N.C.B. Coal Sack. An old hessian N.C.B. coal sack with name plate and copper rivets. There is also faint N.C.B. lettering imprinted on the front of the sack. Size 31″ x 26″ inches. The National Coal Board used to give concessionary coal allowances to its employees. The amount of the allowance of coal varied throughout the United Kingdom. In Wales …

Oddfellows Hall. In the late 1850’s early 1860’s after losing their Abertillery headquarters, the Oddfellows Arms, the Oddfellows Society planned to have a new hall erected. By March 1862 a new hall had been built, located somewhere in Abertillery, I don’t know where it was situated though there was a court case just after its construction involving nonpayment for work …

The Oddfellows Arms – Abertillery. The Oddfellows Arms was one of the earliest inns at Abertillery. It was situated close to where the Abertillery Fire Station is today. Mr Thomas Cardy. I am not sure when the Oddfellows Arms was erected or established though it was featured on the 1840 land map of Abertillery (as seen circled in black on …

The Station Hotel. The Station Hotel was built sometime in the 1870’s on ground leased by Mrs Ann James of Abertillery. On a land sales document of 1879 published by Messrs William Graham & Sons there were several lots of freehold ground rents for sale in the Abertillery Town area. The Station Hotel featured on the sheet and it stated …

The Bush Inn. The Bush Inn was one of the oldest establishments in Abertillery. It existed as early as 1731 as a premises (as seen on the featured image above) and possibly earlier on how you interpret the lease (detailed below) The 1859 Sales Sheet. On Wednesday 10th August 1859 the Bush Inn, Abertillery was put up at auction by …

The Globe Inn. I am not quite sure when the Globe Inn was built or established though the first mention of it that I can find is on the 18th of September 1869 when Mr James Edwards was resident. Mr James Edwards. Mr James Edwards married Miss Hannah Maria Edwards, the daughter of Mr Charles Edwards from the Bush Inn, …

The Hanbury Hotel – Aberbeeg. The Hanbury Hotel was originally known as the Hanbury Arms Inn, built on part of the Hanbury Estate, Aberbeeg, in about 1830. Mr David Phillips Esq. On a Land Sales sheet of the 16th of April 1831, the Hanbury Arms Inn was advertised to be sold at auction at the Crown Inn Pontypool, as part …

The Walpole Arms. The Walpole Arms was built sometime in 1896 and was issued with a licence in the same year. I believe (not confirmed) that the name Walpole derived from Miss Adeline Mary Walpole, future wife of the then landowner Dr William E. Williams of Llanhilleth and Abertillery, upon whose land the Walpole Arms was constructed. (More on the …

Llanhilleth Conservative & Unionist Club. In the early 1900’s the Conservatives at Llanhilleth were looking to get a club of their own and on Monday 9th January 1911 a meeting to consider the matter was held at the Llanhilleth Workmen’s Institute. Mr F. W. Pratt presided and the other gentlemen present were as follows – Mr H. T. Wooding (Conservative …

The Central Hotel – Llanhilleth. The building and licensing of the Central Hotel, Llanhilleth was one of the most confusing, complicated and protracted applications in the district. Planning began with a 99 year lease starting from 25th of March in 1903, was constructed in 1905, finally given a full licence and opened in 1909. In a newspaper report from February 1905, …