YMCA Timeline

1844 - The first YMCA was formed by a Draper George Williams when aged 23, with eleven other followers in St Paul’s Churchyard in the heart of London.

1851 - The Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London proved to be a milestone in the YMCA’s history as publicity leaflets distributed at the time helped to develop links with other countries.

1851 - The American YMCA Movement was founded, leading the way in addressing physical fitness with gym openings and a wide programme of activities. It went on to invent both basketball (1891) and volleyball (1895).

1852 - The start of the Cardiff YMCA at 100 St Mary Street, Cardiff.

1855 - The first World Conference for the YMCA took place in Paris. The Conference adopted the ‘Paris Basis’ affirming the YMCA’s mission and purpose, which still is the basis of its Aims and Objectives today. This was reaffirmed through the Kampala Principles in 1973 and Challenge 21 in 1998.

1865 - The 4th YMCA World Conference in Germany reaffirmed the importance of the Movement’s “Mind, Body and Spirit” principle.

1867 - Cardiff YMCA’s Cricket Club was formed.

1870 - To meet the needs of women in Cardiff the YMCA supported the setting up of a YWCA in Cardiff.

1873 - Cardiff YMCA rents Swiss Hall to undertake its work - a wooden structure in Crockerton, with the financial help of John Cory.

1876 - Cardiff YMCA moves to Brighton House in Newport Road.

1878 - The World Alliance of YMCA’s headquarters opened in Geneva and adopted the world YMCA emblem still in use today at its 1881 (9th) World Conference. An open Bible sits on top of the monogram, showing John XVII, Chapter 21, “that they all may be one”.

1883 - The Cardiff Chess Club was formed – becoming part of Cardiff YMCA in 1901.

1888 - The British YMCA Movement opens a large gym in London Central Association, marking a shift towards personal health and fitness.

1889 - Cardiff YMCA’s Sunday services started at the Park Hall. They ran there until 1958 when they transferred to the YMCA building.

1891 - The YMCA’s red triangle logo with “Mind, Body & Spirit” is designed.

1891 - YMCA worker, Canadian James Naismith invents and launches the game of basketball at the YMCA Training School in Massachusetts. The game became an Olympic sport in 1936. Naismith died in 1939 aged 78.

1894 - The YMCA has become so significant that its 50th anniversary was marked with George Williams receiving a knighthood from Queen Victoria and the Freedom of the City of London.

1895 - YMCA Physical Education director invents the game of volleyball at the YMCA Training School in Massachusetts, originally called Mintonette.

1899 - Sir George Williams lays the foundation stone of the new Cardiff YMCA in Station Terrace, Cardiff.

1900 - Cardiff’s Central YMCA in Station Terrace is officially opened.

1901 - The Cardiff Chess Club started meeting at the Central YMCA, all members becoming associate members of the Association. They are still a thriving club today.

1905 - Sir George Williams dies, and is laid to rest in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral.

1908 - The YMCA is involved in supporting the development of the Scout movement.

1909 - The Grangetown branch of the Cardiff YMCA opened.

1910 - The Cardiff YMCA’s Trust Deed set up.

1914 - During World War 1, the British YMCA extended its work across the Channel to support the troops. YMCA huts provided soldiers with food, drink and free writing paper and envelopes.

1920 - The then Prince of Wales visited Cardiff YMCA at Station Terrace.

1927 - Cardiff YMCA’s amateur dramatic group formed as The Red Triangle Dramatic Club, later to become The YMCA Players – a group which is still very active today.

1928 - The Splott Branch of the Cardiff YMCA opened. Other satellite branches were also opened around this time in Canton, Adamsdown and Whitchurch.

1930 - The Cardiff YMCA Boxing Club formed at The Splott YMCA.

1932 - The YMCA launched two initiatives to help tackle rising unemployment: British Boys for British Farms, which placed unemployed young men as agricultural workers on farms; and an Employment Department, which found jobs for 38,000 ex-servicemen.

1945 - The YMCA continued its war work and mobile canteens were introduced to bring refreshments to the troops.

1946 - The Cardiff YMCA bought the Metropole building and ran its boys and youth work there for many years.

1950 - Cardiff YMCA’s Whitchurch branch burnt down.

1955 - Cardiff YMCA’s Lord Mayor’s Matinees started under the leadership of Ken Stafford and have run ever since, starting out at The New Theatre and moving to St David’s Hall in 1988. Ken Stafford retired as producer in 1995 after 40 years service.

1959 - A government report was published on the need for better leisure facilities for teenagers. As a result, many YMCAs began youth clubs to help young people with their personal development through recreation, leisure and informal education.

1967 - Splott YMCA closed.

1970 - The ‘YMCA George Williams College’ was established to provide professional training for youth workers. It remains today as one of the leading training colleges for those working in informal education.

1971 - The Cardiff YMCA trustees examined proposals to vacate the Station Terrace premises and develop elsewhere in the City.

1973 - The World YMCA movement adopted the Kampala Principles at its conference in Uganda, reaffirming and updating the Paris Basis established at its first conference in 1855. This was further updated by Challenge 21 in 1998.

1974 - Cardiff YMCA purchased the former Convent School in The Walk to continue its youth and community work and to develop on the site a 72 bed hostel for students and young workers.

1975 - Cardiff YMCA registered as a Housing Association.

1980 - ’YMCA Training for Life’ was launched which would result in the creation of YMCA Training – one of the UK’s leading vocational training organisations.

1980 - Cardiff YMCA’s new building at The Walk completed and community work starts there.

1981 - Cardiff YMCA’s new hostel formally opened at The Walk.

1984 - Y Care International was founded in London with Terry Waite as its President.

1987 - Cardiff YMCA’s housing developed their work by moving into homelessness.

1989 - The opening of a new housing project for Cardiff YMCA, Arthur Sansom House, at 2 East Grove, named after the YMCA’s President. The project was initially for homeless families.

1990 - The relaying of Cardiff YMCA’s Station Terrace foundation stones at the Cory Arcade, Capital Centre at the centre’s opening.

1991 - The opening of the Cardiff YMCA’s second hostel, The Ambassador YMCA, in Oakfield Street, initially for homeless families.

1992 - The Cardiff YMCA and the Cardiff YMCA Housing Association form two separate charities.

1993 - Cardiff YMCA opened its Training and Drop-in Advice centre which ran for nearly eleven years, closing in 2004.

1994 - The Cardiff YMCA began work in prisons and young offender institutions.

1998 - Cardiff YMCA opened a Lottery funded, 7 Flat resettlement project known as YMC8 in Oakfield Street.

2005 - The 150th Anniversary of the World Alliance of YMCAs, culminating with a global event in Mumbai, India on the theme ‘Celebrating, envisioning and building peace with justice’.

2005 - The Charity Commission review the Cardiff YMCA and require a separation of the work to form two separate charities, the Cardiff YMCA and the Cardiff YMCA 1910 Successor Trustees. This is in addition to the earlier separation in 1992 of the Cardiff YMCA Housing Association.

2007 - Cardiff YMCA celebrates 150 years of service.

2008 - Lisvane Cricket Club becomes part of the Cardiff YMCA, moving to the YMCA Cricket ground in St Mellon’s and becoming a membership group.

2010 - The YMCA in the United States rebrands as “The Y”.

2010 - The History of Cardiff YMCA is exhibited for the first time at the Old Library.