Legacy of philanthropist (From Penarth Times)

Legacy of philanthropist

VICTORIAN entrepreneur Frederick Speed made his fortune from property development in Penarth - but also left the town the legacy of some of its most distinctive buildings.

Speed was originally from Shepton Mallet and the nephew of J Kyte Collett, a well-known philanthropist who had made money from importing produce from North America through Cardiff Dock.

Collett's company was called Collett and Co. American and Canadian Produce Brokers.

Historian and author Alan Thorne said: "Frederick Speed's arrival in Penarth circa 1880 coincided with the linking of Penarth with the Taff-Vale railway in 1878. It triggered a Klondike effect and really saw the town take off.

"Collett must have alerted his young nephew Speed to the potential for development in Penarth. It was thanks to Collett's patronage that Speed was able to make his investments."

Speed built the Beach Cliff building, which housed shops and flats on the sea front, in 1904 on land that had been sold to the council in 1902.

In order to clear the land for the building, Speed had to use dynamite to remove part of the cliffs.

The new block had hotels at each end - Govier's restaurant at the northern end and the Gwalia cafe at the southern end.

Speed also built the Landsdowne Hotel block on Plymouth Road opposite the station and the British Legion building in Station Approach.

He also built both the Royal Buildings on Stanwell Road as well as many private houses around Penarth.

Speed's uncle J Kyte Collett paid for the building of the children's paddling pool that was once situated at the Cardiff end of the Esplanade.

Collett also founded the "Children's League of Peace and Goodwill" of which he was president.

Collett lived in a house called Rosemont on Beach Road.

In a newspaper advertisement, Speed once described himself as a home agent, builder, decorator and ironmonger. Speed himself lived in one of the townhouses that make up the Landsdowne block.

It later became a bank and is now home to the Nat West.