Meet John W

A chance encounter with Invisible Cities Cardiff in October 2023 reconnected my passion for history and geography, for the exploration of urban landscapes and walking, and the changing kaleidoscope of space, place, and power.

I went to school in the heart of the South Wales Coalfield and I have always been fascinated by the formation and transformation of landscapes. The meaning of the Welsh Industrial and Post-industrial experience has ever detained me.

My motley endeavours over the years include historical research, curation, art practise, ecology campaigning, trade union activism, communications policy, emerging technologies, marketing, and music promotion.

History has acted as Muse in the mapping of my guided walk entitled City of Layers: Monopoly to Metropolis, exploring Cardiff’s evolution as a city through the wealth of the South Wales Coalfield.

I’m excited to share my guided walk and knowledge with others. We may engage the wider cultural conversation of “Public History”, as we contest the shapes of our cities past, present, and future, and connect with today’s agenda for Social Justice and the City.