09/11/12 01:51:48AM @martyn-vincent-taylor:
The Kings Arms is little more than a facade these days after being taken over by a brewery chain. It was once a fairly decent Swansea pub, but alas it is now just a tacky plastic pub like so many others in the city. They are trying to improve the High Street upon which the pub is located, but like many other projects it takes time. It's just a pity that visitors to our city are faced with such an awful sight upon arriving in Swansea. My great grand uncle William Samuel would be horrified to see what they have done to his old home. My Great grand mother was Isabella Samuel who was William's younger sister. He taught her to fight a skill she would use later in life when she fought in the families boxing booth. Female boxers are not a modern phenomena, the only difference between then and now is that my great grand mother would fight against men. The family still have the last surviving boxing booth left in the Uk. I should mention William was always known as Billy and he really was larger than life character.
Completely agree with you, Jack. Sadly internally the pub appears to have been completely stripped out, and it retains few original features, and has very little character left. As most of Samuels' stomping ground, the Strand, has now mostly been cleared away, I featured the picture only because the frontage is still intact and quite striking (when viewed in isolation) from the rest of the street.
Something really does need to be done to address the state of the High Street though. It is sad the condition of it has deteriorated so much, some of the buildings are really very attractive, having a semi ruined castle at the bottom means it should be a jewel for Swansea. The strand area could also do with some help, before what little is left of it is ripped down. It really was the heart of old Swansea.
I think Samuels would have hopped on his wagon and gone to find a decent pint at the Glyntaff Inn at Quakers Yard. It's on the old merthyr road, a short drive from cardiff. Hasa corner filled with rare photographs of Welsh boxing champions, Samuels would no doubt have a few words to say about a few of them.
There is an amazing collection of photos of Jimmy Wilde, which really brings home just how huge a boxing superstar he was, but also Jim Driscoll, Tommy Farr, Eddie Thomas, Dai Dower, Howard Winstone, Freddie Welsh, Frank Moody, etc, etc. Also has a collection of photos of the area over the last hundred years. No TV's, no music. Sits on the river, can hear it if you sit outside when the weather's nice - a good spot.
The Kings Arms is little more than a facade these days after being taken over by a brewery chain. It was once a fairly decent Swansea pub, but alas it is now just a tacky plastic pub like so many others in the city. They are trying to improve the High Street upon which the pub is located, but like many other projects it takes time. It's just a pity that visitors to our city are faced with such an awful sight upon arriving in Swansea. My great grand uncle William Samuel would be horrified to see what they have done to his old home. My Great grand mother was Isabella Samuel who was William's younger sister. He taught her to fight a skill she would use later in life when she fought in the families boxing booth. Female boxers are not a modern phenomena, the only difference between then and now is that my great grand mother would fight against men. The family still have the last surviving boxing booth left in the Uk. I should mention William was always known as Billy and he really was larger than life character.
Completely agree with you, Jack. Sadly internally the pub appears to have been completely stripped out, and it retains few original features, and has very little character left. As most of Samuels' stomping ground, the Strand, has now mostly been cleared away, I featured the picture only because the frontage is still intact and quite striking (when viewed in isolation) from the rest of the street.
Something really does need to be done to address the state of the High Street though. It is sad the condition of it has deteriorated so much, some of the buildings are really very attractive, having a semi ruined castle at the bottom means it should be a jewel for Swansea. The strand area could also do with some help, before what little is left of it is ripped down. It really was the heart of old Swansea.
I think Samuels would have hopped on his wagon and gone to find a decent pint at the Glyntaff Inn at Quakers Yard. It's on the old merthyr road, a short drive from cardiff. Hasa corner filled with rare photographs of Welsh boxing champions, Samuels would no doubt have a few words to say about a few of them.
There is an amazing collection of photos of Jimmy Wilde, which really brings home just how huge a boxing superstar he was, but also Jim Driscoll, Tommy Farr, Eddie Thomas, Dai Dower, Howard Winstone, Freddie Welsh, Frank Moody, etc, etc. Also has a collection of photos of the area over the last hundred years. No TV's, no music. Sits on the river, can hear it if you sit outside when the weather's nice - a good spot.
Glyntaff Inn, Quakers Yard :
Jack, Is it possible that you have been to all 250 pubs?
Same thing has happened to many of the town center watering holes in Cardiff regrettably. Too much gentrification....bring back the spit and sawdust