1/14 In 2012 Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales was offered and accepted The Vulcan Hotel public house for re-erection @StFagans_Museum #SWOS20

2/14 The Vulcan Inn was first licenced as an ‘ale house’ in 1853. It was at 10 Adam Street, Adamsdown (formerly known as Newtown), on the outskirts of Cardiff City centre.

In 1853, the population of Cardiff was around 20,00. By 1900 it had grown to around 160,000. #SWOS20

3/14 Newtown was one of the ‘5 towns of Cardiff’. Crockherbtown was followed by Newtown, Butetown, Grangetown, and Temperance Town in the 19th century.

Newtown housed predominantly Irish families who fled the famine and found work building Cardiff docks. #SWOS20

4/14 Newtown was known to outsiders as ‘Little Ireland’.

Its most famous resident was ‘Peerless’ Jim Driscoll – the finest of the ‘upright’ boxers. 100,000 people lined the streets during his funeral in 1925. #SWOS20

5/14 During major refurbishment work in 1914-15 the wooden façade of The Vulcan was replaced by a colourful tiled façade and renamed The Vulcan Hotel.

The rebuilt Vulcan will be set in 1915 after its refurbishment. Blog: https://bit.ly/2zj3v0k 
#SWOS20

6/14 Cardiff was an economic powerhouse exporting around 20m tons of coal in 1914.

The Dowlais-Cardiff works (East Moors) near The Vulcan was opened in 1891 by the Marquess of Bute. It produced steel plates for ships, later providing work for many local residents. #SWOS20

7/14 Dennis MacCarthy - a former foundryman, was the landlord between 1912-1926. He and his wife Julia lost their son Daniel while he fought in France during #WW1.

This photograph of him hung in the bar every year on the anniversary of his death. #SWOS20

8/14 Their daughter Ellen’s childhood memories of being raised in The Vulcan are informing our interpretation.

‘Well they were good honest people. They weren’t people with big money at all. They were poor really. But you know, they used to like to go and have a drink’. #SWOS20

9/14 The six densely occupied streets of Newtown were condemned as slums as early as 1930 and demolished between 1967-70. A close-knit and thriving multicultural community was dispersed.

Only Ellen Street remains but a memorial to Newtown was built in 2005. #SWOS20

10/14 The Vulcan, on the other side of the railway line, survived.

During the 1980’s darts tournaments organised by landlords Mel and Rhona Rees were very popular. Over time, and with few homes nearby it become harder to make a profit. #SWOS20

11/14 In 2008 the brewery decided to close the pub.

The Save The Vulcan group campaigned tirelessly. They petitioned Welsh Government and submitted a listed building application

Winning a reprieve of 3 years, they were ultimately unsuccessful. https://bit.ly/2BLKK6z 
#SWOS20

12/14 In May 2012 staff from the Museums Historic Buildings Unit recorded and dismantled the pub ready for its new life @StFagans_Museum

It was the last of Newtown’s buildings.
#SWOS20

13/14 Rebuilding work continues during lockdown (following Govt guidelines) and The Vulcan is nearly at 1st floor level.

Original fittings are being restored: leaded windows, wooden panelling, and the famous orange-brown glazed urinals. https://bit.ly/30jVm6N 
#SWOS20

14/14 Research into the Vulcan continues. We would love to hear from people who would like to share their memories and images of The Vulcan.

Please come and join us for a drink once completed! Diolch yn fawr / Many thanks. [email protected]
#SWOS20