Tag: Angel Inn

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

We have now entered Dowlais – yes, to some extent, truly called dismal and dirty. No doubt it has redeeming traits, but from personal recollections I do not consider it had even the amenities that existed in Merthyr. It was, or seemed to be, more brusque, more aggrandising, but if Merthyr was truly a village in the early thirties, Dowlais was somewhat less. “Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice” shall be my guide.

Up the brook a short way there was a brewery, erected by a Mr Powell of Abergavenny, whose father was a church dignitary there. The hill before us is steep, and the first road is one that doubles back in front of the Dowlais Inn, and then turns up to the right to the Dowlais Church, stables and on to the Ivor Works. This was kept by a James Henry, who went thence to keep another public house in Rhymney.

The Dowlais Inn. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Keeping the coach road, another public house on the other side was the Vulcan. There were steps alongside down to the tramroad, and the lowest entrance gates into the works stood just there. Some short distance further there was another public house, whose name has slipped. It was, however, some four steps (nearly three feet) lower than the road. Mr David Williams and his aunt, Miss Teague, kept it awhile after leaving the Angel in Merthyr, but it was taken as the station of the railway from the Taff Vale, and used as such at the time.

Following this on the same side was a row of workmen’s cottages having their back to, but the ground floor much lower than the road. About six of what were then the best shops in the place being passed, the main entrance into the works and office was come to.

The shop nearest the entrance gates was, or had been, the old Company shop. It had, however, ceased to be carried on upon the truck system as far as can be recalled. A Mr Parnell was the manager, but there is some hazy idea of Mr Williams, the father of Mr Joshua Williams, of Aberdylais (sic), being connected with it. Mr Jenkins, the druggist, had a branch shop in the row; also a Mr D Lewis kept another druggist’s shop, and Mr Lewis, draper, of the London Warehouse, also had a branch. Immediately opposite to the entrance gates was the Bush Hotel, kept by Mr Richard Henry who had been a contractor in the works some years before.

The Bush Hotel in Dowlais c.1885. Photograph courtesy of the Alan George Archive

At the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832, Merthyr was made a borough, and privileged to send one member to Parliament. Sir John (then Mrs) Guest was returned, but he had previously been member for Honiton, and upon one occasion ordered a large number of pairs of boots and shoes there. They were dispatched to Dowlais to the company’s shop there, but Mr Parnell decline having anything to do with them. “He had not ordered them”, and knew nothing whatever about them.

Richard Henry was sent for to the office, he being then a contractor and having a great number of persons under him. “Dick I want you to sell a lot of boots and shoes for me” was said by Mr Guest. “Well, but master, I don’t want them, and how am I to pay for them?” was replied. “Oh that shall not trouble: you can pay when you sell the last pair”, was the rejoinder, and ‘Dick’ took them all but never sold the last pair. It is not possible to vouch for the strict accuracy of it, but I can vouch for having the narrative from Mr Richard Henry’s own lips.

To be continued….

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

I will now endeavour mentally to walk up the High Street. Beginning from about the old Taff Vale Station, the opening on the right led around, and came out near the Court House, while the second (there was only a public house between them) to Pendwranfach. Passing these there was a division in the road; pedestrians, if they liked, could keep the right hand one (which was the shortest of the two), but vehicular traffic kept to the left hand opening just as it is today.

The first opening on the left of this left hand opening was Cross Keys Street, on which, on the right hand side there was the ‘lock-up’. This consisted of two rooms, quite dark as far as I can remember, and the entrance doors were alongside one another. It was here, I remember, Dick Tamar being locked up for the murder of his mother. The next opening on the same side was Mill Street, and just opposite, at the entrance was the stocks. An entrance gate to the churchyard  was close to the stocks.

An extract from the 1851 Public Health Map showing the area in question

In Mill Street there was public house called the White Lion, and adjoining the residence of Mr Evans, minister of Ynysgau Chapel. Mr Evans had evidently married a widow, for there were four Miss Williamses there as well as a son whose name was Evans. Mill Street led around by the Plymouth feeder or watercourse to Bridge Street. Adjacent to the dwellings the ruins of the old mill stood. This was an old grist mill, and will be alluded to again as being of great assistance in a law suit.

The block of buildings between the right hand, or path and the left, or road, is the lower shop. In one of the two facing up the High Street, a bank (the Merthyr Bank) was kept for a while, a Mr Williams being the manager, who was also, I believe, a tallow chandler, for I know his widow and son were so at a later date. Only a short way above the junction of the path and road, on the right hand side, stands The Star, at one time the best hostelry in town, for it was here Nelson stayed on a visit to Merthyr Tydfil.

The Star Inn. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Then follows an opening – Mardy Street then I believe, for the Mardy is close by. The next opening on the same side is Broad Street, and the next above on the same side Gillar Street; but before coming to Gillar Street, on the opposite side of the road, was what I will call Three Salmons Street, for the public house of that name was on its left hand side.

On the left hand from the White Lion there was nothing but the churchyard wall. The churchyard itself was higher than the road, and getting very full, the wall being kept well limed for a very good purpose. Between Mardy Street and and Broad Street there was a small shop, then the Boot, kept by James Evans, then a druggist’s shop kept by a person named Strange, and at the corner of Broad Street, a grocer’s shop kept by David Rosser. This was the name he traded in, but his full name was David Rosser Davis.

The Boot Inn. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

On the opposite corner of Broad Street was the Farmers’ Arms, and adjoining it, extending up to Gillar Street, was the Angel, kept by David Williams. His aunt, a Miss Teague, was there, and had, I think, an interest in it. Perhaps I ought to say when John Nixon opened on the coal at Werfa, this David Williams had an interest in the sinking, but taking more capital than anticipated, James Evans, a wine and spirit merchant, of Redcliff Hill, Bristol also joined at a later date.

To be continued at a later date…..