Abandoned Communities ..... Temperance Town
The delaying tactics of the Llandaff diocese eventually failed in the 1960s. St Dyfrig’s church was closed and demolished in 1969, and its parish was amalgamated with the neighbouring parish of St Samson’s. The Congregational church also closed at about the same time. Its land is now occupied by South Gate House.
The bus station, having received a major facelift in the mid 1980s, is still there. The ground floors of St David’s House, Marland House, and South Gate House now contain a variety of shops, public agencies, and places to eat and drink. There are no outfitters or leather merchants, but general retail outlets include Spar, Londis, and Lifestyle Express. There are no less than four charity shops. There are a couple of travel agencies, one of them, the Coach Holiday Shop, specialising in coach trips.
Bear in mind that these paragraphs were written in 2007.
Anyone out of work can visit the Shaw Trust employment office in St David’s House, or the Jobcentre Plus in South Gate House. Another option for them, though one that I would not recommend, would be the armed services recruitment office, occupying a semi-circular extension to the ground floor of South Gate House. Much of Marland House is taken up by Cardiff Council offices. You can go there to pay your council tax or to lodge an application for council housing.
Several places will provide a cup of coffee or quick snack. The most popular appears to be the Central Café. If it is lunch time you can use the railway station restaurant, Burger King, the Thai Empire, or the Noble House Chinese restaurant.
You may be wondering what happened to the Tipples family. Mark and Maud were transferred to Grand Avenue, Ely. Their son and daughter-in-law moved to Tremorfa. Before accepting the new house the daughter-in-law went to inspect it, taking her three children with her. Two of the children rode in a pram, while the third walked along beside it. Visits to Mark and Maud were rare as there was an awkward bus journey between Tremorfa and Ely.
Mark Tipples died in 1938, about a year after the move. But Maud Tipples lived well into her nineties. She was popular in the Ely community, growing mint in her garden and selling it for sixpence a bag to be enjoyed with lamb at Sunday dinner.
The bus station, having received a major facelift in the mid 1980s, is still there. The ground floors of St David’s House, Marland House, and South Gate House now contain a variety of shops, public agencies, and places to eat and drink. There are no outfitters or leather merchants, but general retail outlets include Spar, Londis, and Lifestyle Express. There are no less than four charity shops. There are a couple of travel agencies, one of them, the Coach Holiday Shop, specialising in coach trips.
Bear in mind that these paragraphs were written in 2007.
Anyone out of work can visit the Shaw Trust employment office in St David’s House, or the Jobcentre Plus in South Gate House. Another option for them, though one that I would not recommend, would be the armed services recruitment office, occupying a semi-
Several places will provide a cup of coffee or quick snack. The most popular appears to be the Central Café. If it is lunch time you can use the railway station restaurant, Burger King, the Thai Empire, or the Noble House Chinese restaurant.
You may be wondering what happened to the Tipples family. Mark and Maud were transferred to Grand Avenue, Ely. Their son and daughter-
Mark Tipples died in 1938, about a year after the move. But Maud Tipples lived well into her nineties. She was popular in the Ely community, growing mint in her garden and selling it for sixpence a bag to be enjoyed with lamb at Sunday dinner.
Six
View from the entrance to Cardiff railway station, October 2007 (compare with the picture on page 3 of this section)
Taxis waiting for custom outside Cardiff railway station
A bus about to leave for Abergavenny, standing roughly where Scott Street used to be
The Central Café, with Marland House behind it