The South Wales Evening Post, out local paper, quite often prints old aerial photographs
taken by Simmons Aerofilms. Tonight's dates from 1922 and looks from the South Dock
(now the Marina) up over the gasworks (now Tescos) towards the Market and the lower
reaches of Mount Pleasant. The scope is roughly from William St. in the west (almost by
the prison and the Vetch Field) to St David's Catholic Church (unclear) on the east.
It is interesting because the street layout is still like that of 1870-1900, before the
1941 bombing, the construction of the Quadrant Centre, the Westway dual carriageway and
various redevelopments obliterated many of the old streets, and economic forces and Dr
Beeching removed the railways.
There is information how to get a proper copy, I assume for payment, but the newsprint is
reasonably clear. It can be compared with the 1897 map sold by West Glamorgan Archives.
(among vanished streets in this area are Bathurst St., Orange St., Wassail Street, Garden
Street, Albert Row, Wellington Street, Greenfield St., Edward St., Nelson Terrace,
Kynaston Place.)
Anyone with interests in that area who wants more information may get in touch with me
off-list.
Jeff
Swansea