The Limes – Abertillery

The Limes House, Abertillery House – Abertillery.
The Limes House (as seen middle left on the featured images above surrounded by trees and just behind the railway lines) was originally called Abertillery House. It was one of the oldest premises in the area.

Abertillery House.
In Mr Edmund Jones first book written in 1779 called “The History of Aberystruth” he mentions a Mr Jeremiah James living at Abertillery, he was the son of James Watkin Morgan and Mary Jacob of Llanwenarth. In Mr Edmund Jones second book written in 1813 called “A Relation of Apparitions of Spirits in the County of Monmouthshire” he recalls a story by the same Mr Jeremiah James of Abertillery House observing a spirit walking to the River Ebbw. It was stated that Mr James had viewed the apparition from his home.

In the 1840’s census, Abertillery House (as seen left circled in black on the 1830s map) was occupied by Mr Edmund James and his wife Mary James – Farmers of 20 acres, both born in 1776. Edmund James must have been the son of Jeremiah, mentioned above.

By the 1850’s Mr Edmund James aged 76 years was registered as a widower still living at Abertillery House with his servant Mr Richard Davies aged 70 years. Mr James had his grand-daughter Miss Ann James and grandson Master Daniel James living with him. Mr James must have passed away just after and the house fell into another’s hands.

Messrs Williams Residence and Surgery.
In the mid 1860’s Abertillery House became the residence of Dr John Jones Williams a surgeon, born 1814? and his wife Mrs Ann Williams nee Edwards from Ty Isha, Risca, born 1819.

Mr John Jones Williams.
Mr John Jones Williams was the son of Mr Edmund Williams, farmer and land owner of Cwm Court area, Llanhilleth. On the 1840 tithe map, Mr Edmund Williams, lived at Cwm Court with – Amy Williams, born 1806 (Independent) and Mr John Williams, born 1821 (Surgeon). Also living at the address were – Thomas Parfitt and Mary Powell, both servants.

Miss Ann Edwards.
In 1841 Dr John Jones Williams married Miss Ann Edwards and went to live at Cwm Court, Llanhilleth and set up a surgery in the village. Ann was the daughter of William and Mary Edwards. She was from a well to do family, though orphaned at a young age and went to live at Bassaleg, Newport. They owned quite a bit of land in Llanhilleth and became very affluent. 

In 1857 Mr John Jones Williams purchased 1,200 square yards of land at Abertillery from Messrs Webb’s with the intention of building a property, I believe this land was obtained to build Coed Iorwg House. In the 1859 Slater’s Directory of Monmouthshire, Dr John Jones Williams was a registered surgeon at Abertillery. He may have had Coed Iorwg House built as a surgery and was operating between Abertillery and Llanhilleth?

On the 1861 census Mr and Mrs Williams were registered as still living at Cwm Court, Llanhilleth and had two children, Master William Edwin Williams and Master Edmund James Williams.

In 1865 Dr John Jones Williams and his wife Ann moved up to Abertillery with their children. Dr Williams became the official Medical Doctor Surgeon for Abertillery and lived at Abertillery House.

On the 1871 census the Williams family were registered as being – Dr John Jones Williams, Surgeon, aged 57 years lived at Abertillery House with his wife Ann, sons – Edmund James Williams (Law Student) born 1844 at Llanhilleth and William Edwin Williams (Surgeon at London) born 1845 at Bassaleg, Newport. Also registered at the address was Master George Porter, a stable boy and Miss Jane Thomas, a servant.

In 1873 Dr William’s son – Dr William Edwin Williams F.R.C.S. worked alongside his father at Abertillery in the medical profession and in the same year he became the Medical Doctor at Abertillery. In 1875 he took the role of Medical Officer for Abertillery. In the 1880’s William Edwin Williams became a J.P. and in November 1893 became the Medical Officer for the Bedwellty Board of Guardians taking over from Dr Soper of Blaina.

The Death of Dr John Jones Williams.
In 1877 Dr John Jones Williams sadly passed away leaving his wife Ann and his two children William Edwin and Edmund James Williams living at Abertillery House. Dr Williams was interred at Llanfrechfa.

The Abertillery House Name Change to the Limes House.
After the death of Dr John Jones Williams, the Abertillery House was renamed the Limes House and Mr Edmund James Williams moved into Coed Iorwg House, High Street Abertillery.

On the 1881 census Dr William Edwin Williams and his mother Mrs Ann Willams was living at the Limes House, Abertillery. They were resident with Dr Thomas Richard as an assistant surgeon and Miss Lydia Playsted? was registered as being the servant.

In 1891 Dr William Edwin Williams G.P. and surgeon aged 44 years was living at the Limes House, Abertillery with his brother Mr Edmund James Williams, registered as a gentleman. Their mother Ann Williams was living there too, along with Dr William G. Sargent registered as assistant surgeon. Also on the census were servants – Miss Jane V. Morrell and Miss Elizabeth Reynolds.

The Monmouthshire Seat.
In 1895 Dr William Edwin Williams as a Conservative, contested the Monmouthshire Seat against the Liberal Sir William Harcourt. He lost the vote, though he and his brother were forefront of the Conservative movement at Abertillery.

Miss Adeline Mary Walpole.
In January 1898 Dr William Edwin Williams married Miss Adeline Mary Walpole, the third daughter of Mr Frederick Goulburn Walpole of Hans Place, London, W.C.

Miss Adeline Walpole was the granddaughter of the Hon Robert Walpole and a direct descendant of Sir Robert Walpole, Prime Minister of Great Britain in the reign of George I. After their wedding they set up home at Ty Clyd, Govilon. Ty Clyd was at one time the home of Mr William Hiley a businessman from Abertillery. Even though Dr Williams and his wife left the area he still acted as J.P. and took a great deal of interest in the welfare of the people of the town, he commuted to Abertillery from his home in Govilon a few times a week.

In the absence of Dr Williams, Dr Abernethy who had been assistant surgeon took over the role. Dr Abernethy stated he and Dr W. G. Sargent would see the patients between them, Dr Abernethy would cover the north of the town and Dr Sargent would cover the south of the town.

It was announced that after the departure of Dr Williams, the Home Office London S.W. sent out notices to all factory owners in Abertillery that as from January 1898 Dr D. C. Muir would be the certifying surgeon for the areas factories.

Doctors Surgery.
In October 1898 the post of surgeon for Abertillery in place of Dr Williams was officially advertised. The council voted on the two candidates who applied, Dr Abernethy and Dr D. C. Muir. Even though Dr Abernethy had been assistant surgeon to Dr Williams, Dr D. C. Muir had more experience and knowledge of the town. There was not much between them, the council voted in favour of Dr Muir by 10 votes to 8.

After this date Mr Edmund James Williams became a J.P. and left the Limes House and moved with his mother Ann Williams back into Coed Iorwg House, High Street, Abertillery.

The Death of Mrs Ann Williams.
In November 1899 Mrs Ann Williams sadly passed away at her residence Coed Iorwg House, High Street, Abertillery. She was taken to Llanfrechfa and buried with her husband Mr John Williams in the family grave.

I cannot find the Limes House listed on the 1901 census, though in the Kelly’s Directory of the same year Dr William Gostwych Sargent was registered as having a surgery there. Mr Edmund James Williams J.P. was living at Coed Iorwg House. Also registered at Coed Iorwg were Mr Charles Morgan, Mr James Morris and Miss Ethel Cartwright as servants.

Dental Surgery.
In October 1903 Mr E. J. Williams advertised the Limes House as available to let as from February 1903. Mrs Read leased the building at this time.

In March 1904 the Limes House was advertised as being used as a Dental Surgery, occupied twice a week (Monday & Friday) by Messrs Gill Williams and C. C. Campbell of Stow Hill, Newport. They were registered dental surgeons. They both moved from the Limes House in 1906 and held surgery at the chemist in Carmel Street owned by Mr Price.

Abertillery Silver Band Club.
In 1906 the Abertillery Silver Band who had previously had their headquarters in Church Street adjacent to the Rolling Mill Inn moved into the Limes House and the building was called the Abertillery Silver Band Club. The club must have had a billiards table in the premises at an early date as in May 1907 the Silver Band Club held a billiards competition.

In January 1908 the club sold a strip of land which was part of their club gardens to the council for the widening of the Station Hill. The land in question was sold for £25 and came with an agreement that no trees that were surrounding the club must be cut or removed.

On Monday 7th of June 1909, the Silver Band Club played their first recorded billiards game in the league and travelled to Six Bells to play the Six Bells Institute team. Some of the Silver Band Club players were as follows – Mr E. James; Mr T. Jones; Mr E. Meyrick; Mr H. Bennett; Mr W. Francis; Mr D. Evans; Mr W. Price; Mr T. Crook; Mr A. Lewis; Mr R. Baker; Mr G. Ruffell; Mr D. W. Evans; Mr S. Hinge; Mr A. Little and Mr S. James:

The Limes Social Welfare Club & Institute.
In 1911 it was reportedly converted into a social club, called the Limes Social Welfare Club & Institute, it was still the home to the Abertillery Silver Band and a billiard team. The club must have been purchased from Messrs Williams brothers as it was reported that the premises were freehold and belonged to the members of the club. In 1912 the chairman of the Limes Club was Councillor Mr W. T. Williams.

The Death of Mr William Edwin Williams.
In April 1914 Dr William Edwin Williams fell ill and sadly died. He passed away on the 17th of April 1914 at his home Ty Clyd in Govilon. His body was taken to Llanfrechfa and he was interred with his father and mother in the family grave.

Major E. S. Williams.
In 1915 it was reported that Major E. S. Williams of the 1st Mons, a nephew of Mr E. J. Williams was killed in action in France.

The Death of Mr Edmund James Williams.
In July 1915 Mr Edmund James Williams, whilst visiting Ross, sadly passed away. It was stated that his home was Coed Iorwg House, Abertillery. He was taken to Llanfrechfa to be interred with his father, mother and brother in the family grave. 

Mr Edmund James Williams J.P, of Coed Iorwg House, Abertillery, was a totally different person to Mr Edmund James Williams a councillor of Ashfield House, Ashfield Road, Abertillery and landlord of the Bell Inn, Abertillery. They both heavily featured in the business activities and politics of Abertillery and were often mistaken for each other in research projects.

Coed Iorwg House.
Coed Iorwg House was a substantial property in its own large grounds on High Street, Abertillery. The area it occupied (as seen on the map right) was opposite Market Street and below James Street. In the early 1900’s Coed Iorwg’s grounds was the setting and back-drop for many official photographs of the Abertillery sporting teams, bands and other institution members.  After the death of Mr E. J. Williams it was turned into a tenement and on later maps as being six different dwellings in one building, numbered 1 to 6. In the mid 1960’s it was demolished, the site was cleared to make way for the building of the Multi Storey Car Park, Abertillery.

The Highbury Club – Top Lymes.
On Saturday 28th of January 1922, the Highbury Working Men’s Club, on the junction of Alma and Gladstone Streets was officially opened and became an annex to the Lymes Social Club. They both became known as the top & bottom Lymes.

The Proposed Closure of the Lymes Club.
On Thursday 22nd of April 1976, the Gwent Gazette reported on the proposed closure and demolition of the Lymes Club, Abertillery to make way for the new section of the A467 from Aberbeeg to Abertillery in a 1.5 million scheme.

The Granting of the Closure and Demolition of the Lymes Club.
On Thursday 21st of January 1982, the Gwent Gazette reported the go-ahead of the proposal to close the Lymes Club and it was to be demolished as part of the new road scheme. 

The Vacating of the Lymes Club.
On Thursday 22nd of July 1982, the Gwent Gazette reported on an update of the intention of the committee of the Lymes Club, Abertillery to vacate the premises next year in 1983, so as the demolition of the club can go ahead as part of the new road scheme. 

The Abertillery Outdoor Market.
After the closure of the Lymes Club, Abertillery, a “Thursday Market” was organised and held in the grounds of the old club, between the railway lines and lower Oak Street. The market was organised and controlled by the company Excrest Ltd, North Road, Porth, Rhondda. The market was very successful although in November 1983 the company was fined for not having authorisation to be there.  

The New Lymes Club.
In 1983 a new Lymes Social Club was built at Carlyle Street, Abertillery on the site of the old Pavilion Theatre, between Bridge Street and Carlyle Street.  

(More information to come of the sports section at the club)

 

Notes of Interest and Points of Contention –
It’s a mystery as to why the premises was renamed the Limes. During my research many other places in the country that was named the “Limes” had an association to lime kilns or lime storage depots, used for storing lime for the construction of roads, house building and construction or even the lime fruit warehouses etc, though the Abertillery House was a farm and later a surgery and had no evident connection to lime or limes.

There is also another possibility, the grounds of the house were full of trees, they may have been Lime Trees, and that may well be where it derived its name? 

In Oct 1898 it was stated that Dr Abernethy, assistant surgeon to Dr Williams had been taught by Dr G. H. Rogers, Surgeon Doctor at London who had been educated at the Lime House District of London. If Dr William Edwin Williams who had been educated in London 30 years previously had a connection to the same medical institution maybe that could explain the name change from Abertillery House to the Limes House in the 1870s?

In all early reports the house was called the Limes, there was a change in its spelling to the Lymes Club after WWI and was reported as such in many sports reviews and score cards from the darts and skittles leagues etc.

The Walpole and Llanhilleth Connection.
The 1840 tithe map shows that the land upon which the Walpole Arms was to be built was actually owned by Mr Edmund Williams, farmer at Cwm Court, Llanhilleth. Edmund Williams was the father of John Jones Williams, grandfather of Messrs W. E. & E. J. Williams.

Dr William E. Williams married Miss Adeline Mary Walpole in January 1898, around this time, the Walpole Arms at Llanhilleth was built, Messrs W. E. & E. J. Williams were the landowners and sold the land for the Walpole Arms to be built. I wonder if the name has any connection to Miss Adeline Mary Walpole, his fiancée, later wife at the time.

In the early 1900’s the council was reported to have reimbursed the Messrs Williams brothers for damage to a wall on their property close to the Walpole Arms and at the same time was in communication with Messrs Williams and a Percy Phillips with the intention to purchase more land from them to build a recreational ground at Llanhilleth, close to the Walpole Arms.