Mumbles and the Gower peninsula occupy a very special corner of Wales that has much history and folklore. The peninsula was Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and many visitors are attracted to its beautiful beaches and stunning landscape. This fascinating new book about its inns and taverns encapsulates much of the area's history and character. Mumbles is a village by the sea once well known for oyster fishing, limestone quarrying and the Mumbles Train. The 'Mumbles Mile' became famous as a pub crawl in the 1970s but it was in business a very long time before that. The Welsh Sunday Closing Act of 1881 resulted in so-called 'travellers' taking advantage of a loophole and flocking to Mumbles in their thousands on Sundays and doing their best to drink the pubs dry. This and many other stories are related here, including those times when Dylan Thomas 'communed with those two legendary creatures, the Antelope and the Mermaid'. Gower's past includes many stories of shipwrecks and smuggling and its pubs played their part in this as well. The characters featured include Petty Officer Edgar Evans, who accompanied Captain Scott on his ill-fated journey to the South Pole, and the folk singer Phil Tanner, known as the Gower Nightingale, who married the landlady of the Welcome to Town in Llangennith over a century ago. This well-researched book relates the history of the area's pubs from backstreet locals to smart hotels and will delight all lovers of ale and anecdote.

About the Author
Brian retired from the Electricity Supply Industry a number of years ago, after a career as an engineer and manager. Originally from the Eastern Valley of Gwent, he moved to Mumbles some forty years ago. He was educated at West Mon Grammar School in Pontypool and completed his professional qualifications at the University of Wales, Institute of Science and Technology in Cardiff. He is a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Brian is a keen singer and has sung in choirs all around the world having toured overseas with the Cwmbran, Morriston Orpheus and Phoenix Choirs and currently sings with Mumbles A Cappella. His memoir 'My Choir Journey' relates his singing experiences. His interest in local history saw him publish books about Mumbles and Gower pubs in 2006, 'Mumbles and Gower Through Time' and 'A-Z of Mumbles & Gower' and as a keen walker he has written a book 'Wales: A Walk Through Time'. Brian enjoys giving talks about his books to many different organisations. He is a Past President of the Probus Club of Mumbles and a Past Chairman of Oystermouth Historical Association. He and his wife, Mari, have a son and daughter and five very special grandchildren.


Book Information
ISBN 9781445674186
Author Brian E. Davies
Format Paperback
Page Count 96
Imprint Amberley Publishing
Publisher Amberley Publishing
Weight(grams) 300g