Images of Cardiff

CARDIFF was little more than a village at the start of the 19th century, with a population of less than 2,000 and an address 'near Llantrisant'. But by the end of the century it was one of the busiest ports in the world. This is the story in pictures.

Ship owners brought men from the West Indies, Africa, Europe, the Orient and the Middle East to make the port of Cardiff a thriving cosmopolitan town, which was to develop into a proud capital city.

It was in 1905 that Cardiff was given the title of a city and the right to elect a Lord Mayor. This coincided with the building of the civic centre, considered second to none, and the founding of the university.

In 1955 the city was officially named as Capital of Wales, a role which it had long assumed. By then, it had survived two world wars. Hundreds of Cardiff men died in battle while the city itself was targeted by German bombers

The book looks beyond the war to the 1970's and the rebuilding and industrialisation that followed..

About the Author

The South Wales Echo has reported the events in Cardiff for more than 100 years and the photographs in its books, from the newspaper's library, give an insight into the city's life.