Abertillery History

Abertillery and District Hospital – Aberbeeg. The idea of some sort of hospital institution for the district of Abertillery was first raised in the late 1860’s, a subscription scheme and fund were put into place and in 1870 donations were given towards the scheme to generate funds for its construction. At that time a few local doctors were holders of …

Mr James McBean. Mr James McBean was born in 1849 at Beauly, Invernesshire, Scotland, the son of Mr John McBean a publican and auctioneer. Mr James McBean was educated at Inverness and later apprenticed to surveying at Wrexham. He joined the Royal Engineers and became a surveyor in the Ordnance Survey department. Moved to Haverfordwest with the Royal Engineers ordnance-survey, …

Mr Harry Evans – Fruiterer, Poulterer & Grocer Abertillery. The business began in the mid 1880’s when Mr James Mundy and his wife Martha and family were living at Abertillery. They set up a fishmonger & grocery business at 10 Commercial Street, Abertillery, opposite what would become the Arcade. James and Martha married in 1886 at the Congregational Chapel at …

The Clyn Mawr Hotel. It is thought the Clyn Mawr Hotel, Blaenau Gwent was built in 1861, although the earliest reports I can find on the Clyn Mawr Hotel are from the late 1870’s, Mr William Kellaway. The Bedwellty Publicans Licences list 1874-1938 and the 1878 Electoral Records shows Mr William Kellaway as being the licensee at the Clyn Mawr …

The Crown Inn. Mr John and Magdalen Jones. On the 1841 census Mr John Michael Jones born 1775 at Aberystruth was a farmer on Clynmawr, he lived in the farm which would become the original Crown Inn with his wife Mrs Magdalen Jones from Cardiganshire and their children, Master’s John Jones, Richard Jones, Daniel Jones, Michael John Jones, Anthony Jones …

A Brown Paper Shopping Bag from the Bon Stores, Cwmtillery. The Bon Stores, was at No7 Fieldings Terrace Cwmtillery and owned by Messrs L. & M. Thay. Fieldings Terrace was a small row of buildings on Ty-Dan-y-Wal Road just above the Winifred Terrace and the entrance to the Cwmtillery Colliery. Made from a thick Brown paper with White string handles. …

Mr Matthew Habakkuk – Colliery Owner, Agent and Mining Engineer. Mr Matthew Habakkuk was born in the 1790’s at Langyfelach, Glamorgan. Some documents have him with differing age. I believe he married a Margaret (no information) she was from the same town Langyfelach, Glamorgan and was born in 1800. An advertisement from the Monmouthshire Merlin newspaper (as seen left) dated …

The Salvation Army Congress Hall Band of London – 1911. In June 1911 the Salvation Army Congress Band of London visited Risca and Abertillery, during their visit they performed pieces of musical works. Some of the members of the Congress Band were as follows – Captain H. Otway: Bandsmen, A. Dalziel; R. Lawley; Holmes; Goffin and Kyle: At Six Bells …

The Old Six Bells Inn. The old Six Bells Inn (as seen circled on the featured image above) was situated close to the old Black Bridge by the side of the main railway line where Cwm-Llydrew Home is today. I don’t know the date it was originally built or established though a building at that place was on the 1840 …

Six Bells Hotel. In August 1892 Mr Phillip Meredith, landlord of the old Six Bells Inn applied to the General Annual Licensing Meeting to transfer his licence from the old Six Bells Inn to a new premises which was about to be erected upon the new road. This new public house was to be known as the Six Bells Hotel …