My piece in the latest edition of Welsh Country Magazine (September 2015) examines the life of Robert Owen, for many the greatest Welshman of them all. Socialist, philanthropist, inspiration of the Co-operative movement – he is buried in St Mary’s in the middle of Newtown. “A grave is too cold and damp for a soul…
Author: gbadmin
Swansea Then and Now – in Paperback
I have received today copies of my book Swansea Then and Now which has been re-printed in paperback by History Press. The original hardback edition was published in 2012. There are no major changes to the text – other than the addition of Matilda to the list of our grandchildren to whom the book has…
Friends of Cathays Cemetery 08 Sept 2015
I shall be speaking at a meeting of a group called “Friends of Cathays Cemetery” at 7.00 pm in Room 0.31 in the John Percival Building (Humanities) at Cardiff University on Tuesday 08 September 2015. The talk is called Stories in Stone – Tales from Welsh Tombstones. Admission is free
Tenuta Contessa Chiara
We have returned from a magical holiday in Piemonte in northern Italy. I promised the owners Alessandro and Andrea that I would put a link here on my website in case anyone is interested in a perfect Italian villa holiday. Alessandro is in the process of changing his web hosting service so once that has been done…
Swansea in the 1950s
I have finally received the proofs for my next book, Swansea in the 1950s, to be released by Amberley Publishing in September. Everything has been checked and returned for printing and it looks very good. Here is what the cover looks like. It is an image of the Mayflower Restaurant, built by the Rabiaotti family to…
The Last of the Teddy Girls
When I was researching for my next book – Swansea in the Fifties – I came across some fantastic photographs which I was unable to use. In 1955 the film director Ken Russell took a series of photographs of a group of Teddy Girls. They were published at the time but were subsequently lost, considered…
Daniel Thomas
My piece in the July Edition of Welsh Country Magazine is about Daniel Thomas a mine owner from Porth. He was renowned for his bravery as a rescue worker in colliery accidents – of which of course there were many. He died in 1880 in a rescue attempt following an explosion at the Naval Steam Coal Colliery…
Advertisements, Fifties Style
I often post advertisements from the Fifties on my Facebook Page and they always get such a positive reaction. I think for many they are a window on an innocent uncomplicated time. A world where things so much more certain than they are today. Nostalgia always makes the best seem better – but I would…
The Blob
In Swansea cinemas in May 1959. Some tough choices then…
Swansea in the Fifties
I have submitted the text of my next book to Amberley Publishing. A week early too. Astonishing. The book is called Swansea in the Fifties and I anticipate that it will be available in time for Christmas. Twelve chapters fully illustrated using contemporary photographs and news items. It deals with life in Swansea during…