Barry Island

‘A pioneering and richly documented study that challenges many of our preconceptions of the development of Barry Island and of Welsh seaside resorts in general. It tells a story that is at one and the same time more complicated than previously imagined, but also richer and more rewarding. A pleasure to read, it is a book that no historian of the British seaside, or anyone interested in how resorts developed, will want to miss.’
- Emeritus Professor Peter Borsay, Aberystwyth University

'Those of us who spent (or even misspent!) our childhoods and youth in south Wales will cherish fond memories of idyllic summer holidays and enjoyable day trips spent at Barry Island. Hitherto, rather surprisingly, no one has chronicled fully and analysed the history of the development of this favourite south Wales holiday resort. This superb, genuinely pioneering, highly readable study, certainly fills the gap, and is based on a huge amount of detailed searching through an array of national and local newspapers and other sources. Not the least attractive feature of this lovely book is the spate of beautiful illustrations and photographs lovingly and carefully selected to enhance our understanding of the themes outlined so competently in the text.'
- J. Graham Jones

'It is clear that Andy Croll is also enamoured of the place, as the book is shot through with a sense of fondness as well as the usual academic rigour and apparatus. Having myself been there every other year on Sunday school trips throughout my childhood I certainly share that fondness, as will others who read the book.'
- Jon Gower, nation.cymru https://nation.cymru/culture/review-barry-island-is-a-jaunty-accessible-account-of-the-so-called-kingdom-of-the-chip/

'Croll’s analysis offers a valuable corrective to traditional understandings of the development of seaside resorts. Most importantly, it recovers a more complete view of the history of Barry Island, not only from a chronological point of view: it encompasses and vividly describes the experi-ence of tourists themselves, their needs, and their agency. Barry Island is a well-researched and well-written account that might provide valuable insights to historians but might also become a compelling read for the nonacademic reader.'
- Silvia Granata, Journal of British Studies