An astonishing aerial view of central Cardiff from 1923

[Cyclops]

A few weeks ago I posted a view of the Maindy area of Cardiff which sparked some interest, so I'm posting another view. I say it's 'astonishing' partly because of the course of a canal through the centre of the city less than a century ago.

Aerial view of central cardiff 1923.jpg

(The photo is of sufficient quality to download and increase in size)

[the other bob wilson]

What’s that circular thing just to the right of the canal near the top of the picture? Cardiff didn’t have an amphitheatre once did it?

As a kid, I used to think my parents were having me on when we’d be going along some street in the centre of Cardiff and they’d say the canal used to run along here.

[cyril evans awaydays]

What’s that circular thing just to the right of the canal near the top of the picture? Cardiff didn’t have an amphitheatre once did it?

As a kid, I used to think my parents were having me on when we’d be going along some street in the centre of Cardiff and they’d say the canal used to run along here.

Looks like a gas holder.

[the other bob wilson]

Looks like a gas holder.

Yeah, that’s what I thought, like the one at the Oval - a colosseum would have been far more interesting though.

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

I can't work out any bearings from that picture. Is anyone able to shed light on what they see?

[Rjk]

trying to work out where that is in relation to the modern city centre, and I'm struggling

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

When I looked at the triangular configuration of buildings near the bottom left, and just to the right of the canal, I thought it was the Angel hotel location and Westgate street, but that simply can't be...

[Rjk]

is that gas holder roughly where the Motorpoint is now

[severncity]

The white building on the far left, a third of the way up the pic is Sam’s Bar/Peppermint/Zync

[fingers]

It’s Queen Street; Principality Building is bottom left. The gas holder is where the Capital Shopping Centre is.

[fingers]

queen street.jpg

[Canton Kev]

queen street.jpg

I don’t think that’s right. I’m seeing Mill Lane and the crossroads at the end of St Mary’s street at the bottom left and the railway lines are headed towards Central station just out of picture at the bottom.

[Cyclops]

I don’t think that’s right. I’m seeing Mill Lane and the crossroads at the end of St Mary’s street at the bottom left and the railway lines are headed towards Central station just out of picture at the bottom.

Yeah that's what I see. You can actually see the start of Central Station platforms bottom left if you blow-up the photo. The bridge at the north end of Bute Street is plainly visible. I first thought there had been a flood, but it's obvious that it's smoke giving that impression.

I was researching that canal and Dumballs Road seems to have built on top of it.

[Canton Kev]

Here’s the same view today

[splott parker]

It’s Queen Street; Principality Building is bottom left. The gas holder is where the Capital Shopping Centre is.

Wouldn’t think so, there’s no Blackfriars ruins and this picture shows a railway opposite. The York pub is alongside the railway line in East Canal Wharf and the gas holder is more or less where the gas board building is on Bute Terrace at the bottom of Churchill Way which is now a hotel.

[Rjk]

I think it's Newtown top right, central station bottom left

[splott parker]

Wouldn’t think so, there’s no Blackfriars ruins and this picture shows a railway opposite. The York pub is alongside the railway line in East Canal Wharf and the gas holder is more or less where the gas board building is on Bute Terrace at the bottom of Churchill Way which is now a hotel.

Although the gas board building/hotel is further up near the railway bridge leading to Adam St.

[splott parker]

I think it's Newtown top right, central station bottom left

Correct, I still call it Cardiff General though

[Cyclops]

What you see here is the canal on the left and, on the right, the straight run of Bute Street with the railway beside. To the left of it is Butetown, with Loudon Square, Frederica and Christina Streets plainly visible - part of these still stand. Canal Parade is there - an echo of the past.

I'm researching Sophia and Frances Street for a client - they are to the left of Loudon Square. These may have been terraced houses, but they had seven rooms including three bedrooms and several were multi-tenancy occupations. They were owned by the Marquess of Bute and the rent was 11/6d in around 1900 - which was relatively expensive.

It's worth copying and pasting these photos for the detail they give.

Loudon square.jpg

[majorlookagain]

The small white building, right on the left hand side, about a third of the way up is still there. It's at the top of Mill Lane.

[Rjk]

The small white building, right on the left hand side, about a third of the way up is still there. It's at the top of Mill Lane.

yes I think you're right, I think I can just about make out the golden cross as well

[Trigger]

Fascinating, bet in 100 years it woukd be almost as unrecognisable. Maccies and Starbucks will remain though

[IanD]

What you see here is the canal on the left and, on the right, the straight run of Bute Street with the railway beside. To the left of it is Butetown, with Loudon Square, Frederica and Christina Streets plainly visible - part of these still stand. Canal Parade is there - an echo of the past.

I'm researching Sophia and Frances Street for a client - they are to the left of Loudon Square. These may have been terraced houses, but they had seven rooms including three bedrooms and several were multi-tenancy occupations. They were owned by the Marquess of Bute and the rent was 11/6d in around 1900 - which was relatively expensive.

It's worth copying and pasting these photos for the detail they give.

Loudon square.jpg

Thanks for posting the pic. My mother was born in Loudon Square in 1925. Family moved upmarket to Splott, then Adamsdown (but they called it Roath), a few years in Nottingham then 50 plus years in Rhiwbina. How Cardiff has changed in a relatively short space of time.

[splott parker]

What you see here is the canal on the left and, on the right, the straight run of Bute Street with the railway beside. To the left of it is Butetown, with Loudon Square, Frederica and Christina Streets plainly visible - part of these still stand. Canal Parade is there - an echo of the past.

I'm researching Sophia and Frances Street for a client - they are to the left of Loudon Square. These may have been terraced houses, but they had seven rooms including three bedrooms and several were multi-tenancy occupations. They were owned by the Marquess of Bute and the rent was 11/6d in around 1900 - which was relatively expensive.

It's worth copying and pasting these photos for the detail they give.

Loudon square.jpg

That is a great photo of Tiger Bay

[tforturton]

trying to work out where that is in relation to the modern city centre, and I'm struggling

The building at the bottom left is the old Central Hotel. The canal snaking up the left side is where Mill Lane is now. The gas holder is where the British Gas building was (now The Big Sleep Hotel or Citrus Hotel or something), at the very bottom of Churchill Way. It looks like a canal running from top centre to bottom left (past the gas holder) but it's not - it's a road - it's Bute terrace, with the Raddison Blue, Altolusso on the gas holder side, and on the other, John Lewis and Motorpoint Arena. Once you've got that fixed, it's easy to work out the remainder.