Llandudno Past and Present - Jim Roberts

This book contains a selection of photographs which complement Jim Roberts' previous books on the history of Llandudno. The 280 illustrations featured have, in the main, never before been published, and many of the historic images had rarely seen the light of day before they came into the author's possession in the year 2000, following the publication of his A Century of Llandudno. Throughout the book attempts have been made to highlight significant historical events and relate them to the town as it is now. In this way the reader is confronted by a bygone age, and is encouraged to compare historic views with images of the corresponding modern scene. The photographs show streets and buildings, and we see the town developing and spreading across the Creuddyn by means of early engravings and more recent aerial shots. In addition to the physical environment the book deals with other aspects of the town's 150-year history: social conditions, leisure activities, entertainment, employment, tourism, transport and shopping all receive attention. From the mid-nineteenth century the area between the Ormes underwent rapid and dramatic change, and while many of these developments were reflected all round Britain's coastline, much of what has occurred here is unique to Llandudno and this book attempts to reflect this.