Mr William Barrow Harrison. Mr William Barrow Harrison, was born in 1854 at Slackhead, Beetham in Cumbria. His family was from Beetham Hall at Beetham, Cumbria, England. His parents moved to Monmouth in 1863. Mr Harrison at Abertillery. At the age of 14 he started work and entered the service of Mr W. Hiley who had a business in Abertillery …
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The Co-operative Stores Abertillery. The Beginning. The Co-operative Group began in the mid 19th century and had its origins in the co-operative consumer societies started by the Rochdale Pioneers. These pioneers were a group of workers who were losing their jobs as the mechanization of the industry were forcing skilled workers out of their employment. This bunch of tradesmen banded …
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Abertillery Fire Brigade. On Tuesday 1st of July 1890, a meeting of the Abertillery Chamber of Trade held at the National Schoolroom with the following members – Mr L. R. Rogers (Chairman); Mr D. Gulliford; Mr George Gregory; Mr J. Wright; Mr H. Cole; Mr Joseph Price; Mr J. Thomas; Mr D. Harris; Mr Jesse Carter; Mr J. E. Phillips; …
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Abertillery Tin Works, Station Road, Abertillery. The Abertillery Tin Works were built in the late 1840’s on the ground that was once occupied by the earlier Iron Works constructed sometime in the 1830’s (where Tesco’s Supermarket is today). The old iron works was on the land registry maps of 1840 (as seen in another image on the site), six years …
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Abertillery Bowls Club. The Official Opening. On Thursday 8th of June 1911, the Abertillery Bowling Green was officially opened. The size of the bowling green was 40 yards square and situated at the southern end of the football enclosure. Arrangements had been made for a team from Newport to come and open the new green though they cancelled at the …
Read More »Abertillery Undertakers. Mr George Down. The earliest recorded undertakers and funeral directors I can find resident in Abertillery was Mr George Down of 39 King Street Abertillery. He was in Abertillery in the 1860’s though I am unsure of where his premises were at this early time? Mr Down was an old resident of Abertillery and was an undertaker until …
Read More »Abertillery Saddlers & Harness Makers. Abertillery was still in its infancy while the Nantyglo, Coalbrookvale, Cwmcelyn & Blaina Iron Works and collieries and the many other industries further north were in full swing. The iron and coal companies had their own saddlers and harness makers, either working for them or independent saddlers that were in contract to the many different …
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The Abertillery Rubbish Destructor. In the late 19th century to the early 1900’s during the time when the population of Abertillery was rapidly increasing, the disposal of rubbish was becoming a problem. The established rubbish tips in the valley were overflowing, infested by rats and flies, often catching fire and posing serious health problems. The landowners were reluctant to sell …
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Abertillery Police Stations and Court Houses. In the mid 19th century, the main police station, the County Constabulary was at Blaina. There were police officers operating in Abertillery at this time though they were not based in a station, they seemed to have been using either their own home or residing in police houses in the town. Policeman Mr Samuel …
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The Kino Cinema – Six Bells. The Kino Cinema at Six Bells, Abertillery, opened in 1913. It was located in the Alexandra Buildings down behind Alexandra Road in the old Alexandra Skating Rink building originally constructed by the contractors Messrs Skidmore and McWhirter of Six Bells. The Skating Rink closed in about 1911 and in 1912 the old skating rink …
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Out Of The Blue Artifacts A Library of a lifetime of collecting