In pictures: Remembering Tiger Bay

While the Pierhead building in Cardiff Bay remains closed for public exhibitions due to the pandemic, it has been celebrating the area's history online by posting a series of archive photos on social media. They come from the Heritage and Cultural Exchange, which inherited the collection from the former Butetown History and Arts Centre.

Image source, Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum Wales

Image caption, Loudoun Square was originally built in the mid-1850s as upmarket homes for merchants, mariners, ship brokers and the like around a central park. By the 1950s it was decided to demolish the existing houses, which were replaced by tower blocks shortly after this photo was taken in 1962

Image source, Heritage and Cultural Exchange

Image caption, Much of this crew of a steam ship would have been paid off when they reached the destination port. As new seafarers were signed up only when the ship was ready to sail again, the crewmen could have originated locally from the foreign port or from other recently-arrived vessels. So the very diverse mix seen here would have been the norm

Image source, Heritage and Cultural Exchange

Image caption, Cardiff Docks was a very busy commercial and business area as seen here in this image of James Street around 1920

Image source, Heritage and Cultural Exchange

Image caption, Class Standard 7 at Clarence Road School in 1926

Image source, Heritage and Cultural Exchange

Image caption, Bute Street in the early part of the 20th Century had shops of every type, boarding houses, pubs and other establishments to help seamen spend their money. Trams ran down to the Pierhead from Cardiff city centre and the high wall on the right divided the street from the railway line as it does today

Image source, Heritage and Cultural Exchange

Image caption, A visit by the Rainbow Club to HMS Tiger in 1966. Dame Shirley Bassey was a former member of this local youth club organised by Mrs Capener (in centre of picture). HMS Tiger was visiting Cardiff as part of the relief effort following the Aberfan disaster

Image source, ABP

Image caption, Exporting of coal is what made Cardiff rich. This photo was taken on 17 July 1884 and shows a sailing ship being loaded with coal from No 7 tip on the west side of Bute East Dock.

Image source, Ernest T Bush

Image caption, A view in 1900 taken from the tower of the Pierhead Building showing the West Bute Dock. It was later filled in to create a public space now known as Roald Dahl Plass

Image source, Heritage and Cultural Exchange

Image caption, This wedding illustrates the people of all cultures that were part of Tiger Bay, living and raising families in harmony.

See for more about the work of the Heritage and Cultural Exchange.