The following is a timeline of buildings constructed by E. Turner and Sons. Lisvane Historical Society is looking for information on any of the projects and would particularly like to attribute dates to the buildings at the end of the list, or know of any omissions. Please forward details to [email protected] - Thank you for your assistance. 1800’s LMS Railway – Stone arch bridges. 1880’s Canadian Building Fredrick Street. 1883 The Exchange Mount Stuart Square. Designed by, James, Seward and Thomas. 1883 St David’s Presbyterian Church, Gelliwastad Road, Pontypridd. Architect Henry Harris Cardiff. 1890 The Royal Clarence Theatre, Pontypridd was built in 1890, and by 1901 had been re-named New Theatre. 1891 Ynysybwl Police Station. 1891 Wood Street School – enlarged. 1891 - 1904 Morgan’s Drapers and David Morgan’s Arcade. Designs prepared by Messrs. James & Morgan F.R.I.B.A. The western end of the arcade was erected in 1897, to the design of Edwin Seward F.R.I.B.A. 1893/1911 William Hancock & Co Limited, Brewery – Written on the back of the photograph was ‘The old bottling stores showing the new annexe, date unknown, but certainly between 1893 and the fire which destroyed the roof (subsequently replaced by a flat roof) in 1911.’ 1895 The Isolation Hospital for Infectious Diseases (Lansdowne Hospital, Leckwith) Cardiff’s first municipal hospital. The Cardiff Health Committee on 25th October 1892 received 9 tenders for the Hospital. The Borough Engineer was asked if his estimate of £29,000.00 had taken into account the change in the labour market and the increase in the cost of materials. The highest estimate was £30,999, with the majority being between £27/28 thousand. Turners tender was for £24,858.15s.0d. 1896 Ebenezer Chapel, (Ebenezer Street). 1896 General Post Office contract was signed. The Architect was Sir Henry Tanner. On the 12th December 1897 (which was a Sunday) The Post Office was officially opened. 1896 Free Library, Cardiff – An extension to the original building built in 1882 was undertaken at a cost of £15,000. The extension was formally opened by King Edward VII. Designed by, Messrs Seward & Thomas. 1896 Empire Theatre, Cardiff. Turners erected three Theatres on this site each of these exceeding the former in beauty and magnitude. Architects Messrs William & T. R. Milburn F.R.I.B.A., Sunderland. Newspaper article in the Western Mail reporting on a fire which destroyed the theatre on the morning of 31st October 1899. The original theatre opened on the 5th May 1896, rebuilt after the fire and again in 1937 as a Cinema. Finally closed in 1961 and demolished in 1962. Turners had to demolish their own building to construct the C & A store. 1896 Cefn Coed House, Penylan built for Ephraim Turner. 1898? Roath Park Wesleyan Church. Architects Messrs I. P. Jones, Richards and Budgen. 1898 Extension of a cottage in Havelock Place, Grangetown. 1898 John Cory & Sons, Mount Stewart Square designed by Tudor Thornley Esq., Cardiff. 1898 Atlantic Building. Used entirely for offices and was designed by H. Tudor Thornley, Esq., Cardiff. 1899 Lease on a Quarry at Dark Hill and also set up a stone works at Fetterhill. In 1900 leased a quarry at Bixslade and set up a second stone works at the lower end of Bixslade. In 1910 the Forest of Dean interests of Turners were taken over by the firm United Stone. 1898 Cardiff Corporation paid £161,000 for 59 acres of land owned by the Marquis of Bute. Sept 1900 E. Turner and Sons’ tender for the Town Hall (now City Hall) in the sum of £129,708 and the Law Courts for £96,583 was accepted and started what would be their main legacy to Cardiff. Preparation and foundation work took a year with the foundation stone being laid on October 1901 which was described as ‘a day for silk hats and proud hearts’. They used 184 diamonds for cutting 12 or 15 ton blocks of Portland stone. A 10 ton gantry and 8 five ton cranes were used to place the stone in the new buildings. One disappointment is that I have been unable to find photographs of the 40 shire horses, working in teams of six, to bring the stone from the Docks. Almost 500 men worked on the building with the main building work being finished in 1904. Opening ceremonies were held on 29th October 1906. The day started with a parade of public servants and officials followed by lunch in the Assembly Rooms. The Ceremony started with a fanfare of trumpets, the Lord’s Prayer and a large gold key was presented to the Marquess of Bute. James and William were then presented to the Marquis by Alderman Robert Hughes who also lived in Lisvane. Designed by Messrs Lanchester, Stewart and Rickards. Lead covered dome surmounted by the Welsh Dragon cast in lead and modelled by Mr. H. C. Fehr. The sculpture on the Western Pavilion representing Science and Education is by Mr D. McGill, the Pavilions on each side of the Avenue are by Mr. Paul Montford representing Commerce and Industry and Music and Poetry, whilst on the Eastern Pavilion is a representation of Welsh Unity and Patriotism by Mr Henry Poole. c1900 St Stephen’s Church Mount Stuart Square. It was known as the ‘tin church’ because the nave was originally constructed from corrugated iron sheets. 1900 The Coal Exchange - An extension to the 1886 building was being undertaken to provide a restaurant and banking premises. 1900’s Bishop’s Palace, Abergwili. 1900’s Technical College Neath. 1900’s Cefn Hengoed School. 1900’s Housing for Swansea Corporation at Pentrechwyth. 1902 - Duke Street Arcade – front elevation in Grey Forest of Dean Stone. Architects Ware and Williams, Cardiff. 1902 Tredean, Wolvesnewton, Monmouthshire – Mansion erected and estate laid out to the design of A. Jessop Hardwick, F.R.I.B.A of Kingston-on-Thames, for the late H. J. Simpson, Esq. 1904? J. Rank, Atlantic Flour Mill, Barry. 1904 Employment Exchange, Westgate Street. 1906 Ty-Gwyn, Lisvane. Originally stood in grounds of 15 acres (they even kept cows on part of the land) but the majority being gardens. Sold to Mr & Mrs Doug Smith of the Reardon Smith Shipping Company on 14th September 1937 and was then sold in 1961 to Sir Julian Hodge. Currently (December 2014) in the process of being sold. 1906 Dulverton (now Cwrt Cefn) and the Lodge, Lisvane. 1907 Bethania Baptist Chapel, Maesteg – Erecting a new Chapel. Enlarging school and making alterations to classrooms £4,388 – Turners signed the contract on 14th March 1907 and would take possession of the site on 18th March 1907 the work to be complete (except for decoration) by 18th January 1908. 1907 Metropolitan Bank Building, Wind Street, Swansea. Architects F. Adams Smith F.R.I.B.A., London (now the Varsity Bar 2014). 1909 University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire. Building opened by the President, the Right Hon. The Earl of Plymouth in October 1909 Designed by Mr W. D. Caroe, F.S.A. London. The library in the building was a gift from the Drapers’ Company. 1910 Young Men’s Christian Association, Central Building, Cardiff. Designed by Messrs Speir & Bevan, Cardiff (later this building was extended for Bell and Nicolson’s.). C1910 Llanishen Baptist Church, Fidlas Road. 1910 Lisvane Baptist Chapel (Renovated). 1911 The Coal and Shipping Exchange was reconstructed on a grand scale with tiers of encircling balconies, paired columns and splendid panelling executed to the design of the late Edwin Seward, F.R.I.B.A. The building was formally opened on 20th February 1912. In 1978-79 the building was being adapted as the home for the proposed Welsh Assembly, but the adverse verdict in the St David’s Day Referendum of 1979 left its destiny in doubt. 1912 Cardiff Central Fire Station, Westgate Street and junction of Quay Street. Built on an old river bed which necessitated the pile foundations being carried down to a depth of 20ft. At the time of the competition for this building, only one fire engine was mechanically driven, the remainder being hand or horse vehicles. Architect was E. Vincent Harris F.R.I.B.A., London. The building was completed in 1917 and demolished in 1973 to make way for a multi-storey car park. 1912 Viriamu Jones Laboratory adjacent to University opened by His Majesty King George V. 1912 Glamorgan County Hall. There was a competition held for the design of this building which was won by Messrs. E. Vincent Harris and Moodie, London. 1914 Gasholder Tanks at Grangetown. 1914 Principality Building. When this building was constructed on the junction of Queen Street and Priory Street, a new street was formed which leads to Cathays Park. Architects Messrs. Haberhon and Faulkner, F.R.I.B.A., Newport. 1916 Technical Collage, Cathays Park – first part with the whole building completed in 1927. The building was designed by Messrs Ivor Jones and Percy Thomas, Cardiff. They obtained 1st prize in a competition to build the College. 1918 Medical Collage, Newport Road. Architect Colonel E. M. Bruce Vaughan, F.R.I.B.A. 1918 Merthyr House, Docks, Cardiff – Building used entirely for offices and was designed by Henry Budgen F.R.I.B.A. 1920 The Capital Cinema (seats for 3000 and standing room for 1500) and Messrs Cox Café. Architects Messrs Phillips and Wride, Cardiff. These buildings are deceptive from the outside. The café had billiard Room, Shop, 2 tea rooms, lounge, luncheon room with recess for orchestra, dance hall, main hall and even had its own bakery on site.