are built on that site.

James Tallboy in Greenwood Street was one of the largest fruit and vegetable wholesalers in Barry and the Vale, and supplied most of Barry's greengrocers with produce. On the closure of the railway stations on the Barry to Bridgend and Barry to Cardiff lines, Tallboys became responsible for the collection of Sunday newspapers from Cardiff General Railway Station and their delivery to newsagents all over Barry and the Vale.

Sutton & Weaver in Newlands Street Lane were one of the principal suppliers of potatoes to shops in the area. Upon its closure, and after extensive alterations, the premises were used as Dan Evans radio and TV repairs workshop.

The Co-op in Barry - In the late 70's and early 80's there were a large number of Co-operative stores in Barry. They ranged from the corner shop to the department store. Main Street, Cadoxton when closed became a car parts store, now LDS Motor Factors. Barry Road, next to the Jet Petrol Station is now a mini-market. Evelyn Street Co-op was also the dairy, and above the shop was a meeting and function room. This is now Switch'n'Socket. The Co-op at the junction of Barry Road and Buttrills Road was the Co-op butchers for many years, and is now Spar. At the junction of Holton Road and Guthrie Street was another Co-op butcher, and is now a florists. Holton Road, opposite Lombard Street, is now a general groceries store. The store at the junction of Victoria Road and Dunraven Street was one of the largest Co-op's in Barry, but was demolished and a house built on the site. At Plymouth Road, Barry Island general groceries were sold, and the building is now the post office. Broad Street held one of the largest department stores in Barry, selling bedding, furniture, clothing and groceries. It had a large functions room upstairs, catering for wedding receptions and parties. They also ran their funeral directing service from an office in the building. The building now houses a conglomeration of different businesses. Madge Evans store was bought by the Co-op and altered after a fire destroyed most of the building. When the Co-op decided to close their business interests in Barry, the building was sold, and it now houses WH Smiths, and Stead and Simpsons shoe shop. The Co-op were self-sufficient, having their own garage premises in St. Paul's Avenue where they serviced their own vehicles. In the 1920's they assembled a small motor cycle there, named "The Wheatsheaf". The Co-op also had their own space in the Syndicate Sidings at the rear of Thompson Street, where they bagged coal for delivery to customers around Barry and the Vale.

A great number of retail shops also closed around this time

Redrup's Copper Works were located in Gladstone Road Lane. Before Redrup's took over all of the building for the manufacture of copper products, it was known as Britton's Yard, and in the early 1900's a motor cycle known as "The Barry" was manufactured there. There is only one model believed to be still in existence, and in the 80's this was in Kent. The works have been demolished and flats built on the site.

Harfoots in Castleland Street was one of the largest transport and haulage companies in the area. The original garage was at the rear of the Amy Evans Hospital, and on its expansion it moved to the site of an old static water tank that was used to store water during the 1939/45 war. A large garage was built there using the sides of the tank as walls. After numerous complaints from residents the Council forced the garage to close, and the structure was demolished. OAPs bungalows are built on the site.

The Tivoli Cinema in Holton Road was built in 1939, and was a very popular cinema, which partly filled the gap left after Vint's Cinema in Thompson Street was destroyed by fire. In the 50's it was taken over by the Raymond Stross Theatre Group, and later suffered the fate of hundreds of cinemas all over the country by being turned into a bingo hall. When the popularity of bingo declined the building was sold and demolished. The Job Centre is built on site.

The Regal Cinema in Court Road was built as a Market Hall, which proved to be an unsuccessful venture. Part was then used as a stables by Paulett's, and it was later converted to the Court Cinema, and sold to Mr & Mrs Leek, who refurbished it and renamed it the Plaza Cinema. Bought by the Raymond Stross Theatre Group, who re-furbished it and renamed it the Regal, it suffered the same fate as the Tivoli. It was sold to Taylor Bros. of Castleland Street for use as a Cash and Carry warehouse, later to be taken over by Harold Leigh, who decided a few years later to concentrate their business interests in Cardiff. It was then sold to Messrs Cotty, Electrical Wholesalers, who moved from Atlantic Trading Estate and opened a stores on the premises. The last business user was WAP Printers. On its closure the building was demolished and The Practice of Health Surgery is built on the site.

The Palace Cinema in Vere Street was built on the site of the former Cadoxton Post Office and opened in 1914. In 1929 it was the second cinema to show "Talkies" in Wales. It closed as a cinema in 1958 to become a Bingo Hall run by Barry Town AFC Supporters Club. The building was demolished and flats built on site.

A number of hotels built at the start of century that failed to get a licence have since been demolished.

The Woodlands Hotel on the corner of Tynewydd Road and Woodlands Road was used by the Education Authority as a children's clinic for a great many years. When the clinic closed, the building was taken over by the Barry Council for use by Public Health, Parks, and the Seaside Activities and Entertainments Departments. On the building of the new Civic Offices the departments vacated the premises and it was demolished. A children's play area is now on the site.

The Station Hotel in Cardiff Road, more commonly known as Morlais Court, was used as flats for a great many years. It was later taken over by the council who used it to house homeless families. It has since been demolished and an open space replaced it.

The Glebe Hotel in Arthur Street was used as flats until bought by local builder W. Peacock & Sons, who demolished it and built houses on site.

The Court Laundry in Court Road was built as The Court Hotel. One of the many hotels that failed to get a licence, it was used as a Laundry for a great many years. Its proprietor was known to all and sundry as "Harry the Wash". Next to the building was stabling facilities for patrons of the hotel, which was taken over by corn merchants, Messrs Lever Bros. It was later to be used for the same purpose by Cliff Morgan, then by various other enterprises, before finally being closed by the council and demolished (together with the adjacent house) as an unsafe structure. The laundry was converted into flats and is now known as Court Mews.

The Police Station and Magistrates Court at the junction of Holton Road and Court Road was opened in 1892. It was closed and finally demolished in 1978 when the new Police Station was built in Gladstone Road, and the Magistrates court in Thompson Street. The site was used for many years as an open car park before the multi-storey car park was built on the site.

Barry Gas Works and Street Lamps - The gas works opened in 1890, supplying town gas, and one of its many by-products, coke, to the people of Barry until Nationalisation. On its closure the site together with the water department was partly taken over by the council. The buildings were demolished and the site cleared for the new civic offices and leisure centre.

Gas Standard Lamps were a familiar sight in Barry in the 40's and 50's, with every street having one or two installed. As well as lighting the streets, they were used as wickets for street cricket. Each lamp had arms, used by fitters to lean ladders on to service the lamps. Practically every lamp had ropes hanging from these arms, and these were used as swings for practically every generation of children brought up in Barry before the old gas lamps were replaced by the installation of electric street lighting. There are only one or two of the old gas lamps, now converted to electric, left in the town.

Barry Accident Hospital in Wyndham Street was designed and built under the supervision of Mr Pardoe, the borough engineer and surveyor. When built in 1907, it was one of only three hospitals in Britain to be Municipally owned, being paid for and run out of the council's rate fund. It was demolished in 1998.

Neale and Kent Hospital in Colcot Road was built in 1912 as an isolation hospital, and later was used as a hospital for the elderly infirm. It was demolished in 1992 to enable the new Barry Hospital to be built on the site.

Old Court, Biglis was the ruins of an old building, believed to be the Grange or Court of one of the Norman Lords mentioned by J.S. Corbett in his book "Glamorgan, Its Lordships and Notes". From its position near the old Cadoxton River it was clearly accessible by sea. On the opening of a council tip on the Biglis, the ruins were bulldozed and household wastes deposited on site.

Dinam Hall, at the junction of Merthyr Street and Belvedere Crescent, was opened in 1903 by the Presbyterian Forward Movement. It had seating for 700 in the main hall of the Church and 300 in the Church Hall / Sunday School. A large donation towards the cost of the building came from Lord Davies of Llandinam, in gratitude for which the hall was named after him. During the war years the building was used by the Red Cross and was named by American servicemen "The Donut Dugout". It was demolished in 1997.

Holton Road Methodist Church was built in 1892 and extended by the addition of an adjoining chapel in 1911. During the war years it was used as a British Restaurant. In 1963 the congregation decided to join with Court Road Methodist Church, and both buildings were demolished. Crossways Methodist Church is built on the site of Court Road Methodist Church, and Rayers (now Peacock's) and Lloyds Bank on the site of the Holton Road Church.

Holton Road Baptist Church was opened in 1898. In 1982 it amalgamated with Salem Baptist Church in Beryl Road and the Church was demolished. There are now shops built on the site.

St. Aidan's Church in Main Street, Cadoxton, was built in 1891 as the Theatre Royal & Palace of Varieties. When its proprietor was declared bankrupt it was bought by the Church authorities and, dedicated to St. Aidan, it opened for worship in 1910. It was the home of St. Aidan's Gymnastic Club from 1919 until 1963. It closed in 1965 and after demolition houses were built on site.

Tynewydd Road Congregational Church at the junction of Wyndham Street and Tynewydd Road was built in 1901. Behind the Church in Tynewydd Road, Barry Contractors builders yard was established. Both premises were demolished when David Davies Court was built on site.

The Moose Hall in Court Road was built as St. John's Anglican Welsh Church, and was opened in 1896. It closed as a Church in 1951, and was re-opened and used for a number of years by the Loyal Order of Moose as its headquarters. When the Order closed its Barry Branch, it was sold and the building used as a storeroom. Later it caught fire and burnt to the ground, and the site was then sold. Flats are now built there.

Weston Hill Congregational Church, after its closure as a place of worship, was used as a training centre for men who were unemployed. It was later taken over by the Barry Amateur Boxing Club that produced a great number of amateur boxers who went on to represent Wales. Some later turned professional and became champions at their weight. The hall was demolished and Western Court in now on the site.

The Abattoir Buildings and Cottage, Court Road were built in 1897 to provide fresh meat to the people of Barry. Cattle and Sheep were brought by rail into Cadoxton Cattle Lairs, which were in the sidings opposite Old Mill Road. The animals were driven through Vere Street, and up Gladstone Road to the abattoir. When the premises did not come up to the standards imposed by the government they were closed, and the cottage was later demolished. Part of the site was the Council Skip Yard.

The Barry Dock Hotel in Dock View Road was built as Culley's in 1890, and known throughout the world as "The Chain Locker". It was immortalised in Alexander Cordell's book "Rogues March". Over the years and with the decline of shipping at the Docks it became too expensive to maintain, and was finally demolished in 1984.

The Victoria Hotel in Holton Road was one of the most modern and up to date hotels built in Barry. It had its own Brewery and Mineral Water factory on the premises, and named bottles of the hotel and of the proprietor Evan Williams are very collectable. A few years after it opened the front of the building was demolished and re-built further back, to enable less steep steps to be built for its clients to enter and leave the premises. Following a fire it was demolished in 1996 and a car park is now located on site.

The East End Progressive Club in Vere Street was one of the most popular clubs in Cadoxton in the 50's, but membership declined and by the early 80's it found itself in difficulties. It became the home to the local boxing club when the Weston Hill club closed. It was finally closed in the 90's and demolished when the Cadoxton "Regeneration" Scheme began. It is now open space.

The Shaftesbury Temperance Hotel, at the junction of Vere Street and Main Street was built as a "cup of tea" hotel. It was later turned into flats, and was used by Radio Relay Broadcasting (the forerunner of cable TV, back in the 40's) as a relay station for a great number of years. The building was later demolished and flats built on the site.

J. Feltz and Sons opened Sidroy Mills in Palmerston in 1946. Its employees and residents of the area knew it as the Silk Factory. When production ceased, it was sold to Liptons and became Tower Discount Store before being renamed Presto's. After renovation and re-building it is now Safeways.

In 1946 J. Collis and Sons opened a factory at the junction of Palmerston Road and Arthur Street, and for many years manufactured conveyor belts and pallet trucks. After being taken over, it ceased production and the factory was closed. It is now Palmerston Trading Estate.

The Cadoxton Sidings were one of the largest railway sidings in South Wales. It was crossed by a footbridge known as the Penny Bridge, which led from the site of the first Wesleyan Chapel built in Cadoxton to Palmerston. It was built for the Barry Urban District Council as part of an agreement with the Barry Railway Company and Commoners, for the purchase of land over which they had grazing rights. It was demolished, and all the lines that it crossed were taken up, when Dr Beeching's axe fell on the railway systems of Britain. Coldbrook Estate is built on the site of the sidings. The footpaths that led to the bridge are still there, but overgrown.

Tom Edge Pond at the Docks was used as a timber float for a great number of years. The pond was a favourite swimming pool for Cadoxton youngsters. During wartime, seawater taken from the pond was used by the Ocean Salts Factory to extract magnesium to be used in the construction of aircraft. The pond has now been partially filled in and the Dow Corning Genesis plant has been built on it.

Hole in the Wall Toilets

A great number of these buildings were situated around Barry in the early 50's. Gradually over the years they have been demolished and have not been replaced. The first one as you entered the town was on the Cardiff Road opposite Dow Corning, and it replaced the cast iron one on the end of the Triangle (where the phone box is now). Others were in Bassett Street (next to the pub), Dock View Road (opposite Station Street), Broad Street (opposite Buttrills Road), Broad Street Dock Entrance, Ship Hill (next to the Police Station), Redbrink Crescent (near Marine Hotel), Barry Road (opposite the Petrol Station), and Court Road (at junction of Gladstone Road).

At King Square there were underground toilets and slipper baths. The baths could be booked in advance by local residents, and some considered the particular time that they booked each week was their own, and heaven help anyone if they tried to take their particular time and day from them! It was a common sight in the 40's and early 50's to see a queue waiting to use the facilities on the Square on a Friday night. On the construction of the unsightly mess that is now the Square, the toilets were filled in and now have a row of telephone kiosks on the top of them.

All parks at one time had toilets - most have been demolished and not replaced. There were also over 20 toilets on the Docks, most of which have now been demolished.

Horse Troughs

There were many animal drinking troughs given to the town by Dr Neale, and most have disappeared. The most ornate was a trough combined with a lamp standard at the Gladstone Road Roundabout, later moved to the entrance of the Memorial Hall Car Park. A similar one at the Roundabout on Court Road was moved to the patch outside the entrance of the Council Depot in Court Road, and both have vanished.

There were troughs and drinking fountains at the Knap in the gardens, at the foot of the clock on the Knap promenade, and another at the Rowing Club headquarters. This one is still there but looking decidedly worse for wear. A large trough for use of ponies when they came off the sands at Barry Island was situated opposite the First Aid Post, and others were at King Square alongside the Town Hall. Victoria Park has only the base of one left now due to vandalism.

A trough was built into the wall of Bird Cage Walk, and this was fed by a spring. The water was so clear that at one time many residents travelled there to use it as drinking water. This like so many other features in the Town has been allowed to deteriorate and is covered in a moss like growth.

The Fountain in the Parade Gardens was erected to the memory of David Morgan (1863-1941), a former member of the council and his wife, Frances Hannah Morgan (1861-1949), by their grateful children. The only sign of it ever being there is a small plaque let into the floor of the park. It was demolished and never replaced when Welsh Water constructed the sewer outfall at the Knap.

Holton Farm in Broad Street was a Building near the Western Welsh garage. After demolition the ground was used as a car and bus park until the start of the new waterfront development when it was used for road widening and the construction of the new bridge.

East Barry House and Cottages in Broad Street were situated in their own grounds, which, before the building of the railway embankment stretched down to the harbour. It was demolished in the early 1960's to enable Barclays Bank and Broad Street Parade to be built on the site.

The Jones estate built Jordan's Cottage in Old Village Road in the 1800's as two cottages for farm workers. It was demolished in the 1960's.

Cwm Barry Farm was built in the 16th century and remained as a working farmhouse until it was destroyed by fire in 1954. The remains were finally demolished in 1956.

Barry Cottage in St. Nicholas Road was built in the 1850's for the Romilly Family, and was demolished in 1972 to enable flats to be built on site.

Glan-y-Mor at The Knap was opened in 1931 by The Countess of Plymouth, and used as a residential hostel for YMCA members, and later as a halls of residence for UWIST in Cardiff until the 1980's, when it was sold for residential development. It could accommodate 150 when it first opened and by the 1950's with the addition of chalet style bungalows could accommodate over 200.

The White House at The Knap was built in the 1920's by Sir William Graham, and contained in its grounds Cold Knap Farm, the oldest continually occupied building in the area. It was sold to Alan Reardon Smith, and on his death, was sold to Mr Jackson who later disposed of it to developers, who demolished the building and built houses on the site. During the war years was used as a convalescent hospital.

The Knap Hotel in Cold Knap Way was built in the 30's as a residential hotel for the Luen Family, and was both AA and RAC approved. It was later sold to Mrs Dotchon who ran it until it finally closed. It was demolished and Sea Point Flats built on the site.

The Golf Course, Putting Green, and Tennis Courts, etc. at Nell's Point on Barry Island were all demolished in 1965/66 to make way for Butlin's Holiday Camp. Also demolished were the Covered Bus Shelters and access road at Forrest Drive. These shelters were the natural habitat for the birds of Barry Island to do their courting in.

Thompson Street and surrounding Streets represented a whole close knit community that was destroyed by planners, its residents spread throughout Barry away from the area. Buildings such as the Lloyds Bank Building that in any other town would have been listed and saved were in 1972 demolished. Kwik Save (now Somerfield's) is built on part of the site.

Dock View Road was another area with a number of buildings of architectural interest. Demolition started in the 80's and culminated with the destruction of the Barry Dock Hotel in 1983.

So much has disappeared from the Barry Docks and Railways that it needs it own history to be written. Coal Tips, Cranes, Buildings, Engineering and Repair Works, Dry Docks, Sidings, Signal Boxes, etc., etc. - the list is endless.

© T. CLEMETT 1999

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