The Cardiff Book of Days (16 page)

2006:
The English Cricket Board announces that Glamorgan County Cricket Club had been given the right to stage an England
v
. Australia Test Match at the Swalec Stadium in 2009. (Andrew Hignell,
From Sophia to Swalec: A History of Cricket in Cardiff
, The History Press, 2008)

1932:
‘There can be no question that a large number of married women are anxious to obtain reliable information about methods of preventing conception,' stated Dr Ralph Picken, Medical Officer, reporting to Cardiff Health Committee. ‘It has been maintauined,' he said, ‘that the use of contraceptives is associated with damage to health. Advocates of birth control clinics claim that their methods, if the advice is properly given and strictly followed, are not attended by such results. On the other hand, it must be remembered that an alternative to birth control is being widely practised, namely self-induced abortion and leads not infrequently to death, and still more commonly to permanent damage.' (
Daily Herald
, quoted in Trevor Herbert & Gareth Elwyn Jones,
Wales Between the Wars
, 1988)

1966:
Professor Colin Buchanan's controversial plan for Cardiff up to the year 2000 was published. It proposed a network of new roads and some controversial demolitions, including St David's Roman Catholic Cathedral (
see
January 26th) (John O'Sullivan & Bryn Jones,
Cardiff: A Centenary Celebration
, The History Press, 2005)

1917:
The birth of Leo Abse, one of the sons of a Jewish solicitor and cinema owner in Cardiff. He was to become one of the most colourful politicians of his day. Elected as Member for Pontypool in a by-election in 1958, he acquired a reputation for independence of mind and also for his flamboyant dress on Budget Days. In 1963 he introduced the Matrimonial Causes Bill which simplified the divorce process and three years later was instrumental in securing legislation that legalised homosexuality. In 1973 he demanded that the government ban the rock singer Alice Cooper from performing in the United Kingdom, claiming that Cooper was ‘peddling the culture of the concentration camp. Pop is one thing,' he said, ‘anthems of necrophilia are quite another!' He retired from Parliament in 1987. He married his second wife in 2000 when he was 83 and she was fifty years younger. He died in 2008. (
Dictionary of National Biography
, OUP / Wikipedia)

2005:
Floodlights at Glamorgan's Sophia Gardens stadium were ceremonially switched on by the chairman of the English Cricket Board – but the scheduled evening match against Essex was rained off. (Andrew Hignell,
From Sophia to Swalec: A History of Cricket in Cardiff
, The History Press, 2008)

1927:
Captained by Fred Keenor, Cardiff City beat Arsenal 1-0 in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, thus becoming the first team to take the trophy out of England. The only goal of the game was scored by Hughie Ferguson fifteen minutes from time. Ironically, the blame for the goal was attributed to a South Walian, Arsenal goalkeeper Dan Lewis (born in Maerdy in the Rhondda Valley) who somehow allowed the ball to spin out of his hands into the net. Victory for Cardiff was all the sweeter because they had reached the final two years before – only to lose to Sheffield United. King George V, who presented the Cup to Keenor, was so impressed with the Cardiff fans' singing of ‘Abide With Me' that he asked them to sing it again! The 1927 Cup Final is noteworthy for being the first to have live commentary broadcast on the radio. Two days later thousands of people turned out to see the victorious City team tour the streets of Cardiff on an open-top bus. (John O'Sullivan & Bryn Jones,
Cardiff: A Centenary Celebration
, The History Press, 2005)

1873:
In a Court report headed ‘A Refractory Pauper', the
Western Mail
disclosed that ‘John Clark, an inmate of the union was charged with wilfully damaging his clothes at the workhouse. William Miles, Labour Superintendent, stated that on Tuesday night the prisoner was admitted to the house as a pauper. On the next morning he went into the cell and saw that he had taken his clothes off and torn them into pieces. He said he had done so because the clothes were dirty and ragged. The prisoner, in defence, said that the witness had struck him three times in the stomach and also tried to strangle him. It was quite true what he had stated in regard to his clothes. He was sentenced to 21 days hard labour and informed that, when the term of imprisonment had ended, he could lay any information against the union'. In another case Henry Coombe, Chief Mate of the steamship
Henry Brand
was convicted of smuggling 4lb of tobacco, ‘found on the bridge behind the compass'. He was ordered to pay £3 and costs or, in default, twenty-one days' imprisonment. The magistrates stated that they ‘hoped it would be a warning to the prisoner, who had shown such a bad example to the crew.'

1894:
The cargo ship the
Gilcruix
, built at Workington in 1894, left Cardiff for Iquique, Chile. She had a crew of thirty-three, including six apprentices. One of these was the 17-year-old John Masefield. The future Poet Laureate suffered terribly from sea-sickness. He wrote later of ‘going aloft in the Roaring Forties, the wind having a fervour and fury which took my breath away'. After rounding Cape Horn in horrendous conditions, they arrived at the port of Iquique with their cargo of coal thirteen weeks after leaving Cardiff. Masefield was by now so ill that he was certified as a ‘Distressed Seaman' by the British Consul which meant that he could be sent back to Britain by steamship. He left the
Gilcruix
with some relief and was taken to the British hospital in Valparaiso. Meanwhile his ship was being loaded with guano, Chile's main export, for the return voyage. (John Richards,
Cardiff: A Maritime History
, The History Press, 2005)

1969:
Welsh nationalist activist Robert Trigg (20), a student from Ely, Cardiff, was arrested following the discovery of an explosive device in a left-luggage office at Queen Street station. This followed the explosion of a similar bomb planted by the Free Wales Army at the police headquarters on April 15th. At Trigg's trial an expert witness told the court that if it had gone off, it would have had the explosive force of twelve hand-grenades and the consequences in the crowded station would have been ‘utterly appalling'. The bomb had only been discovered by chance when a booking clerk noticed that a surcharge was payable on the locker and checked the contents. It had failed to go off because it had not been assembled properly. Trigg pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years imprisonment. British Rail instituted extra security measures which were maintained until after the Investiture. Passengers at railway stations in Wales were required to produce proof of identity before leaving luggage. (John Humphries,
Freedom Fighters: Wales' Forgotten War, 1963-1993
, University of Wales, 2008)

1939:
Final races took place at the Ely Racecourse, once dubbed ‘The Ascot of Wales' and home of the Welsh Grand National since 1895. The last race was won by Grasshopper, ridden by Keith Piggot, father of Lester. After the war the area was developed for housing and the Ely Leisure Centre. (Stewart Williams,
Cardiff Yesterday
)

1951:
The pavilion at Sophia Gardens was formally opened by the Lord Mayor, Alderman George Williams. It was an old RAF hanger originally at the Stormy Down base near Bridgend. It was intended to be a temporary structure until replaced by something more permanent in the city centre. In fact it did sterling service until the 1980s, becoming a popular venue for boxing and wrestling, events like the Welsh Trade Fair and concerts by such stars as Gracie Fields, Danny Kaye and Cliff Richard. (Andrew Hignell,
From Sophia to Swalec: A History of Cricket in Cardiff
, The History Press, 2008)

1957:
The Freedom of the City was bestowed on the Welsh Guards at Cardiff Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh, Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment, attended and the Lord Mayor, Alderman D.T. Williams, took the salute outside the City Hall. (Stewart Williams,
Cardiff Yesterday
)

1830:
Birth at Ruperra Castle of Godfrey Charles Morgan who was to become the first Viscount Tredegar. He became famous for his part in the Crimean War where he fought in the battles of Alma, Inkerman and Balaklava. He was in charge of a section of the Light Brigade which took part in the famous Charge immortalised in verse by Tennyson. His statue outside the City Hall was erected in 1909, a few years before the Viscount died. (Stewart Williams,
Cardiff Yesterday
)