RootsChat.Com

Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Glamorganshire => Topic started by: Romilly on Friday 31 March 17 14:39 BST (UK)

Title: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: Romilly on Friday 31 March 17 14:39 BST (UK)

This is an interesting Site about Swansea, with lots of old photos that others might find of interest:

https://ididitthisway.wordpress.com/introduction/

Romilly.
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: gilly3 on Sunday 02 April 17 16:10 BST (UK)
Thank you, Romilly.  Quite a few photos of interest to me, including my father's old school and my great-uncle's shop.  Feeling quite nostalgic now!
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: Ellenmai on Sunday 02 April 17 16:20 BST (UK)
What an excellent site Romilly, I can remember some of those places from the 1960/70's

Thanks for Sharing  :)
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: Romilly on Sunday 02 April 17 20:14 BST (UK)

Glad that you enjoyed the Site, gilly3 and Ellenmai.

I was rather hoping to find a photo of my Grandparent's (Hardware and Decorating) shop at 93 St Helens Road, but couldn't find anything. (It was there from about 1900 - 1930, I think).

St Helens Road was still there when I last visited Swansea, but No 93 was a private house rather than a shop. (Photo attached).

Romilly.
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: gilly3 on Monday 03 April 17 12:08 BST (UK)
That's a pretty building, Romilly, and I can well imagine it as an old-fashioned ironmonger's.  My great-uncle (by marriage) was Jack Gainswell and he had a naval/gents outfitter's shop at the bottom of Wind Street, which is on that website.  I have vague memories of his window displays of dress uniforms with gold buttons and gold epaulettes. 
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: Romilly on Monday 03 April 17 12:38 BST (UK)

That's interesting gilly3,

I wonder if your relative would have supplied my late Father's WW1 RNR Naval uniform? (Pic Attached).

Romilly.
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: gilly3 on Monday 03 April 17 14:43 BST (UK)
Lovely pic to have, Romilly.  No, he was born about 1897 so too young to have had the shop in WW1.  In any case, he was a sailor from Georgia and came to live in the UK when he jumped ship in Hull (on the advice of his captain) in 1917 because the revolution had started in Russia.  He couldn't speak English then, but made a living going door-to-door selling clothing from a suitcase.  Then he married my great-aunt in 1930, and I think his first shop (naval outfitters) was opened in Bridge St, St. Thomas, around that time.  Don't know when he moved to Wind St but 1946 telephone directory has him there (no. 31).   The shop was still running when he died in 1960.  I was only 9 then, so memories are hazy, and, of course, there's no-one left to get more details!
Title: Re: An Interesting Site about Swansea
Post by: Hinso on Monday 03 April 17 16:18 BST (UK)
Wind Street has changed a lot in some ways. Probably more watering holes per square inch than anywhere else in Swansea.

The current 31 Wind Street is a Franky and Benny's.