The Bush Inn – Abertillery

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 Mr J. Philpot.  It was described as – A valuable property, an old establishment and well accustomed inn and public house called the Bush Inn, situate in Abertillery in the Parish of Aberystruth. With out-buildings, blacksmith’s shop, garden, land and premises thereto adjoining and belonging to and now in the occupation of Mr Charles Edwards. It went on to state – The property is situated in one of the most improving districts in the county, adjoining an extensive tin works and surrounded by several coal works in full operation, in the midst of a large and increasing population, thus affording an opportunity for the investment of capital seldom to be met with.

The interesting part is that it goes on to say – The premises are held under lease for 999 years, commencing from 25th March 1731 at a nominal rent. For a view, apply to Mr C. Edwards, the tenant and for further particulars see auctioneer or Mr E. B. Edwards, Solicitor, Town Hall, Pontypool. Dated 20th July 1859.

Known Landlords and Landladies 1838 – 1989).
Mr Henry Morgan.
In the 1841 census of Aberystruth, the landlord of the Bush Inn was Mr Henry Morgan with his wife Ann Morgan. Mr Morgan was aged 70 years of age. They had another family living with them, Mr Charles Edwards born 1812 and his wife Sarah Edwards born 1816, along with their three sons, Masters Charles, Henry and John. Mr Charles Edwards was the blacksmith at the Bush Inn (on the 1840 land map the Bush Inn had a forge attached).

The Bush Inn Watercolour.
The small image (above) is a copy of a water colour painting of the Bush Inn from the mid 19th century. The view is looking south with the Bush Inn (left), the cottages of Chapel Street (far left) and the Abertillery Tin Works (center right). The old dram road is seen coming up through the valley (left).

Mr Charles Edwards.
By 1848 Mr Charles Edwards was the landlord in his own right.

Philanthropic Institution 1848.
In February 1848 the Perseverance Lodge of the Philanthropic Institution was initiated at the Bush Inn, Abertillery. Mr Charles Edwards was landlord.

Cymreigyddion Society.
On Tuesday 23rd October 1849 the Cymreigyddion Society was established at the Bush Inn. This society met once every two weeks to promote Welsh literature in the area.

In 1851 Mr Charles Edwards and his wife Sarah were still tenants of the Bush Inn. Charles was listed as being a blacksmith and innkeeper. Their family were sons – Masters Charles, Henry, John and now two daughters – Miss Sarah and Miss Hannah Maria Edwards. At this time Hannah Maria was six years of age and would later become a very influential woman in her own right and would own a lot of land and property in Abertillery, she would also become a landlady of some public houses in the town.

Mr James Price.
In the 1860’s Mr Charles Edwards must have passed away, as on the 19th of May 1866 his wife Sarah transferred the licence to Mr James Price.

In April 1870 the Bush Inn was advertised “To Let”.

Mr Edmund James.
In 1871 Mr Edmund James of Abertillery (son of Mr Edmund James, a landed proprietor and colliery agent of Blaenau Gwent) and his wife Ann James from Caerphilly were the licensees. It was during the early part of the 1870’s that Mrs Ann James leased or owned land that the Station Hotel would later be built, inherited from her father-in-law. She had two plots of land, one in 1872 and another leased in 1874, it was at this time the Station Hotel first appeared in any reports.  She applied for a licence to sell alcohol at a premises close to the Abertillery Station on Blaenau Gwent Road in 1875. On the 10th of November 1876 Mrs Ann James transferred the licence of the Bush Inn, Abertillery to Mr Thomas Rickard. I believe that she was instrumental in the Station Hotel’s construction at this point in time.

Mr Thomas Rickard.
In November 1876 Mr Thomas Rickard and his wife Marie were the new licensees of the Bush Inn. They were from Bristol and they were the licensees throughout the 1880’s and the Bush Inn was used as the headquarters of the Abertillery Rugby Football Team.

Coroners Inquests and Inquiries.
Throughout the latter part of the 1880’s the Bush Inn was also used for coroners’ inquests and inquiries. The jury would hear many cases from industrial and other unexplained or accidental deaths to colliery explosion fatalities etc.

Mr Walter Tovell.
In the 1890’s Mr Walter Tovell  and his wife Mrs Emily M. Tovell were at the Bush Inn. The barman was Mr Frederick French. The rental on the Bush Hotel at this time was £100. per annum.

The Closure of the Bush Inn.
In about 1895 the Bush Inn was demolished and rebuilt on the same spot (as seen in the image to the right) the new building was a much larger and imposing building as seen today. Its name remained as the Bush though now classed as a hotel.

The Bush Hotel.
In November 1896 there were newspaper ads advertising for a tenant to take over the licence at the new Bush Hotel it read – The Bush Hotel, Abertillery Mon – A tenant will shortly be required for this commodious and well-appointed hotel, close to the railway station and commanding the entrance to this flourishing and vastly growing town. This old established house has been entirely rebuilt to meet the commercial requirements of the district. Good billiard, dining, commercial, stock and bedrooms etc. Extensive stabling and good tap. Tenant would be required to furnish throughout. References required – Apply in first instance by letter only to Messrs J. R. and T. A. Webb, Aberbeeg, Mon.

In 1898 the landlord was still Mr Walter Tovell.

Mr Benjamin Owen.
In August 1905 the landlord was Mr Benjamin Owen.

Mr J. Edmunds.
In 1908 the landlord was Mr J. Edmunds from Caerphilly.

Mrs Eliza Evans.
In 1909 Mrs Eliza Evans was listed as the tenant.

Mr Horace Shapcott.
In May 1910 Mr Horace Shapcott was the landlord. In September 1910 Webb’s put the Bush Hotel up to let, yet in 1911 the licence was granted to Mr Shapcott. Mr Shapcott did not have the license long as Mr William G. Coles and his wife Edith were resident landlord and landlady in the same year.

Mr William G. Coles.
In 1911 Mr and Mrs William and Edith Coles were landlord and landlady at the Bush Hotel, Abertillery. Mr William German Coles was born in 1856 at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. He was the son of a coal merchant from that place. His wife was Miss Edith Haysom G. Coles nee Cox born in 1857 at Hampshire, England. They were married in 1876 and moved to Cardiff where Mr Coles was a coal merchant. By 1901 the couple were manager and manageress of the Avondale Hotel Cardiff. They later came to Abertillery to manage the Bush Hotel. Mr and Mrs Coles moved from the Bush Hotel in 1916 and moved to Clevedon, Somerset. In 1918 they took the tenancy of the Royal Pier Hotel at Clevedon. In 1923 Mr William Coles transferred the licence of the hotel to his son Mr Beaumont Vivian Coles and his wife Fanny Elizabeth E. Coles nee Hill. 

William and Edith Coles had a son called Horace Coles, born in 1897 at Cardiff, Glamorgan. Mr Horace Coles left school and became a bank clerk, he later became one of the most successful billiard players in the district, he joined the Liberal Club, Abertillery in 1912 as member number 308 (More information to come).

On the 1911 census the staff at the Bush Inn, Abertillery were – Mrs Ellen Croning and Mrs Maggie Treharne (Barmaids), Mrs Gladys Andrews (Waitress). Mrs Lizzie Clark (Cook) and Mr Tom Williams (Billiard Marker).

Mr John W. Thomas.
In 1916 Mr John William Thomas was the licensee.

In 1918 Mr Worrell the Optician & Eyesight expert was staying at the Bush holding surgery a few times a week.

Abertillery v New Zealand All Blacks 1919.
In April 1919 the army touring team of the New Zealand Rugby Association, the All Blacks consisting of many international players played against Abertillery R.F.C. The game against Abertillery was match No18 of their tour, played at Abertillery Park on Saturday 5th April. The score was 3.0 to the New Zealanders though surprisingly no proper match report is available in any local papers apart from a small clipping in the South Wales Gazette.

After the match the teams were entertained in the evening at the Bush Hotel, Abertillery at the invitation of the Abertillery Urban District Council. Mr J. H. Williams, chairman of the council presided supported by Mr J. H. Weaver, Mr T. Jenkyn Williams, Mr G. P. Williams, Mr Lionel Lewis (Surveyor), Mr John Phillips, Dr T. B. Smith (Medical Officer), Dr Rocyn Jones (Welsh Union), Mr Abraham, Mr F. W. Jones, Mr Lionel Thomas (Chairman of the Football Committee) and Mr Thomas Thomas (Secretary).

After an excellent repast had been partaken of, the chairman extended a hearty welcome to the New Zealand team. He told of the hardships in the acquiring of suitable playing grounds in the valley and hoped the New Zealand teams had better facilities than that of Abertillery.

Mr John Phillips, president of the Abertillery Club extended a warm welcome to the colonial guests. They had a very pleasant game and even though they had not won they did not begrudge their opponents their victory. The game would go down in the annuls of the Abertillery Club with pride, ranking with other famous matches played at Abertillery.

The Haka Performed in the Bush Hotel.
Lieut King, manager of the All Blacks team made a speech, he thanked all those present for the cordial manner in which they had received the toast. They had a good game and as good a reception as anywhere, not only by the players but everyone whom they had come in contact. He spoke of how he thought Abertillery were not a junior team and that they were as good a team as the New Zealanders had seen for quite a while, he added that they had never seen a better situated or more convenient ground anywhere. Lieut King then called upon the team to sing their stirring “War Cry” the Haka which they did in splendid effect concluding with three ringing cheers.

Mr W. C. Maloney.
In the 1940’s Mr W. C. Maloney was the manager of the Bush Hotel, Abertillery. The premises were advertised as having a smoking lounge, dining room, hot and cold water. Bed & Breakfast was available at 6s. a four-course luncheon was 2s. and teas 1s. The telephone number of the Bush Hotel was tel-16.

A List of Landlords and Landladies.
A list of known landlords and landladies at the Bush Inn (1838 – 1989)
Mr H. Morgan (1838)
Mr Charles Edwards (1840’s – 1862)
Mrs Sarah Edwards (1865)
Mr and Mrs James and Ann Price (1866 – 1876)
Mrs Emma James (1877)
Mr Thomas John Rickard (1877 – 1879)
Mr Richard Thomas (1880)
Mr Elias Thomas (1882)
Mr Lewis Morgan (1883 – 1892)
Mr Rees M. Rees (1894 – 1895)
Mr Walter Tovell (1898 – 1900)
Mr Benjamin Owen (1905 – 1907)
Mrs Eliza Evans (1909)
Mr Horace Shapcott (1910 – 1911)
Mr William German Coles (1911 – 1915)
Mr John William Thomas (1916)
Mr Thomas Williams (1920)
Mr John Thomas (1922 – 1924)
Mr Philip J. Carter (1925)
Mr Herbert Howard (1926 – 1927)
Mr Walter Edward Coles (1928 – 1930)
Mr Charles Henry Thomas (1931 – 1938)
Mr William Maloney (????)
Mrs Margaret Rand (1945)
Mr John J. Watkins (1946 – 1951)
Mr Ernest Selby (1952)
Mr Thomas Davies (1953 – 1955)
Mr Emlyn Thomas (1956 – 1963)
Mr Victor G. Burnett (1964 – 1966)
Mr Benjamin A. Merrington (1967 – 1978)
Mr Malcolm Heal (1979 – 1984)
Mr and Mrs Kenneth and Carol Cooper (1985 – 1989)

The complete list of landlords and landladies was kindly supplied courtesy of Mr Bryan Boots.

The Later Years.
In the late 1980’s the Bush Hotel closed and later turned into a hostel, a part of the Victory Outreach Group. It was vacated in 2020 and remains empty to date.