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FREE *$"" $*!&!’ ,( (. ,#! ,%’,$ #(+,+ ’ #(-%+ ’ ,#! $,/ #$,#-*# (*% #&)$(’ Issue 15 Oct / Nov ‘11 Living WHITCHURCH AND LLANDAFF

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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Late autumn issue of the popular North Cardiff title. Includes a biography of world champion boxer Jack Petersen, and ghost stories from Cardiff.

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Page 1: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

YYOOUURR FFRREEEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE FFOORR

WWHHIITTCCHHUURRCCHH,, LLLLAANNDDAAFFFF AANNDD LLLLAANNDDAAFFFF NNOORR

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NAKED FIREMENCardiff Firemen to Row the Atlantic

HAUNTED CARDIFFGhosts and Ghouls In the City

JACK PETERSENA WhitchurchWorld Champion

Issue 15Oct / Nov ‘11

LivingWHITCHURCHAND LLANDAFF

Page 2: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinnggEEddiittoorrss//AAddvveerrttiissiinngg:: Patric Morgan & Danielle DummettAAddddrreessss:: 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina,

Cardiff CF14 6AGTTeell:: 07772 081775 and 07974 022920EEmmaaiill:: [email protected]:: www.livingmags.co.uk

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy ofthe contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility forerrors or omissions, or for any matter in any way arising fromthe publication of this material. Every effort has been made tocontact any copyright holders.Whitchurch and Llandaff Living

is an independent, apolitical publication.

Advertising booking and copy deadline for Issue 16 - Friday 4th November 2011. Issue 16 publication date - late November. Whitchurchand Llandaff Living is published 5 times a year.

33--44 NNeewwss

55 LLeetttteerrssLetters to the Editors

66 LLooccaall CChhaarriittyyNaked firemen

88 BBiiooggrraapphhyyWhitchurch’sJack Petersen

1122 HHaauunntteedd CCaarrddiiffffGhosts and Ghouls of our City

1166 TThhrroouugghh TTiimmeeDisappearing Landmarks

1199 RReeaaddeerrss’’ RRoooommYour Stories

2222 UUpp ffoorr GGrraabbssCompetition andVoucher Deals

2255 PPeettss’’ PPaaggeeYour questions answered

2277 PPoolliicciinngg CCaarrddiiffffLocal updates

3311 BBaacckkllaasshhMusings of the editor

Welcome to your late autumn edition of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living.After summer had its last fling with us, the autumn winds are now stripping thetrees of the summer leaves and prompting us all to put the heating on!Just over a century ago, one of Whitchurch’s greatest exports to the world wasborn. His name was Jack Petersen, and he would go on to strike fear into theheavyweight boxing division for many years during the 1930s. Jack’s story isretold on page 8. We have the story of two North Cardiff firefighters who are planning an epic tripacross the Atlantic in a row boat. The pair are looking to raise £100,000 forseveral charities and you can read all about them on page 6.As we draw closer to Hallowe’en, we’ve put together some of the spookieststories to come out of Cardiff. From the grey ladies of our local hospitals, to thephantom coach that has been seen at Cardiff Castle, you’ll definitely be lookingover your shoulder once you’ve read it. Steve Nicholas once again takes us back in time with his ‘Then and Now’photos. North Cardiff has been home to many recongisable landmarks over theyears. We chart the fall and rise of some of them on page 16.Our Readers’ Room on page 19 takes a look at pensioners, and how they’regetting to look younger and younger!We’ve got some tickets for a top show at the Wales Millennium Centre up forgrabs on page 22, as well as some money-saving vouchers for local businesses.Chris Troughton answers more of your pet-related questions on page 25 andwe’ve also got all the latest news from the area, including details on WhitchurchCommunity Centre’s first year anniversary.We’re now busy working on the Christmas issue which will be our last issue for2011. We’ll then be entering our fourth year of publication. We are delighted tostill be in a position to help local traders through these tough economic times viaour advertising. Remember to support our advertisers, who make our magazinespossible.See you at Christmas!

WelcomeCroeso

Patric and Danielle

WWeellccoommee

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 22Front cover picture courtesy of Paul Hindmarsh

www.paulhindmarshphotography.com

Page 3: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

NNEEWWSSLLOOCCAALL MMPP DDIISSMMIISSSSEESS CCLLAAIIMMSS AAGGAAIINNSSTT HHIIMM

Labour MP Kevin Brennan hascome under attack from LiberalDemocrat councillors, who haveaccused him of accepting free carparking from National Car Parks.Llandaff councillor and chair of theCardiff West Lib Dems, GarethAubrey suggested that Mr Brennanhad accepted parking worth £1,247at Cardiff Central station.Mr Aubrey said that he had cameacross ownership of the free passafter looking up Mr Brennan’s entryin the register of members’ interestson the Houses of Parliament’swebsite.“I think Kevin Brennan’sconstituents will be astonished that,at a time when they would haveexpected him to be standing up forthem against NCP’s prices, he wasactually taking freebies from them.”

But Mr Brennan has responded tothe claims that he was takingadvantage. Mr Brennan replied by saying thatparking passes were available to allMPs for official travel to Parliamentonly and were not personal privateuse.He said: “I have strictly adhered tothis on the small number ofoccasions when I have used it, andit is declared openly in the publicregister.“There is no cost to the taxpayer,which is probably why Lib Dem MPshave also accepted parking and railpasses.“I pay to park at all other times andI look forward to Lib Dem councillorsoffering to pay for the free parkingthey get at County Hall in CardiffBay.”

The journal of a “nouveau riche”Victorian gentleman has beenreturned to its Llandaff home –more than 70 years after beingauctioned off.George Fredrick Insole belongedto the third generation of thewealthy coal-mining family whogave their name to Llandaff’s InsoleCourt.But George’s wife and childrenwere the last of the dynasty to livethere after George spent most oftheir fortune on maintaining a highlife.George recorded his life of leisure– which included hunting, shooting,fishing, playing golf and parties –in a sporting diary kept between1891 and 1898.But the journal left the house in1937 and was auctioned when hiswidow moved to London. Thediary, along with nine photographs, have now come to light after AvisRichards – whose grandfatherbought it at the auction – cameforward with it.She contacted The Insole CourtHeritage Research Group twomonths ago after finding them onthe internet, saying she wanted todonate it.The diary was presented as partof the Open Doors event.

LLLLAANNDDAAFFFF LLAANNDDMMAARRKKSS OOPPEENN DDOOOORRSS TTOO DDAAYYSS OOFF DDIISSCCOOVVEERRYY

Many of Llandaff’s historicalbuildings were recently the feature ofa nationwide heritage day. The Open Doors event took place inSeptember, allowing visitors tobecome familiar with the history andheritage of Cardiff’s landmarks.Among the places open to explorewere The Cathedral School, InsoleCourt, Llandaff Cathedral, RookwoodHospital and the recently-restoredMelingriffith Water Pump.Organised by the Civic Trust for

Wales, over three hundred sites andfive hundred events were featured inthis year's programme, which wereheld throughout September. There were walks and talks,buildings and sites, exhibitions andactivities throughout the month. Open Doors, supported by Cadw,the Welsh Government's historicenvironment service, is Wales'scontribution to European HeritageDays.

Llandaff’s Old Probate Registry took part in the event

HHIISSTTOORRIICC DDIIAARRYY MMAAKKEESSIITT WWAAYY HHOOMMEE

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 33

Page 4: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Whitchurch’s Gareth Bale haswon the Football Association ofWales Player of the Year awardfor the second year running.The 22-year old has continuedto impress the world of football,both at club and internationallevel. He picked up his award ata ceremony at the NationalMuseum of Wales in Cardiff lastmonth."It's always nice to win anaward, especially when you lookat the names who havepreviously won this award. It’sgreat to be among them.” he toldthe crowd.Bale has scored 10 goals forTottenham this year, whichincluded a fantastic second-halfhat-trick against Inter Milan in a

Champions League game. In his following game, he put onanother dazzling performance topick up a Man-of-the-MatchAward in the return fixture atWhite Hart Lane.Although injury has meant thatBale has missed fourinternationals for Wales this year,he scored recently against

Montenegro and in the narrowdefeat to England to leave Welshfootball fans feeling optimisticabout the future of their game.The Football Association ofWales Awards, was voted for byjournalist and broadcasters, andcovers the period from October2010 to October 2011.

GGAARREETTHH BBAALLEE WWIINNSSFFAAWW AAWWAARRDD

Hawthorn Primary School in Llandaff

North may have been given a lease

of life when it was announced that

the building could now be used as a

Steiner school.

The derelict Victorian school which

was under threat of demolition, and

has been abandoned since 2009

was under threat from developers

who wanted to knock it down.

But now it has emerged that Cardiff

council’s executive has said it will

consider a recommendation to

dispose of the building to the Steiner

School organisation, subject to

funding confirmation.

Based on the workings of Austrian

philosopher Rudolf Steiner, Steiner

schools stress the importance of

playing, socialising and listening

rather than reading and writing.

Its education takes account of the

academic, emotional and spiritual

needs of a child, rather than a

knowledge-based education.

Negotiations are still taking place

and a decision will be announced.

Railway ticket offices at Llandaff and

Radyr have been threatened with

closure as part of Government cost-

cutting measures, it was announced

last month.

As part of a number of train ticket

offices across Cardiff and the UK

threatened with closure, the offices

would be closed and replaced with

self-service machines. This has

prompted fears over station safety.

Passenger groups have criticised

the plan, pointing out that travellers

feel safer when staff are present, and

that the self-service machines can

be difficult to operate. Jobs may also

be at risk.

DDEERREELLIICCTT HHAAWWTTHHOORRNN PPRRIIMMAARRYY SSCCHHOOOOLL IISS TTHHRROOWWNN AA LLIIFFEELLIINNEE

NNEEWWSS

OOFFFFIICCEE TTHHRREEAATT

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 44

Picture courtesy of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club

Page 5: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

LLEETTTTEERRSS

DDeeaarr EEddiittoorrssThis postcard was amongst myparents’ belongings when theydied many years ago.After reading your magazine, Idecided to send it to you, as youmay have an occasion to makeuse of it. Although during mychildhood, we lived in Llandaff,my parents lived for a short timein Whitchurch. My father workedfor the G.P.O. as a telephonist atthe Whitchurch telephoneexchange. This was in oldChurch Road, which is why Ithink he kept this postcardJJaanneett FFrriiiissCCaaee NNeewwyydddd CClloosseeCCaarrddiiffff

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh PPoosstt OOffffiiccee

DDeeaarr EEddiittoorrssI recently returned home fromshopping, to find that a smallbrown bin had been delivered tomy house. The bin had clearlybeen delivered to me by theCouncil. With it came a smallbooklet, advising me of the newchanges afoot regarding wastecollection.I also had some green bagsdelivered. There was a roll of thelarge green recycling bags, plusa roll of smaller, thinner bags,which, I have been informed, arefor the brown bin.After half an hour or so of tryingto get my head around the newchanges, I decided to put mynew bins into action.

The first thing that becameapparent was that I needed moreroom in the kitchen to make roomfor the new brown bin. Not onlythat, but I also needed room forthe green recycling bin. This is inaddition to my normal usual‘black bag’ bin.With space at a premium, Ihave had to place the brown binon my worktop counter. Thisneither looks nice, nor smellsnice when I have to open thething to put my food waste in.I have also had the misfortuneof trying to dodge emptiedbrown bins, left on the kerbside,on a very windy day. With thebins full, there is no problem. Yetonce the bins are emptied, they

roll about all over the pavements,and even more dangerously, intothe roads. In our recentheatwave, I even saw one beingused to keep cool beers in on apicnic.I understand the need to helpthe environment, but I’m not sureif our Council have really thoughtthis through. If the Council arewilling to extend my kitchen, thenI wouldn’t mind the new bins asmuch.DDyyllaann BBaaiilleeyyDDaanneessccoouurrttLLllaannddaaffff

YYoouu’’vvee BBiinn DDuummppeedd

Whitchurch Post Office in days gone by

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 55

Page 6: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 66

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4 Charities3000 Miles3 Months at sea2 Men1 Boat0 Items of clothing

A firefighter based at Whitchurch FireStation is attempting to raise£100,000 for charity this winter, whenhe and a colleague will attempt torow the North Atlantic.Jamie Windsor and Ely-based JohnHaskell are raising money for fourcharities - the Fire Fighters charity,Breast Cancer Care, Help for Heroesand the WRVS. They will be leaving the island of LaGomera in the Canaries on the 4thDecember, and arriving in theBarbados region some 3 monthslater. The “0 items of clothing” is causingthe most interest and concern, notleast for the crew. The reason for theprolonged nudity is that salt crystalsform over the body during the trip,and these then chafe the skin duringthe row causing open sores. Butnudity presents its own problems,mostly being sunburn and hungry seagulls.

Jamie told Living Magazines: “The two main aims of the trip areto raise money for the chosencharities, and not dying. The eventis a serious undertaking. We willface 40-50ft waves, sharks, tropicalstorms, navigation, winds andcurrents. More people have beeninto space than have rowed theAtlantic!”The duo will row the 3000 miletrip, using a 2 hour rotating shiftday and night burning 10,000calories each day. There pair will beeating freeze dried food, and theoccasional bit of fish. (They cannotfish too much as this will attractsharks!)The pair are also linking in withother organisations, principally touse the publicity they are gaining topromote fire safety and to talk with,and motivate young people, to dosomething interesting that helpsothers.John had the idea for thefundraising event after his wiferecovered from breast cancer. Giventhe support he received from thischarity, he wanted to give somethingback. Jamie has always supportedthe elderly as being a fire-fighter, hegoes into many homes and seesgreat people in need of somesupport.The team will be raising money atvarious events locally:• Fireworks night at Whitchurch firestation. (Tickets will be available asusual at the station soon)

• Car Washes• Corporate sponsors (the pairdesperately need more corporateinvolvement. If you can help pleasecontact them. Details below)• Marathon Treadmill runs atsupermarkets• Public donationIf you would like to donate anyamount it would be greatlyappreciated by the team and this can be done by visitingwww.atlanticdash.co.uk. Alternatively, you can contact Johnon 07920 045325 or Jamie on 07831455605. There are also updates on YouTube.Search for ‘Team Atlantic Dash2011’.You can also keep up to date withthe duo’s progress on their Facebookpage (search for Team Atlantic Dash2011). We will also post updates onour Living Magazines website.

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Page 7: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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With a FREE, no obligation, measuring, design and fittingservice, we aim to provide unbeatable customer serviceand value for money.

Call us today for a FREE initialconsultation on 08000 612690

Based in CardiffTel: 08000 612690www.bakerwoodinteriors.co.uk

Curtains and AccessoriesVertical and Venetian Blinds

Roller and Roman BlindsPleated and Perfect Fit Blinds

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Page 8: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

In the 1930s, a number of Welshboxers were making headlinesacross the world. None more so thanJack Petersen, who has gone downin history as one of the greatestWelsh boxers. Born John Charles Peterson inWhitchurch on 2nd September 1911,Jack took up amateur boxing at theage of 18. He took to the sport like anatural, reaching the Welsh AmateurBoxing Association finals at bothmiddleweight and light-heavyweight.At 6ft 1½ in tall, he was a wellproportioned athlete. “I was brought up in a boxingatmosphere. My father was veryinterested in boxing, and was anaccomplished boxer. I started in1929, in the Welsh AmateurChampionships. I lost to themiddleweight, and I lost to the light-middleweight. Then I fought theheavyweight. Of the three, I won theheavyweight title.”In 1931, Jack turned professionalunder the name of Jack Petersen.His first professional fight was inSeptember 1931 at the HolbornStadium, London, against BillPartridge. Petersen won the fight bya knockout in the fourth round.Petersen won his first sixteen fights,in one of which he knocked out DickPower to win the Welsh heavyweighttitle.Petersen's 17th fight was for theBritish light-heavyweight title. It tookplace at Holborn Stadium in May1932 and Petersen beat Harry

Crossley on points over 15 rounds totake his title. He later relinquishedthis title without defending it. Two months later, in July 1932,Petersen fought Reggie Meen for hisBritish heavyweight title, in a boutheld at Wimbledon Stadium,London. He knocked Meen out inthe second round, becoming thefirst Welshman to be Britishheavyweight champion. He hadaccomplished this in a career lastingless than ten months.He had one more fight, scoring aknockout, and then defended histitle against Jack Pettifer in January1932. The bout was at Olympia inKensington and Petersen scored aknockout in the 12th round to retainhis title.Petersen had three more fights,winning them all, before defendinghis title again against Jack Doyle, ayoung boxer from County Cork. Thebout, in July 1933, was held at theWhite City Stadium in front of acrowd of about 30,000. Doyle wasan Irish singer, actor and boxer, andwas affectionately known asGorgeous Gael.Witnesses say that Doyle did mostof his warm-up for the fight in a

nearby pub. As soon as he got inthe ring, Doyle realised that he wasin trouble against the formidableframe of Jack Petersen. Doylerepeatedly punched low, and withintwo rounds, Doyle was on his wayback to the pub, having beendisqualified.Jack faced a much sterner test inhis following fight in his third titledefence.“Having made the Lonsdale Beltmy own, I lost to Len Harvey onpoints at the Royal Albert Hall - adecision I didn’t altogether agreewith.”It was Jack’s first defeat in 25bouts. He went on to win his nextfour fights, before a rematch withHarvey loomed in 1934.“I fought Harvey at White CityStadium. The referee stopped thecontest in about the 10th roundwhen he threw the towel in. I knewthat Harvey was a very good boxer,and very good at close-quarterwork. So I kept him at long-rangeand I hammered him pretty well withmy right hand. I think I’d closed hiseye, which was very swollen. Don’tforget that Harvey was one of thelightest men I ever fought. Only two Iever fought were lighter than me,Harvey being one of them. But I hadthree hard fights with Harvey. I lostthe first on points. I won the secondand I won the third.”Jack was to fell many of theheavyweights that were put beforehim over the next few years.

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 88

100 years ago last month,Jack Petersen was born

in Whitchurch. He became the first

Welshman to win Britishand Empire HeavyweightBoxing Championships.

His name has sincebecome recognised as aambassador of the sport,someone who never gave

less than his all

Page 9: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Local LegendsBut i t was Germany's Walter Neusel- 'the 'Blond Tiger' - would prove tobe his downfall. Neusel was twostones heavier than Jack and thetwo would duel on three occasions.“I started my boxing career inSeptember 1931 and I finishedfighting on the 1st February 1937. Inthat time, only three people beat me- one was Ben Foord, one wasNeusel and one was Harvey. I hadthe pleasure of meeting Harveytwice afterwards and beating him,I’d beaten Foord before. WalterNeusel was the man who reallyhammered me. And unfortunately,he split my eye open on a fewoccasions and he damaged myretina and the specialists advisedme not to box any more. Havingsucceeded as far as I could, I hadto stop boxing.”At the age of just 25, Jack hadbeen forced to retire. His time as aprofessional boxer had lasted justsix years.But Jack wasn’t defeated. He tookup the role of Physical FitnessInstructor in the RAF during WorldWar II, and after the War, becameinvolved with the British BoxingBoard of Control, looking primarilyafter Welsh boxers and laterbecame the President of the Board.In 1978, he was awarded an OBE forhis services to sport. “It was something very special. Theprivilege, the honour of going up toBuckingham Palace, meeting theQueen and having her pin thismedal on my chest was somethingabsolutely wonderful. She was sucha lovely lady. I tried to do my bit forsport. To be recognised - there weremany people equally as worthy I’msure - but I was one person to havethat great honour.”Jack died in November 1990, atPrincess of Wales Hospital,Bridgend, after suffering from lungcancer. His memory lives on though in acommemorative plaque that wasunveiled in this September in CardiffCity Centre. The plaque sits outside the Blacksshop at the top of The Hayes, andwas unveiled by Cardiff's Lord

Mayor, Delme Bowen.Mr Bowen told reporters:"I am delighted that we arehonouring a respected andvictorious boxing legend who wassuch a great role model for Welshmen during the dark days of thedepression of the 1930s.“This plaque will raise awarenessof the achievements and success ofJack Petersen whilst addinghistorical value to the city."The building which now holds theplaque once housed the LynnInstitute Gym, owned by the Jacks'sfather, ‘Pa’ Petersen, who becamehis mentor and manager.The gym offered boxing training,fitness, massage and hot bathsduring the 1920s and 1930s andwas used by sportsmen, includingthe Cardiff City football team whowon the 1927 FA Cup.Jack Petersen's children hadcampaigned for a plaquerecognising his public life success.The plaque is one of a series beingerected in South Wales to rememberfamous people, events and places.Jack will always be rememberedfor his gentleman-like demeanouroutside of the ring. Yet for many overthe years, it was his bravery andfighting spirit in the ring that thrilledcrowds across the world. Thosememories are fading as thegenerations pass, but we arefortunate enough to have records ofthose heady nights. “On 15 May, 1933, Jack facedGermany's Heine Muller at NinianPark. It was one of the greatestboxing nights I’d ever been to, andcertainly one of the biggest staged

in Wales at the time.

“Jack was the local boy, aged just21, and was defending his titleagainst a veteran of over 200 boutswho was renowned for histoughness. There were 40,000 therethat night and if you wereunfortunate to arrive late, you wouldhave missed the fight.“After two minutes of the first roundPetersen caught Muller with a left tothe body, which was followed by aperfect right to the head.Muller just lay there over the ropesas if he’d been hit by a train. Thecrowd were left speechless.”

TThhee hhoonnoouurr ooff ggooiinngg uuppttoo BBuucckkiinngghhaamm PPaallaaccee aannddhhaavviinngg hheerr ppiinn tthhiiss mmeeddaall oonnmmyy cchheesstt wwaass ssoommeetthhiinnggaabbssoolluutteellyy wwoonnddeerrffuull

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 99

Page 10: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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Page 12: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Cardiff’s dark history stretchesback to Roman times so it’slittle wonder that a lot of

folklore, myths and legends havebeen handed down through themists of time.With all our castles, it falls to CardiffCastle to claim the title of Cardiff’smost haunted building.The Second Marquis of Bute'sfamily owned the castle for sixgenerations and it was here that hedied. His ghost is said to haunt thearea where he died - a small chapellocated behind the library. A bust inhis honour stands at the very spotwhere he died.Most often, his ghost is spotted inthe library. He appears as a man in along coat. There is also an unknownghost roaming about the castle. Ayoung woman has been seenfloating about, but nobody is quitesure who she is.A coach also has been said to

haunt the castle. Mostly in the 19thand 20th centuries, reports of aphantom coach were recorded.People said they could both see andhear the coach. The ghosts of CardiffCastle seem to be rather friendlythough. The phenomena is usuallylimited to catching glimpses of theghosts and unexplained lockeddoors and moving furniture.Nearby, Cardiff Museum boasts itsown ghosts - mainly those linked tothe construction of the building itself.The ghost of Dunbar Smith is said tohave been brought back to earthafter his ashes were removed tomake room for a public toilet - Smithwas the architect of the building.A statue of Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart stands in Gorsedd Gardensnear the museum. He was thesecond son of John Crichton-Stuart,3rd Marquess of Bute. In 1912 hetook command of the 6th Battalion,the Welsh Regiment. He was killed in

action on 2 October 1915, whileleading the 6th Welsh in a nightattack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt,near La Bassée, aged 32.Lord Ninian, who was an MP, is saidto come out on election nights.Near Cardiff Market is the site of thecounty jail where Dic Penderyn washanged. Dic was a Welsh labourerand coal miner who was involvedwith the Merthyr Rising of June 3,1831. In the course of the riot, hewas arrested alongside Lewis Lewis,one of the primary figures in theuprising, and charged with stabbinga soldier with a bayonet. The peopleof Merthyr Tydfil doubted his guilt,and signed a petition for his release.However, he was found guilty andhanged on August 13 the same year. His last words were: "O Arglwydd,dyma gamwedd" or "Oh Lord, here isiniquity." Legend has it, that if youlisten hard enough you can hear himshout 'I'm innocent', on a windy day.

Haunted�Cardiff

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 1122

Page 13: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Cardiff Friary, now a busy part ofcosmopolitan Cardiff, is as the namesuggests, built on the site of an oldFriary. The area contains a burial groundfor many of the monks who livedthere. Since the Friary wasdemolished, there have been manysightings of monks walking aroundthe area in their grey robes.But across town, the Victoriantowers of Cardiff Royal Infirmary arehome to plenty of ongoingsupernatural stories.A security guard at the hospitalcame face to face with such aspectre one night on a CCTVcamera. The guard, who was justyards from the camera in questionlooked to see what was looking intothe camera but there was no-onethere. Looking back at the camera,the ghostly figure simply turned andwalked away.Three ghosts are reported to hauntthe main corridor. One is of a WorldWar One soldier, an old lady, and awoman referred to as the Grey Lady.Members of staff have been tappedon the shoulder, and even had theirankles grabbed. One of the securityofficers, who was over 6 foot andwell-built, was knocked over bysomething that went past him. Hespun around to find that there wasno-one there.Cardiff Royal Infirmary, with over acentury of history, illness and deathwithin its walls, is perhaps a morelikely place to find apparitions. Yet,even after the building was closedas a working hospital, the buzzerscould still be heard.In the suburbs of Cardiff, there is astill a rich vein of creepy stories.Take for instance, the ruins of ahouse not far from the MaenllwydInn, Rudry. Back in the 1800s, thereapparently lived a witch. One local,who says that his family were cursedby the witch, has visited the areatwice to take a walk through thewoods. On both occasions, when hemade the journey back, a mysteriousvisitor had placed flowers on one ofthe stiles that he’d crossed.Glan Ely High School, now knownas Michaelston Community College,also has a tale to tell. At the back of

the school was aswamp.A few years ago,a pair of pupilswere heading backto lesson after abreak, heard anoise andhappened to lookback. What they bothsaw was the darkshape of a man hanging from one ofthe trees overlooking the swamp.The school was also reported tohave a ghost in the girls’ changingrooms at the end of a long corridor. Two other pupils opened thechanging room door when a little boyran into the showers. One of thepupils chased the boy, but whenthey got to the showers, there wasno-one there. The only other exit wasthe unlocked door, where the otherpupil had remained but saw nothing.Not far away, the open-air museumof St Fagans has such a spookyhistory that it runs its own ghosttours. A Victorian-looking girl wasonce spotted sitting in one of thehouses clutching a teddy bear. Thereare also reports of young childrenrefusing to go upstairs in the RedHouse. No-one knows why.Further afield, heading out of NorthCardiff on the A470, a man dressedin a black hat and a black coat isrumoured to wander thecarriageway. Known as the BlackWanderer, legend has it that a manran out into the road to kill himself.Caerphilly Castle is also the focusof a lot paranormal activity. Onceowners of the building, the de Claresfamily were haunted by a gwrach-y-rhibyn (similar to abanshee, this was a hideously uglywoman), warning them about animminent death inthe family. The ghost of theold woman is still seen - driftingtowards the castle only to disappear once she enters

the ruins. A figure dressed in redalso haunts the castle.Morgan Jones Park, also inCaerphilly, was the scene of avanishing phantom family. Twofriends walking home in the earlyhours of the morning spotted thesilhouettes of a man, woman andchild walking towards them along thesame path, around one hundredyards away. As the distance fell tofifty yards, the family faded andvanished.Back in the 1970s, two men werealso making their way home overCaerphilly Mountain after their usualvisit to the pub. Before long, they noticed the dark,silent shape of a World War IILancaster bomber heading for them.The shape got nearer and eventuallypassed over the two, but at a verylow altitude. Strangely, there wasabsolutely no sound, and the planedisappeared behind the mountain.Taffs Well too, is said to be hauntedby a grey phantom lady, whowanders the area. The waters of thewell were once used to curerheumatism and are said to havebeen in use since Roman times.

Haunted Cardiff

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 1133

Page 14: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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Page 15: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

The Bishopof LlandaffChurch-in-WalesHigh School

Rookwood Close, Llandaff,Cardiff CF5 2NR

Tel: 029 2056 2485

Open Evening forNewApplicants

toYear 7(September 2012)Thursday 13thOctober 2011

5.30pm - 7.30pm

Bishop of Llandaff Open Day

The staff and students of the school wish to invite you toan informative evening of talks, tours and activities,where you can meet members of our school communityand see what we can offer you and your family.Our school prides itself on being a positive, caring and

inclusive community with a distinctive Christian ethos.Standards of conduct and achievement are high. Westrive to develop each student’s unique talents andabilities and ensure that they feel happy and secure,enabling them to develop their potential in all aspect ofthe curriculum.We look forward to meeting you, answering your

questions, and helping you to make an informed decisionabout your child’s education.AAddmmiissssiioonnssWe have 150 church and 30 open places.AAcccceessssiibbiilliittyyMain parts of the building do have ramp access. Please

contact us if you require parking near to the building,need assistance on the evening or have any specificrequirements or questions. If you are unable to attend the Open Evening but still

wish to visit the school, please contact us to arrange avisit.

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Page 16: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Established by Charles John Jupp, the factory became operational in 1921 after an outlay of £2,000. I was closed down in 1966.

The building was situated in the grounds where the present-day picnic area issituated at Forest Farm. At one time, the works manager of the Melingriffith

Tinplate Works, Mr Bert King, lived in the building.

Built in 1855, it was eventually closed in the 1970s

In a recently publishedbook, local historian SteveNicholas charts the story ofour local communities.Excerpts from ‘Whitchurchand Llandaff North

Through Time’ continue tobe serialised here

ChangingLandmarksof North Cardiff

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 1166

Jupps Sweets

Forest Hall

Eglwys Newydd Boy’s School

WhitchurchRugby Club

Whitchurch Police Station

Page 17: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

This captivating collection of 192 past and present images focuses on the land, streets and buildings in the communities of Whitchurchand Llandaff North, capturing the changes that have occurred in the last century.Published by Amberley Publishing (www.amberleybooks.com), the book is also available from local book shops priced £14.99

Built in 1908 and demolished in 2003, Whitchurch Police Station was acquired byhousing developers who turned it into flats in 2007.

The rugby club seems from its start, to have been centred in and around the Foxand Hounds. The land and the clubhouse was purchased in 1967 but sold to housingdevelopers in 2005, on the condition that a new clubhouse was built on the site

Then and Now

Originally, this house was known as Velindre, and was once the home of the Bookerfamily, who owned the Melingriffith Tinplate Works. Demolished in 2010.

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 1177

WhitchurchRugby Club

Whitchurch Police Station

The Grange

Page 18: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

RReaders��� RoomStories from the pens of readers

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Page 19: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Not so long ago, the word‘pensioner’ would evoke the pictureof a little old lady (she was alwayslittle); be-shawled, be-spectacledand at times, be-wildered.Her male counterpart wasillustrated as a shuffling, generallybowed, almost pathetic little man. Asfor clothing, there has not beenmuch change for elderly men, as if afashion moratorium has beenclamped on their apparel. What acontrast for the mature ‘grandedame’; there has been a stylishexplosion. From the former acceptedgarb of a female pensioner ie.shapeless black garments, to thecontents of a gargantuan Pandora’sBox of elegant colourful rainment. Nowadays, we are an important partof this manufacturing industry, andthere are specialised firms whichcater for the well-seasoned matron.The transition has not stoppedthere either. I am thinking of weoldish females’ opinions of femalecosmetics. Remember the novelistBarbara Cartland? Once, whengiving a TV interview (she wouldhave been over 90 years of age), wewere told that the start of her daybegan with the beautician applyingmake-up. At the time, I would havebeen in my seventies. I wassurprised and shocked at thisrevelation. I am not now. Oh no. I findmyself getting interested in theseartificial aids to beauty, and evengiving these wondrous potions a‘go’. Heigh ho. Times marches on.With the current bonhomie towardspensioners, has the pendulumswung too far?

I was in a queue at the local PostOffice recently. The young womanwho had just been served suddenlyremembered that she had forgottenher purse. The parcel she wasposting had already been franked,so the clerk told her to go and gether purse, and that he would put theparcel aside until she got back. I hadreached the head of the queue whenthe lady returned to pay the postage.Suddenly, a mighty roar erupted:“GET TO THE BACK OF THEQUEUE! WE’RE WAITING FOR OURPENSIONS! GET IN THE QUEUE!”My remark that ‘this lady has alreadyqueued’ did not cut much ice, as thishostile army of ancient warriorscontinued their onslaught. Oh dear.Perhaps the clerk should have beenmore informative, and explained thatthere had been no queue jump at all. Sometimes I wonder whether ourchildren have lost out with thedisappearance of the picture-bookgranny. Has our quest for eternalyouth killed off the cuddly ample-bosomed old grandmother? My owngrandmother was one such lady. Allmy problems would be solved with abear-like hug, and “well, love - if wecan’t get over it, we’ll get under it”. Itwas her well-known philosophy.Though would today’s youth like tobe cosseted in such a manner? Shewas the epitome of ‘The sun isshining, the birds are singing, God’sin His heaven, all’s right with theworld’. Would those words hold suchsway in the present day universe?Witness now the school-gatecrowd. There are so many, perhapseven more grand-parents collecting

children that parents. Yeah, but whocan tell the difference? Those magiccosmetics are working. How manywomen with outside-the-home jobswould be able to maintain theirlifestyle without the help of thissection of society?Another turnabout is theemployment of pensioners in theretail trade. I recently read of a 95year old, employed in a well-knownDIY supermarket. One boss, wheninterviewed was quite convinced thathis older employees were moredependable, with almost nil sickabsenteeism, than his youngerworkforce.Nowadays, with ongoing medicalresearch and those clever scientists,the former life span of three scoreyears and ten has disappeared. Weare told, accompanied by a thinlyveiled ‘the economy cannot afford allyou oldies’. Surely the scales mustbalance evenly with our contributionsa ‘babysitters’, ‘child collectors, ‘call-upon-in-an-emergency’ familymembers.Yes, all you young citizens, lookupon us with gratitude and whenneeded, a little patience. Remember- As you are, I was. As I am, you willbe.

RReeaaddeerrss���� RRoooommStories from the pens of readers

Pensionersby Elizabeth Cunningham

Do you have a story to tell?We’re looking for writers ofall ages to contribute to ourpages. Please send them(preferably in an email) toour address on the inside

front cover

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 1199

Page 20: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Are you ready for the Welsh carrier bag charge?The Welsh Government wants to drastically reduce the number of bags given away in Wales. So from 1 October 2011, you’ll pay at least 5p for all single use carrier bags.

The carrier bag charge will apply in all shops including clothes stores, take away food outlets and restaurants, corner shops and market stalls. It will also apply when you have goods delivered in Wales, such as dot.com groceries.

You can avoid the charge by taking your own bags shopping with you.

What bags are included in the charge?

All single use carrier bags are included in the charge.This includes bags made of plastic, paper and degradable material.

What bags are not included in the charge?

Only bags used in certain circumstances, such as ones used for unpackaged food like meat, vegetables or poultry are exempt.

Bags used to carry free prescriptions or other items which are supplied free on the NHS are not included in the charge.

Any bags that are intended to be reused for example ‘bags for life’ and those made from cloth, jute, or cotton are also not included in the charge.

Why take action on carrier bags?

During 2009-10, in Wales we took home an estimated 350 million carrier bags from the major supermarkets alone. Bags are bad for the environment as they are a waste of resources, create litter and harm wildlife.

For more information you can visit www.carrierbagchargewales.gov.uk email: [email protected] or Phone 02920 826230

Mynd i siopa? Cofiwch eich bagiau

Going shopping? Remember your bags

O 1 Hydref 2011 bydd

rhaid i chi dalu o le iaf 5c

am fag yn siopau Cymru

From 1 October 2011 you’ll be charged at least 5p for a bag wherever you shop in Wales

I gael gwybod mwy, ewch i

www.taluamfagiaucymru.gov.uk

To find out more visit www.carrierbagchargewales.gov.uk

© Hawlfraint y Goron / Crown Copyright 2011 WG 13004

Page 21: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Are you ready for the Welsh carrier bag charge?The Welsh Government wants to drastically reduce the number of bags given away in Wales. So from 1 October 2011, you’ll pay at least 5p for all single use carrier bags.

The carrier bag charge will apply in all shops including clothes stores, take away food outlets and restaurants, corner shops and market stalls. It will also apply when you have goods delivered in Wales, such as dot.com groceries.

You can avoid the charge by taking your own bags shopping with you.

What bags are included in the charge?

All single use carrier bags are included in the charge.This includes bags made of plastic, paper and degradable material.

What bags are not included in the charge?

Only bags used in certain circumstances, such as ones used for unpackaged food like meat, vegetables or poultry are exempt.

Bags used to carry free prescriptions or other items which are supplied free on the NHS are not included in the charge.

Any bags that are intended to be reused for example ‘bags for life’ and those made from cloth, jute, or cotton are also not included in the charge.

Why take action on carrier bags?

During 2009-10, in Wales we took home an estimated 350 million carrier bags from the major supermarkets alone. Bags are bad for the environment as they are a waste of resources, create litter and harm wildlife.

For more information you can visit www.carrierbagchargewales.gov.uk email: [email protected] or Phone 02920 826230

Mynd i siopa? Cofiwch eich bagiau

Going shopping? Remember your bags

O 1 Hydref 2011 bydd

rhaid i chi dalu o le iaf 5c

am fag yn siopau Cymru

From 1 October 2011 you’ll be charged at least 5p for a bag wherever you shop in Wales

I gael gwybod mwy, ewch i

www.taluamfagiaucymru.gov.uk

To find out more visit www.carrierbagchargewales.gov.uk

© Hawlfraint y Goron / Crown Copyright 2011 WG 13004

Page 22: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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This November, Wales Millennium Centre welcomes thereturn of Cirque Éloize with their new show, iD. Set in theheart of a futuristic city, it combines circus, hip hop andurban dance with rock and electronic music to exploreidentity and individuality. The sixteen athletic performersuse anything they can get their hands on to show offtheir skills. As well as the standard circus fodder suchas juggling and hula hoops you can also catch thecompany jumping between high platforms on bikes anddodging traffic cones on roller skates.As one of the very first companies to perform on theDonald Gordon Theatre stage in 2004, Cirque Éloizehold a special place in the history and heart of WalesMillennium Centre. Now this French-Canadian companyare returning with a new show that has a playful andenergetic feel to it, creating an electric atmosphere andleaving audiences inspired. We think you'll leave thetheatre feeling younger than when you went in. Living Magazines have teamed up with the Centre tooffer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a pair oftickets to see the show on opening night, Thursday 10November.

To win, simply tell us how many performers take to thestage in iD.Answers on a postcard to our address on the insidefront cover, or email to [email protected]. Entriesto reach us by Friday 4th November 2011.Cirque Éloize's iD runs at Wales Millennium Centrefrom 10 – 12 November 2011. For more information orto book tickets call the Ticket and Information Office on029 2063 6464 or visit wmc.org.uk.

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Page 23: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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Page 25: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

II hhaavvee aa lloott ooff ffrrooggss iinn mmyyggaarrddeenn.. IIss iitt ppoossssiibbllee ttoobbrriinngg tthheemm iinnddoooorrss ttookkeeeepp aass ppeettss,, pprroovviiddiinngg IIssuuppppllyy tthheemm wwiitthhaaddeeqquuaattee ffaacciilliittiieess ffoorrtthheemm??NO! Although legally you are allowed tokeep a wild frog in captivity, morallythis totally wrong. This is a wildcreature which is used to goingwhere it pleases, hunting for foodand having the company of otherfrogs. In a captive environment, youwill not be able to provide theseopportunities. Wild animals and birdsbrought into captivity suffer greatstress and frequently succumb toillness and die.Captive bred frogs can be keptmore successfully in a vivarium.Here, you need to replicate theirnatural habitat as closely aspossible. This includes regulatingthe temperature, daylength andhumidity, and providing suitableterrain, food & water. Amphibians aredifficult animals to keep as pets, asthe moist environment they needmakes bacteria and fungi groweasily, which then cause disease.They are probably best left to live inthe wild where they belong.

WWhhiicchh ppeett wwoouulldd bbee mmoossttaapppprroopprriiaattee ffoorr mmyy 99 yyeeaarroolldd ssoonn ffoorr CChhrriissttmmaass??Well, what does he want? It’sessential that your son is involved inthe choice; if he’s not, he may notlike what you have chosen, and thepoor animal will have a miserableexistence. I would even go so far asto say that pets should never begiven as surprise presents.Remember the Dog’s Trust slogan “adog is for life, not just for Christmas”

– it applies equally well to otherpets.Having said that, you need to

consider many factors whenchoosing a child’s pet. How muchspace do you have? Will the pet liveoutside or in the house? Many of thesmall animals kept as pets are socialcreatures who should live withcompanions to be happy. There isnothing more sad to see than asingle rabbit or guinea pig alone in ahutch at the bottom of the garden, soif you buy a single rabbit or guineapig, it should really live in your homeso it has constant humancompanionship. Often, parents endup having to do much of thecleaning and feeding chores – doyou have the time? Consider the potential lifespan – willthe pet outlive your son’s interest?Rabbits can live 10 or 12 years,whereas a mouse’s lifespan is only18 months. Would your son like ananimal he can groom and pet andwhich responds to him (ie amammal) – or would something moreunusual stimulate his interest, suchas tropical fish or a stick insect? Beaware that most of the so-called“exotic” pets - reptiles, chinchillas,degus, etc - can be quitedemanding to look after and are notsuitable for children.At nine years of age, many childrenare ready to take on theresponsibility of owning and caringfor a pet (with adequate parentalbackup) and doing so can be a veryrewarding and educationalexperience.

II ffeeeedd aa lloovveellyy ccaatt tthhaattccoommeess ttoo mmyy ggaarrddeenn,, aannddwwhhoo ssoommeettiimmeess ttaakkeess uupprreessiiddeennccee oonn mmyy ssooffaa..CClleeaarrllyy hhee oorr sshhee bbeelloonnggss

ttoo ssoommeeoonnee eellssee.. WWhhyy ddooccaattss ggoo ffrroomm oonnee ppeerrssoonnttoo aannootthheerr.. HHee//sshhee iissaallwwaayyss ffiinnddiinngg ssoocckkss aannddlleeaavviinngg tthheemm oouuttssiiddee ffoorrmmee aass aa pprreesseenntt.. IIss tthhiiss bbeeccaauussee hhiiss//hheerr oowwnneerrssaarreenn’’tt ccaarriinngg ffoorr hhiimm//hheerr??

Cats lookout forthemselves,and will gowhereverthey pleaseto get food,shelter andkindness.They areveryindependentcreatures and will often have several‘friends’ other than their owners whofeed and pet them. If you feed a cat in your garden,you can be sure she will start to visityou regularly, and may even decideyour house would be a better betthan her current one and take upresidence. So unless you are sure acat is a real un-owned stray, it isbetter not to feed her at all, becauseyou may end up ‘stealing’ her fromher real owner. Just because shehangs around your garden doesn’tmean she hasn’t got a loving ownersomewhere, fretting about where sheis. I expect she brings you socks asgifts as a mark of her respect foryou. So that’s why I’ve got adrawerful of odd socks!

Pets’ Page is sponsored by the Heath Veterinary Group

(029) 2062 1511

Pets’ PageRReessiiddeenntt vveett,, CChhrriiss TTrroouugghhttoonn iisshhaappppyy ttoo aannsswweerr aannyy ooff yyoouurr

ppeett--rreellaatteedd qquueessttiioonnss.. DDrroopp hhiimm aalliinnee aatt eeddiittoorr@@lliivviinnggmmaaggss..ccoo..uukk

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WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 2255

Page 26: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Whitchurch Community Centre hasrecently celebrated its firstanniversary of opening.The centre opened its doors on thesite of the old community centreback in 2010. It has beencompletely rebuilt at the corner ofOld Church Road and Tyn y Pwllroad. The Community Centre Associationis its own registered charity, with nofunding from the Council. TheAssociation has also had to rise to

the challenge of clearing substantialdebts from the old CommunityCentre.The first twelve months has been alearning curve for the managementcommittee of volunteers and localcouncillors. But now it is home tomany community groups such asWhitchurch Community Playgroup,Slimming World, Popstars DanceSchool, Quilters and WeightWatchers. It is also popular withexercise groups with various zumba,dance and fitness classes allorganised by outside people orcompanies.The Community Centreencourages new community groupsto use the facilities, and they havespecial rates for non-profit bookings.There are three rooms available forhire with a fully equipped kitchenand free wireless internet available.Moving forward, the Associationwould like to provide something for

the older generation during thedaytime and possibly something forkids to do after school hours.If you would like to find out more orif there is something you can helpwith please call 02920 522231 orvisit the Centre which is open mostafternoons and early evenings orvisit the website atwww.whitchurchcommunitycentre.org.

YYoouurr LLooccaall CCoommmmuunniittyy

Whitchurch Community Centre is celebrating its first year this autumn. It reallyhas become a focal point for the community, but is also available to hire forlocal groups, organisations and businesses.

This Time Last Year.....SSeepptteemmbbeerr 22001100“On Saturday, the official openingceremony for the new communitycentre in Whitchurch took place,with our resident Assembly MemberJonathan Morgan cutting the ribbonand welcoming the community to itsnew centre.It was great turn out with manycommunity leaders and users of thecentre invited to the event. Therewas a bridging of the generations

with former Whitchurch councillorand Chairman of the CommunityCentre, Winston Griffiths, beingpresented with a portrait. Thepicture will be mounted in the foyerof the building as a way to say thankyou to the head work and dedicationthat Winston has devoted to thecommunity for over 30 years.Jonathan Morgan also shared hismemories of the old CommunityCentre with the gathered crowdsbefore cutting the ribbon.

If you would like to set up a group,the centre is here for everyone in thecommunity to use. Whatever yourpastime, Whitchurch CommunityCentre is here for you to make useof.”

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 2266

Page 27: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

I

In the last issue, I said that I wouldupdate you on our July meeting. As aresult of that meeting, and also an EGMheld on the 15th August, it was agreedunanimously by the members present,that we will cease using the title “CardiffWest Neighbourhood WatchAssociation” and adopt the title “SouthWales Neighbourhood WatchAssociation Cardiff”. So henceforth, thiswill be our new name!This change of title is fully supportedby the South Wales Police, who areencouraging people to join us viaexisting watches or to set up new ones.It was also agreed that we take our

meetings around the whole of Cardiffand also that they be held every twomonths. This will come into beingduring 2012. We also agreed that weformed sub-committees who wouldtake action on such matters as fund-raising and publicity etc. The format ofour meetings will also change and weare looking into this as we write.We are in the process of moving ouroffice from Canton Police Station toLlanishen Police Station. Our emailaddress will change to [email protected]. We are trying to keepour telephone number (02920 527301)but might have to change it. I will ofcourse, keep you informed.The community messaging service isgoing from strength to strength andanyone who is interested in joining thisis advised to contact PC Tony Parker atCardiff Bay Police Station on 02920

338407. Anyone joining the messagingservice will receive emails containinginformation relating to any incidents intheir area, as well as dates of meetingsetc.Having already held two area co-ordinators meetings for Whitchurch andTongwynlais, I intend to hold a third onein the near future. Therefore I shall bewriting to all the co-ordinators to confirmthe date, time and location shortly.I have been informed that a newwatch is imminent in Llandaff North andI am just waiting for confirmation of thedate. I will then attend the launch andhelp set it in motion. Our AGM will be held on 21stNovember at the Fairwater ConservativeClub, Ely Road, Llandaff, starting at7pm. All co-ordinators and Watchmembers are invited to attend themeeting.

Policing

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WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 2277

Page 28: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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Page 29: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

Relax and enjoy the new brasserie style menufeaturing some of Wales’ best producers includingthe amazing Celtic Pride beef and Pork.

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Page 30: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

WWee lliivvee iinn tthhee aarreeaa.. WWee kknnooww wwhhaatt’’ss iimmppoorrttaanntt ttoo llooccaall bbuussiinneessss,, aanndd ttoo llooccaall rreeaaddeerrss.. HHooww mmaannyy ooff tthhee rreeggiioonnaall ppuubblliiccaattiioonnss ccaann ccoommffoorrttaabbllyy ssaayy tthhaatt??

93% of our readers rated the content of our magazines as ‘Very Good’. 72% ofreaders keep their magazines, and on average, 3.3 people read each copy.* Positive feedback we’d say.

WWee ooffffeerr FFRREEEE ddeessiiggnn sseerrvviiccee,, FFRREEEE ddiissttrriibbuuttiioonn,, uunnlliimmiitteedd FFRREEEE eeddiittoorriiaall oonn oouurr ppooppuullaarrwweebbssiittee,, aanndd FFRREEEE eeddiittoorriiaall iinn oouurr mmaaggaazziinneess ffoorr lloonngg--tteerrmm aaddvveerrttiisseerrss.. WWhhoo eellssee ooffffeerrss tthhiiss??

Our distribution is guaranteed. How do we know? We do it ourselves. Havinglearnt the hard way of trusting someone else to deliver our magazines, we now hand-deliver each and every copy towhere we say we’re going to deliver it to.

‘‘HHyyppeerrllooccaall’’ iiss tthhee nneeww tteerrmm ffoorr nneewwss wwiitthhiinn tthhee ccoommmmuunniittyy.. RReeggiioonnaall nneewwssppaappeerrcclloosseedd ddoowwnn?? LLooccaall TTVV oonn iittss wwaayy?? HHyyppeerrllooccaall mmeeddiiaa iiss pprroodduucceedd bbyy ccoommmmuunniittiieess ffoorr ccoommmmuunniittiieess.. IItt’’ss wwhhaatt wwee’’vveebbeeeenn ddooiinngg bbeesstt ssiinnccee 22000077.. AAnndd iitt’’ss tthhee wwaayy ooff mmaarrkkeettiinngg tthhaatt aaddvveerrttiisseerrss aarree ccoommiinngg aarroouunndd ttoo.. WWhhyy ppaayy ffoorreexxppeennssiivvee aaddvveerrttss iinn rreeggiioonnaall ppuubblliiccaattiioonnss tthhaatt mmiissss mmoosstt ooff yyoouurr ggeeooggrraapphhiiccaall aarreeaa?? WWee ooffffeerr pprreecciissiioonn ppeenneettrraattiioonnwwiitthhiinn aa ggeeooggrraapphhiiccaall aarreeaa.. WWoorrkkiinngg ssmmaarrtteerr ffoorr yyoouurr mmoonneeyy ddoonn’’tt yyoouu tthhiinnkk??

Looking for value for money? We don’t claim to be the cheapest when it comes to advertising.But we do claim to be superb value for money. We do all we can to turn your investment in an advert, into a return.Why? Quite simply, it means that you’re more likely to advertise with us again. About 40% of our advertisers arerepeat advertisers. Our magazines are clearly doing it for them .And you don’t pay VAT on our rates either. Lovely.

AAss wweellll aass ccoonnttrriibbuuttiioonnss ffrroomm llooccaallss,, oouurr mmaaggaazziinneess aarree wwrriitttteenn bbyypprrooffeessssiioonnaall wwrriitteerrss.. WWee’’vvee wwrriitttteenn ffoorr nnaattiioonnaall nneewwssppaappeerrss aanndd mmaaggaazziinneess,, iinncclluuddiinngg TThhee GGuuaarrddiiaann,, tthhee WWeesstteerrnnMMaaiill,, SSoouutthh WWaalleess EEcchhoo,, WWMM mmaaggaazziinnee,, RReeddHHaannddeedd mmaaggaazziinnee,, YYoouurr WWeeddddiinngg aanndd eevveenn AAmmeerriiccyymmrruu,, aa UUSS wweebbssiitteeffoorr aallll tthhiinnggss WWeellsshh..

We’re embracing the digital revolution. We currently upload our publications to the webfor international readership. But we’re also exploring new ways to get our digital issues onto people’s PCs, laptopsand even their phones. From our little village, we’re helping lead the way in publishing from the grassroots.

5533,,660000 ooff oouurr mmaaggaazziinneess aarree pprriinntteedd ((oonn hhiigghh qquuaalliittyy ppaappeerr)) aanndd ddiissttrriibbuutteedd bbyy uuss eevveerryyyyeeaarr.. RReemmeemmbbeerr tthhaatt ffiigguurree ooff 33..33 rreeaaddeerrss ppeerr mmaaggaazziinnee wwee mmeennttiioonneedd eeaarrlliieerr?? HHooww mmaannyy ppeeooppllee aarree ggooiinngg ttoo sseeeeyyoouurr aaddvveerrtt?? WWeellll……wwoorrkk iitt oouutt ffoorr yyoouurrsseellff!!.

1100 RREEAASSOONNSS TTOO AADDVVEERRTTIISSEE

WWIITTHH LLIIVVIINNGG MMAAGGAAZZIINNEESS NNOORRTTHH

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11.. OOuurr mmaaggaazziinneess aarree pprroodduucceedd llooccaallllyy

22.. OOuurr mmaaggaazziinneess aarree aaccttuuaallllyy rreeaadd

33.. LLoottss ooff FFRREEEEBBIIEESS!!

44.. WWee aabbssoolluutteellyy gguuaarraanntteeee ddiissttrriibbuuttiioonn

55.. WWee’’rree lleeaaddiinngg tthhee mmeeddiiaa rreevvoolluuttiioonn

66.. VVaalluuee ffoorr yyoouurr mmoonneeyy

77.. LLooccaall,, rreelleevvaanntt ccoonntteenntt -- wwrriitttteenn bbyy pprrooffeessssiioonnaallss

88.. WWee’’rree oonn tthhee wweebb -- aanndd mmoorree!!

99.. 5533,,660000 mmaaggaazziinneess aa yyeeaarr

1100.. AAllll ooff tthhee aabboovvee Call 07772 081775 or visit www.livingmags.co.uk

Rhiwbina ● Whitchurch ● Llandaff ●Llandaff North ● Danescourt ● The Web

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 3300* Readers’ Survey 2011. 42 returned forms

Page 31: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

WWAARRNNIINNGG:: IIff yyoouu hhaavvee nnoo iiddeeaawwhhaatt FFaacceebbooookk iiss,, oorr hhooww ttoo uussee iitt,,tthhiiss aarrttiiccllee wwiillll mmaakkee nnoo sseennssee ttoo yyoouuwwhhaattssooeevveerr.By the time this magazine hasbeen published and snatched fromour stands around North Cardiff, Ishall be a married man. Quiteliterally. (Sorry girls)Just over a year ago, I was gettingmy shelf ready for a lifetime ofsingleness and meals for one.Across town, my fiancée to be wasdoing just the same. It was a bypure luck that we recognised eachother when we both made acomment on a mutual friend’sFacebook page.Facebook has brought a lot ofgood to my life. Apart from the‘biggie’ of a wife, it has kindled newfriendships across the world. It hasallowed me to showcase creativework, and share stories andadventures that otherwise wouldhave never seen the light of day. Ieven installed the application on myphone to keep me in touch while Iwas on the move.Yet recently, Facebook has beenmaking me feel uneasy. This allstarted when they started makingchanges to it. I was quite happy withthe way it all worked. I knew where Iwas. Yet, as soon as I got to gripswith things, they changed it again.Now I’m all open to change. Itannoyed me but I got used to it.Then they started playing aroundwith the privacy of it all. As a ratherprivate person, I’d rather not have allmy washing aired to anyone otherthan my friends. Then it emerged that Facebookmay be tracking your internet useeven after you logged out. Not that Ilook at anything unsavoury I mayadd. But even so, it’s not nice is it?So I came off Facebook. Well, not

entirely. In fact, not at all. I simplytold myself that I won’t go on thereagain. But I have. I suddenlyrealised that all the friends that I dohave are on Facebook. And that theonly point of contact I have isthrough the site.With a big huff and a puff, I invitedmy friends to our wedding party. Afew replies came back. Some wereapologetic about not being able tomake it. And others, quitesurprisingly, said that they’d behonoured to come. Which made methen fret that quite possibly, I’d bemeeting my friends for the first-evertime. And this brings me onto thewhole point of Facebook friending.Are they real? For those of us who live out ourlives on the pages of an internet site,messages and notifications are partof our every day routine. Very muchlike running down to check the postevery morning (something I’ve goneoff since I had to start paying billsand all that), having a look to see ifsomeone has got in touch is anacknowledgement that I do indeedexist.Several months ago, I got a friendrequest from a female that I knew byproxy. She was a friend of a friendand like a lot of my Facebookfriends, I hadn’t actually met her. Things were going fine until shestarted telling me not to ‘be sohappy as some of us on here aresingle’. Things sort of went downhillfrom there. I got accused of beingan unholy human being. And worse.It reminded me of someone else(another ‘friend’) that I met onceonline when Facebook had only justtaken off. She was an Americanwoman. Married but no kids.We got chatting about writing. Shewas writing screenplays, radio playsand so on.

At that point in time, I was tryingmy hand at that sort of thing andwas keen to network with others.Within several months, and afterseveral ‘arguments’ (of which I haddone nothing wrong!), she hadpacked a bag and told me that shein love with me, and was heading tothe UK with her husband.Alarmed, I didn’t know what to do. Icut all ties and I think she got themessage. I didn’t hear from heragain. Thankfully.It got me thinking though abouthow friendships, and even love-ships can be made or brokenwithout even ever meeting. Like theman who turned up at a restaurantto meet his online date, and foundthat all the pictures she’d put up onher profile were of some exoticmodel, do you ever really know whatyou’re going to get when you meetsomeone online?Social networking has changed theway we run our lives, even the waywe think. Something momentoushappens - we post the story foreveryone to see. The cat lifts his legand farts - we post the story foreveryone to see.Saying that, I’ve now created anaccount on Google+, which at themoment, is like an oasis of calm. Nosilly nonsense. No request for sheepon Farmville, no ticker-tape rubbishabout who likes what and no oddemails from ladies. And that’sbecause there’s no-one I know onthere. It’s wonderful. A socialnetwork with no-one I know on it!Genius!So, think of me nervously meetingold friends who I’ve never met at ourwedding. I’ve set myself a challengeof speaking to them and notmentioning the word ‘Facebook’. It’llbe a tough ask.

BacklashThe musings of an editor

CCoolluummnn

WWhhiittcchhuurrcchh aanndd LLllaannddaaffff LLiivviinngg PPaaggee 3311

Page 32: Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 15

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