Park Crescent was built in the 1890's on the main route between Cardiff and Barry Island. Its location gave an opportunity for enterprising people to open up their front rooms to provide the basic needs of the growing community. Seven side-streets off the Crescent were also built, mainly to house the thousands of workers and their families intent on making a new life. Small shops appeared just yards from the main road and many would still be there as we were growing up in the 1940's and beyond.