The George Inn – Abertillery

The George Inn – Abertillery.
The George Inn was situated on Market Street, Abertillery just south of the Glasgow House, opposite the Commercial Hotel. The inn occupied both premises and one early image shows the pub sign attached to the wall facing the street between both doorways. 

Mr Joseph Harris.
In the Bedwelly Publicans Licences files of 1872, Mr Joseph Harris was the owner. Mr Joseph Harris was also the owner of the Rolling Mill, Abertillery.

Mr Joseph Harris was born in 1823 at Machen, Monmouthshire. Mr Harris’ first wife was Mrs Jane Harris nee Williams, they married in 1843. Their family were – Miss Elizabeth Ann Harris, born 1850. Master John Harris, born 1853. Master William Harris, born 1857 and Miss Rachel Harris, born 1859. Mr Harris later became a roll turner at the Abertillery Tin Works and was living in Church Street, Abertillery.

On the 1871 census Mr Harris had remarried, his wife was Mrs Martha Harris born 1841 at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, and had added to their family – Miss Mary Jane Harris, born 1866 and Master Joseph Thomas Harris, born 1868. Mr Harris senior was still listed as a Roll Turner in the Tin Works and living next door to the Rolling Mill on Church Street, Abertillery.

Mr James Gregory.
During the early 1870’s Mr James Gregory leased the George Inn from Mr Joseph Harris.
Mr James Gregory was the son of Mr Moses Gregory of Paulton Somerset, upon moving to this valley in the late 1830’s and later in the mid 1840’s Moses Gregory was later noted as being one of the earliest inhabitants of Abertillery. (More on Mr Moses Gregory below).

Mr James Gregory was born in 1842 at Blackwood, his wife was Mrs Eliza Gregory nee Davies born in 1851 at Caerleon. They were married in 1873. Their family were – Miss Elizabeth Gregory, born in 1875, Master Henry Gregory, born in 1877 and Miss Millicent Gregory born in 1880. Also at the premises was Miss Maria Waters, listed as a cousin to the head, a native of Caerleon and worked as a servant in the household.

In 1878 Mr James Gregory was listed as being the owner of the George Inn, Abertillery, later being the owner and licensee.

On the 1881 census James Gregory was listed as a coalminer. The family lived at Market Street, Abertillery.

Mr Lewis Morgan.
In 1887 Mr Lewis Morgan was the licensee of the George Inn. Mr James Gregory was the registered owner. In 1892 Mr Gregory sold the premises to Phillips and Sons of Newport.

Messrs Phillips and Sons of Newport.
In 1892 the Bedwelly Publicans Licences files shows Messrs Phillips and Sons, brewers of Newport were listed as the owners of the George Inn, Abertillery and Mr Lewis Morgan was the licensee. Messrs Phillips and Sons held the inn until its closure, although at some later date Messrs Webb’s of Aberbeeg had a freehold lease on the inn.

Mrs Elizabeth Morgan.
In 1896 Mrs Elizabeth Morgan was the licensee.

The Death of Mrs Elizabeth Morgan.
On Sunday 11th of November 1906, Mrs Elizabeth Morgan passed away.

Mr William Thomas Harvey.
In 1907 Mr William Thomas Harvey became the licensee of the George Inn. Mr William Thomas Harvey was born in 1879 at Monmouthshire, His wife was Mrs Sarah Jane Harvey nee Beard, born in 1879 also at Monmouthshire. They were married in 1901. Their family were – Miss Sylvia Harvey, born 1901, Miss Doris Harvey, born 1902 and Master Aneurin Harvey, born 1910. Mr and Mrs Harvey had been the licensees of the Colliers Arms, High Street, Abertillery.

Alterations to the George Inn, Abertillery.
In 1907 Messrs Phillips and Sons, brewers of Newport applied for planning permission for alterations to the George Inn.

The Death of Mrs Sarah Jane Harvey.
On Saturday 21st of June 1913, Mrs Sarah Jane Harvey passed away at 34 years of age.

The Death of Mr James Gregory.
In June 1913 Mr James Gregory passed away.

Mr William Thomas Harvey Remarries.
In 1914 Mr William Thomas Harvey married Miss Agnes Phillips.

The Death of Mrs Eliza Gregory.
In April 1916 Mrs Eliza Gregory passed away at the age of 64 and was buried at the Blaenau Gwent Cemetery. At the time of her death Mrs Gregory was living at Highfield House, Duke Street, Abertillery.

The Death of Mr William Thomas Harvey.
On Sunday 9th of September 1923, Mr William Thomas Harvey passed away. During his lifetime Mr William Thomas Harvey had been a councillor for the Abertillery Town Ward, he was elected to be president of the Gelli Crug Corinthians A.F.C., the president of the Abertillery Boxing Club and was a well known boxing promoter. Mr Harvey and his family later lived at Bryn Eirw House, Alexandra Road, Six Bells, Abertillery.

Messrs Agnes and Frank Harvey.
In October 1923 after the death of her husband, Mrs Agnes Harvey was the licensee at the George Inn, Abertillery. It seems she was the landlady on an interim basis and was running the George Inn with her brother-in-law Mr Frank Harvey.

Mr Frederick Charles Harding.
In April 1928 Mr Frederick Charles Harding became the licensee at the George Inn. Mr Harding was born in 1875 at Abertillery. His wife was Mrs Charlotte Bronte Harding nee Gilligan, born in 1869 at Wolverhampton, England. Mr Harding was the son of John and Sarah Harding and the brother to Mr Amos Harding the well known musician of Tillery Street, Abertillery. Mrs Charlotte Bronte Harding was the daughter of Mr Job Gilligan, the Abertillery Tin Works manager and sister to Miss Lizzie Gilligan, the headmistress at the Queen Street School, Abertillery.

The Death of Mr Frederick Charles Harding.
In March 1937 Mr Frederick Charles Harding passed away.

Mr Albert John Sterry.
On Wednesday 14th of April 1937, Mr Albert John Sterry became the licensee at the George Inn, Abertillery. There is not a great deal known about Mr Sterry apart from the fact that he was licensee of the George Inn from 1937 to 1944 and was the last landlord before its closure.

The Death of Mrs Charlotte Bronte Harding.
In May 1943 Mrs Charlotte Bronte Harding passed away. At the time of her death Mrs Harding lived at 12 Cwm Cottage Road, Abertillery.

The Closure of the George Inn.
On Tuesday 19th of September 1944, a licensing meeting was held by the Monmouthshire County Compensation Authority to refuse the renewal of the licences on the following premises – The Ballers Arms, Blaina. The Viaduct Tavern Inn, Crumlin. The Talbot Inn, Tredegar and the George Inn, Abertillery (registered owners of the George Inn were Phillips and Sons Ltd and Webb’s of Aberbeeg as freeholders).

These public houses had came to the end of the licences and were referred for closure under the Compensation Act of 1910 in which the authority would grant compensation to the owner and licensee of any public house that closed without a licence renewal, as affected by the act.

On Thursday 28th of December 1944, the licence of the George Inn, Abertillery came to an end and the compensation authority paid out compensation to those involved. The George Inn closed from this date.

In the late 1940’s a family by the name of Partridge were residing at the premises. 

(Later information to come).

Points of Interest – Mr Moses Gregory.
Mr Moses Gregory was born in 1809 at Paulton, Somerset, his wife was Mrs Ann Gregory nee? born in 1812 also at Paulton, Somerset. Their family were – Mr Simon Gregory, born in 1834 at Somerset, Miss Susannah Gregory, born in 1836 at Somerset, Mr George Gregory, born in 1838 at Abertillery, Miss Eliza Gregory, born in 1840 at Abertillery, Mr James Gregory, born in 1842 at Blackwood, Mr Joseph Gregory, born in 1848 at Abertillery and Miss Jane Gregory, born 1852 also at Abertillery.

As mentioned above, Mr Moses Gregory was noted as being one of the earliest inhabitants of Abertillery.

On the 1861 census the family lived at Gregory’s Row, Abertillery. This row was more than probably named after Mr Gregory, in the early days the family or well known resident who lived in the first house of that row, had the row named after them, as was common practice in the early days. According to the census, Gregory’s Row was close to the Globe Row and somewhere close to the Colliers Arms. Later, during the 1880’s the family lived at Mitre Street, Abertillery.