GeogOnline... Old Cardiff Bay
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		Cardiff Dock gates. Ships could only enter and leave at high tide because there was such a big tidal range. The main export was coal. 13.5 million tons of exports in 1913 - the busiest year ever.
The houses of Tiger Bay (as Cardiff Bay was once known) were terraced streets. Working people lived crowded together here. As time went by these became slum areas but they had  a community spirit.
		In the Second World War (1939 - 1945) heavy bombing did a lot of damage.  Many buildings were demolished and remained derelict for decades afterwards.
This is an artistic old photograph of  a sailor on an old cargo ship. Cardiff Bay was very connected with the sea. It handled the import and export of many products but especially coal.
		A submarine in Cardiff Docks during wartime. Behind the submarine you can see the warehouses where products from the ships would be stored.
In the 1980s redevelopment began on a large scale. Many old buildings both warehouses and homes were pulled down. The Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC) managed the changes. They were not elected by local people but were appointed by the U.K. government.
		The changes led to the break up of communities. The old houses were knocked down and expensive new ones were built.  Cardiff Bay had one of the first mixed race communities in the U.K. It was very multicultural. It had one of the biggest Somali communities outside Somalia in Africa.
The big old heavy industries like a steelworks closed down and were cleared. You can also see big old gas storage cylinders on the right of the photo.
		The docks were incredibly busy in their heyday of the early 1900s. The area was a ass of ships, docks, warehouses and terraced houses.
By 1980 many of the old buildings even former impressive business buildings were disused and derelict. This only building looks a mess and its windows were boarded up. It seemed the best thing to do to knock it all down.
		Some old buildings have survived. This is the former Coal Exchange building where coal was traded. It has very impressive architecture. Now it is used for music concerts.
Cardiff Docks in the period 1910 - 1930. There are paddle steamers and passenger craft to take you across the Bristol Channel to Somerset. Now you can have  a pleasure cruise on the Bay to visit the Barrage.