FROM the Archive this week features a photograph of the Barry Urban District Council lavatories and cloakroom (left) and Barry Island Refreshment Rooms (right).
In 1898 the town surveyor presented plans to the council for Barry Island lavatories and cloakrooms which also included a museum, library, and reading room.
At that time the estimated cost of construction was £3,000.
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By 1903 visiting the island had become so popular the council changed its’ plans and converted the portions of the cloakroom intended for a museum, library, and reading room into extra cloakrooms. The penny-in-the-slot cinematographe machines in front of the cloakrooms belonged to the Barry Island Refreshment Rooms and were very popular with tourists.
They are more commonly called “What-the-butler-saw” slot machines.
The Barry & District News would like to thank Cllr Shirley Hodges for the photograph and information.
If you have an old Barry photograph you would like to see included, with information about what it depicts, email sha@barryanddistrictnews.co.uk
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