by Carolyn Jacob
Not to be confused with the Star Inn in Sand Street, Dowlais, the old Star Inn was at number 19 Lower High Street, Merthyr town. Few people now remember the old Star Inn as it was demolished in 1960.
In the nineteenth century there were a number of early coaching inns in Merthyr, the most famous being the Star Inn. The Star Inn was thought to be the oldest inn and the only one of any consequence for a long time; its position in the old ‘village’ area of Merthyr Tydfil and near to the parish church seems to confirm this. The first justice – room was at the Star. The earliest directory of 1792 shows that Margaret Jenkins was the landlady here. She is described as a doughty if slapdash matriarch by Chris Evans in ‘The Labyrinth of Flames’.
In July 1797 a special dinner for the local ironmasters was held in the Star Inn. The ironmasters were frequently at loggerheads with each other and this was a move towards better understanding. It was recorded in March 1800 that a group of ironmasters and coal owners met together in the Star Inn to petition Parliament for better security of their industrial enterprises.
William Hamilton visited Merthyr Tydfil in 1801 and was a guest of Richard Crawshay at Cyfarthfa House. He later wrote to Emma of this visit according to ‘Emma, Lady Hamilton’ by M. Hardwick. Sir William Hamilton, Lady Emma, Horatio Nelson and others visited Merthyr Tydfil in July 1802. Lord Nelson had begun a tour of South Wales and made a detour from the main route to Milford Haven to travel south to the Iron Works of Merthyr Tydfil, where the iron was manufactured for naval cannon.
He is reputed to have stayed at the Star Inn, near St Tydfil’s Church. It is said that a large admiring crowd gathered around the Inn where Nelson stayed. If he had hoped to have a quiet time in this ‘backwater’ with Lady Hamilton he was mistaken. Nelson was the main hero and idol of his day. An account says that whilst a band under his window played ‘Rule Britannia’; Nelson cheered and received’ three hearty cheers from the crowd’.
Pigot’s directory of 1835 lists John Richards as the Star’s landlord. John Griffiths, born in Crickhowell was the licensed victualler on the 1851 census. His 15 year old daughter, Tabitha, was the barmaid. As well as his wife, 4 sons and daughter, there were 2 general servants and another 2 visitors staying overnight in the Star. They included Llewellyn Williams, a harpist and a William Lewis a general labourer. Listed in directories in 1853, 1855 and 1857 John and Mary Griffiths and their children were still in the Star in 1861. The Young Britons Friendly Society met in the Star Inn at this time Slater’s 1889 directory lists Mary Griffiths as the landlady.
According to the 1901 census returns Octavius J. Davies was the licensed victualler of the Star. As well as his wife, two sons, daughter and cousin residing in the Star, there was a visitor, 7 boarders and a domestic servant. Among the boarders was Alfred Norton a circus proprietor and three music hall artists. By the 1911 census Octavius John had given up working as a landlord for work above ground in a colliery. According to the Merthyr Express, 28 August 1909, Thomas Henry Hamer, who was landlord of the Star Inn in 1909, seems to have been rather slack in his control and he was fined 40s. and costs for permitting drunkenness. The Merthyr Express recorded on 6 November 1909 that John; Humphreys, a North Walian, was summoned at the Merthyr Police Court for being drunk at the Star Inn, Merthyr, on Sunday, October 3rd. P.C. Rees said that with Detective Evans he visited the house, and saw several men there. Two said they came from Aberfan and two from Senghenydd.
In July 1910 there was a sale of freehold ground rents at Merthyr at the Bush Hotel, Merthyr, Messrs. J. M. Berry and Son offered for sale by public auction a number of freehold ground rents on the Llancaiach Estates. There was a large attendance of bidders. £30 per annum secured upon the Star Inn, High-street, Merthyr, together with the slaughter-houses and yard at the rear, the premises being subject to a lease of 30 years, from September 1901. According to Kelly’s 1923 trade directory William D Jones was the landlord then. An old photograph of The Star was given to Merthyr Library by the fashion designer Julien Macdonald, whose family once ran the pub. Sadly The Star Inn was demolished on 12 March 1960, and today only the Crown Inn remains of the original first ‘coaching inns’.
