The Railway Inn – Abertillery

Railway Inn, Abertillery.
Mr Thomas Jones.
In the late 1860’s, Mr Thomas Jones was reported as being the landlord at the Railway Inn, Abertillery.

On the 1871 census Mr Thomas Jones is listed as being born in 1839 at Hay, Brecon,  Brecknockshire, his wife was Mrs Leah Jones born in 1841 at Mynyddislwyn. They lived at the Railway Inn, Abertillery with their daughter Miss Susannah Jones, born in 1862 at Mynyddislwyn. Nothing is known of Mr Jones, his tenure at the Railway Inn was between 1868 and 1875, though there is no mention of him in local papers apart from reports of his bankruptcy in January 1869.

Mr Alfred James.
During the mid 1870’s Mr Alfred James was listed as landlord at the Railway Inn, Abertillery, although in July 1877 it was reported that Mr Alfred James transferred the license to Mr Richard Seaborne.

Messrs Bernard & Thomas.
In 1872 according to the Bedwellty Licensing Records the Railway Inn, Abertillery was owned by Messrs Bernard and Thomas of Bristol. Research shows that Bernard & Thomas were auctioneers from Bristol. The records state they owned the Railway Inn, Abertillery, from 1872 to 1878.

Mrs Mary Phillips.
In 1875 Mrs Mary Phillips was listed as licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. The inn was owned by Messrs Bernard and Thomas of Bristol.

Mr Richard Seaborne.
In October 1878 Mr Richard Seaborne was listed as being innkeeper, a butcher and wheelwright at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. In the same year Mr Seaborne went bankrupt. The Railway Inn was still owned by Messrs Bernard and Thomas of Bristol.

Mr Joseph Williams.
In December 1878 Mr Joseph Williams was landlord at the Railway Inn, Abertillery.

The Sale of the Railway Inn 1879.
On Thursday 11th December 1879, at the British School, the Railway Inn and 3 cottages sold at auction, the inn was an annual tenancy at £60 per year, three cottages yielding £20. 8s. per annum.

Mr Thomas Morgan.
In the early 1880’s Mr Thomas Morgan was licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. Although in August 1883 the license was transferred from Mr Thomas Morgan to Mr Thomas Price.

Mr Thomas Price.
In the mid 1880’s Mr Thomas Price was licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery.

Mr Joseph Price.
In April 1887 Mr Joseph Price was listed as being the licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. The owner was now Mr Alex James of Abertillery.

Mr Alfred William Attwell.
Between 1896 and 1899 Mr Alfred William Attwell was licensee at the Railway Inn and the owners were now Messrs J. R. and S. A. Webb Ltd.

Mr Charles James Judd.
In 1898 Mr Charles James Judd was licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. Mr Judd was born in 1861 at Brynmawr, he lived at the Railway Inn with his wife Mrs Zena Judd nee Oliver and children Miss Gladys Judd, born 1894 and Master Henry Judd, born 1896. Also living at the premises was Miss Barbara Roderick a servant born in 1875 at St Georges, Glamorgan. Mr Charles James Judd was landlord for only a short while as he was transferred to the Cwm Hotel, Alexandra Road, Six Bells. Mr Judd and his family later moved to the Newbridge Hotel, Abercarn.

Mr William Tippins.
In the early 1900 Mr William Tippins was licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery and the owners were listed as being Messrs J. R. and T. A. Webb Ltd.

Mrs Mary Ann Tippins.
Mrs Mary Ann Tippins was the landlady in 1911, her daughter Mrs Mary Ann Thomas was manageress.

Mr William Henry Tossell.
In 1913 Mr William Henry Tossell was licensee at the Railway Inn, Abertillery and the owners were listed as being Messrs J. R. and T. A. Webb Ltd. Mr Tossell was one of the oldest licensees in the district. He was well known at Abertillery and Ebbw Vale.

Mr & Mrs William John (Jack) Chivers and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Chivers.
In January 1917 Mr and Mrs William and Elizabeth Chivers nee Tossell were licensees at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. Mrs Chivers was the daughter of Mr William Henry Tossell the previous licensee.

The Railway Inn or Railway Hotel.
At some point in time the Railway Inn was also reported in many newspaper stories as the Railway Hotel. To be consistent with reports from various newspaper editions I have written the name as it appeared in the papers at the time.

The Construction of the Gaiety Hall, Abertillery.
In 1920 the landlord Mr Chivers formed a company with the aim to construct a new entertainment venue at Abertillery.

The Abertillery Gaiety Hall Company Limited – Registered Office at the Railway Hotel, Abertillery.
On Thursday 25th March 1920, the Bioscope Newspaper printed a report on new companies, it featured the Abertillery Gaiety Hall Company Limited which had been registered on 13th of March 1920. The company had a capital of £5,000 in £1 shares to carry on the business of theatre, music-hall, concert hall, ballroom, circus, hippodrome, cinema, rink, billiard hall and boxing hall proprietors etc and to adopt an agreement between Mr W. T. Harvey; Mr W. J. Chivers; Mr W. Lewis and Mr S. Watkins. The first directors were – Mr W. T. Harvey of Bryn Eirn, Alexandra Road, Abertillery; Mr W. J. Chivers of the Railway Hotel, Abertillery; Mr S. Watkins 3 Park View, Abertillery and Mr W. Lewis of the Imperial Stores, Blaina: Mr W. J. Chivers (Secretary): Registered Office – Railway Hotel, Abertillery.

The Abertillery Photographic Society.
On the 7th of October 1920, the Photographic Society held a meeting at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. Mr W. L. Williams presided; Mr C. H. Davies (Chairman); Mr W. A. Bolingbroke (Secretary) and Mr G. T. Jones was (Treasurer): At the meeting it was proposed to set up the Camera Club in the Railway Inn and to acquire a photographic dark room at the premises.

On Tuesday 26th of October 1920, the Photographic Society held a meeting at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. Mr W. L. Williams presided; Mr C. H. Davies (Chairman); Mr W. A. Bolingbroke (Secretary) and Mr G. T. Jones was (Treasurer): At the meeting Mr William Brace consented to become their President. It was proposed to set up art classes in conjunction with the Photographic Society and to also have painting, sketching and modelling classes taught by Mr J. Dixon Esq and Mr W. Lloyd-Davies Esq. Classes were to be held every Thursday at 7.30pm and there were 100 members to date.

In September 1922 the Abertillery Photographic Society moved from the Railway Inn and announced that their new headquarters were the Glasgow Assembly Rooms, Abertillery.

The Webb’s Western Valley’s Indoor Quoit League.
In 1920 the Webb’s Western Valley’s Indoor Quoit League consisted of the following teams – The Lamb Inn, Abertillery. The Prince of Wales, Abertillery. The Cwm Hotel, Abertillery. The Royal Exchange, Blaenau Gwent. The Commercial, Abertillery. The Mitre Inn, Abertillery. The Globe, Ebbw Vale. The Colliers Arms, Abertillery. The Railway Inn, Abertillery. The Crown, Blaenau Gwent. The Old Bridge End Inn, Penybont. The D.S.D.S. (fore-runner to the British Legion Club), Abertillery. The Aberbeeg Cons Club and the South Wales Inn, Cwmtillery.

Some of the Railway Inn team members names were as follows – J. Brown; J. Harvey; J. Gould; W. Rodick; W. Morgan; D. Hinder; T. Whitney and T. Morgan:

The Deaths of Mr and Mrs Tossell.
Mr William Henry Tossell died August 5th, 1922, and Mrs Sarah Ann Tossell died September 17th, 1920.

The Death of Mr William John (Jack) Chivers.
In October 1947 Mr William John Chivers passed away.

The Departure of Mrs Elizabeth (Lizzie) Chivers.
May 1948 Mrs Chivers left Abertillery to live at Cambridge, she was reported to have been associated with Webb’s Brewery for over 30 years. Mrs Chivers passed away in October 1965 at 78 years of age, she was buried at Brynithel Cemetery.

Mr Cyril Smart.
In May 1948 Mr Cyril Smart took over the Railway Inn, Abertillery. Mr Smart had been a Glamorgan and Warwickshire County Cricketer and a coach to the Abertillery Cricket Club.

Cyril Cecil Smart (23rd July 1898 – 21st May 1975) was an English cricketer who played for Glamorgan and Warwickshire County Cricket Clubs between 1920 and 1946, featuring in 236 first-class cricket matches as a right-handed batsman and occasional leg-break spin bowler.

Railway Inn Later Landlords.
A list of later landlords and landladies at the Railway Inn.
Mr and Mrs Llewellyn and Daisy Cuff (1952 – 1959)
Mr Montague Rees (1960)
Mr Thomas Henry Rees (1962)
Mr Edmund Saunders (1964)
Mr Henry J. Arthur (1967 – 1970)
Mr William Pascoe (1971 – 1972)
Mrs Margaret Pascoe (1973 – 1977)
Mr Idris John (1978 – 1979).

Mr & Mrs Alan and Maureen Norris.
In the late 1970’s Alan and Maureen Norris were licensees at the Railway Inn, Abertillery. According to the London Gazette it was leased by Bass, Wales and West. The owners were reported as being Cwm and Abertillery Investments Ltd. Mr and Mrs Norris left the Railway Inn in 1884.

Mr Barrie Barnes (1985 – 1986)
Mrs & Mrs Alan G. and Christine Poore (1986 – 1989)
Mrs Lynne Drinkwater (???? – ????)
Mr Edward Lewis (1992).

Messrs Edwards Brothers.
During the mid to late 1990’s Messrs S. P. Edwards, R. W. Edwards and K. J. Edwards were licensees at the Railway Inn, Abertillery.

Mr Kelvin Hayman and Mrs Kim Mathlin (2004 – 2011)
Mrs Kim Mathlin (2011 – 2017).

Thanks to Mr Bryan Boots for his help in compiling the list of landlords and landladies at the Railway Inn.

The Closure of the Railway Inn, Abertillery.
The Railway Inn closed in 2017, the building was refurbished though suffered from a devastating fire and was again renovated. It was completed in November 2019 and was renamed the Henrison.

The Henrison.
On Friday 15th November 2019 the Henrison opened under the management of Mr Luke Berry. 

VAMOS.
In March 2022 the Henrison was under new management and the premises was renamed “VAMOS By the River”.

The Closure of VAMOS.
On Thursday 3rd of October 2024, the proprietor of VAMOS announced its closure. 

The White Feather Inn.
In October 2024, just a few days after the closure of VAMOS, it was announced that the building was under new management and the premises was to be re-opened under the name of the White Feather Inn.

(More information to come).