Press Releases

Museum launches appeal for memories of iconic Cardiff pub

 

St Fagans: National History Museum, Cardiff CF5 6XB
PRESS RELEASE
20 September 2012
Museum launches appeal for memories of iconic Cardiff pub
Curators at St Fagans: National History Museum in Cardiff are appealing for memories, images, videos and objects to help them to learn more about the history of ‘The Vulcan Hotel.’
The Vulcan Hotel in Adam Street was one of Cardiff’s oldest public houses and following a Compulsory Purchase Order in 2008 it faced demolition. In May 2012 its owners Marcol Asset Management Ltd. donated the building to St Fagans: National History Museum and since then members of the Museum’s specialist Historic Buildings Unit have been busy measuring, documenting and dismantling the structure in preparation for its eventual relocation to the open-air attraction on the outskirts of the Welsh capital.
Curators at St Fagans are now appealing for memories, images, videos and objects to help them to learn more about the history of The Vulcan - the building, its customers and occupants.
David Anderson, Director General of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales said:  
“If walls could talk then we could certainly fill volumes with tales from The Vulcan. What we hope to do now is to document some of those stories and bring them to life when we open the pub at St Fagans.”
“We would appreciate it if members of the public who have any photographs, documents or stories about the pub or even of life on Adam Street could pass them on to our staff.”
During a visit to meet the Museum’s Historic Buildings Unit and to examine progress on site, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Housing Regeneration and Heritage, Huw Lewis said:
“The Vulcan has long been a part of Cardiff’s community life and it’s very exciting that we now have the opportunity to save it for the nation and to tell some of the area’s rich history. The Welsh Government and the Heritage Lottery Fund have recently announced funding to improve St Fagans and to further develop the museum as a truly world class attraction at the heart of Welsh tourism. The Vulcan will make an important contribution to the improvements at the Museum.”
The Vulcan was originally built in 1853 to serve the new, mainly Irish, community in Adamsdown then known as New Town, in Cardiff. During the dismantling process, it became evident that the interior of the pub saw many modifications over its 150 year existence but it seems that the recognisable façade of green and white tiles remains the same since about 1915.
If you think you have objects or stories that might be of interest to the Museum, please contact curators Gerallt Nash or Sioned Hughes by calling 02920 573500 or alternatively by sending an e-mail to gerallt.nash@museumwales.ac.uk
People are asked to ring in advance to discuss their object with the Museum before bringing it in. St Fagans can only accept items for donation by appointment and cannot accept them through the post.
Image Caption: David Anderson, Director General, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales and Huw Lewis, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Housing Regeneration and Heritage with the iconic sign for ‘The Vulcan Hotel’ at Adam Street, Cardiff.
-ENDS-
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information or images of St Fagans: National History Museum, please contact Iwan Llwyd, (029) 2057 3486 / 07920 027054 email iwan.llwyd@museumwales.ac.uk