Barry Island Through Time

by Ings, David

• ISBN13: 9781445659916
• ISBN10: 1445659913
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2030-01-15
• Publisher: Amberley Publishing

Summary

The popular South Wales seaside resort of Barry Island has a long and distinctive history. In the eighteenth century it was the private domain of smuggler Thomas Knight, then, in 1856, Francis Crawshay, the Merthyr Iron Master, bought the island for the princely sum of £3,200. The Windsor Estate bought it in 1878 and gifted it to Robert Windsor as a 21st birthday present. With the development of Barry Dock in 1884, a causeway was built which anchored the Island to the mainland and improved transport links led to Barry becoming the biggest exporter of coal in the world. It also grew as a holiday destination and visitors flocked here from South Wales towns and cities as well as from Bristol and South West England. The resort's popularity may have waned since the 1970s with the advent of the cheap package holiday, but people still come to Barry Island, to enjoy the attractions of its Pleasure Park and to pay homage to the location for the hit TV sitcom, 'Gavin and Stacey'. All these changes are captured in this unique selection of old and new images, compiled by local author, David Ings. Barry Island Through Time is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves this famous holiday destination.

Author Biography

Cardiff resident, David Ings, has previously written two books for Amberley, Penarth Through Time (2016) and Penarth History Tour (2016).