From the Merthyr Express 70 years ago today….
A Banking Milestone
Tag: Brecon Bank (Merthyr)
Destructive Fire at Merthyr
The article transcribed below appeared in the Western Mail 150 years ago today (4 May 1870).
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT MERTHYR
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
On Monday night a fire of great magnitude took place at Merthyr, destroying a large amount of property. It occurred on the premise, of Mr. Evan Meredith, draper, Waterloo House, in the High Street. The assistants were in the act of closing the shop, when the window next the Globe Tavern was seen to be on fire, the stuff in it, which was of a very inflammable nature, having, it is supposed, come in contact with the gas. The whole shop and the showrooms in an instant were in a blaze, and it was as much as the assistants, Mr. Meredith, his wife and children could do to escape from the burning house without injury.
The police, under the command of Mr. Superintendent Thomas, were on the spot without any delay with the fire apparatus and escape, but, as usual in these cases, the never-failing hitch took place. No water could be procured, and the turncock was nowhere to be found. A delay of the most vital importance now occurred, but the keys were at last secured. Two hydrants (one by the Court Arms, and the other by Messrs. White’s) were opened, but one would not work for a while. After a short period, the water began to run, but too late to save the house.
One hose was taken under the charge of Police-sergeant Dance through the Globe Tavern to its roof, from whence he played upon the back part of the burning building. The Superintendent worked the other upon the front part. Seeing after a time that all efforts would be fruitless to save either the house or the stock, the police devoted their energies to the work of saving the adjoining houses, (Mr. A. Gunn’s, confectioner, and the Globe Tavern) which were in imminent danger, the inmates having begun to remove their property. This they at length succeeded in doing, but not until considerable damage was done by fire and water to both houses.
About ten o’clock the roof fell in with a tremendous crash, and the fire was stayed for a moment only to return the next with still greater fury. Shortly after this the gas company turned off the gas leaving the streets and houses in pitch darkness, so that torches had to be used. This was done at the request of the police, the fire being continually fed by the escaping gas, the pipes having melted with the heat. By one o clock the fire had been got under, but the hose were plied with unflagging zeal until the early morning, at even which time the ruins were still smouldering.
The stock in the shop consisted mostly of the usual drapery goods, but just the kind of materials to make the best fuel for a fire. The total amount of damage done is as yet unknown, but it is no doubt very great. Of the building itself nothing is left but the principal walls. Mr. Meredith was insured in the Royal and Imperial Fire Insurance Offices.
The fire was seen from all parts of the district, and was compared to the light of a blast-furnace. An immense crowd collected, who, to their credit be it said, behaved in a most orderly manner. Too great praise cannot be given to Mr. Superintendent Thomas, Police-sergeants Dance, Thomas, Jennings, and the police for the quickness of their actions and the greatness of their exertions, the delay at the outset not falling on their shoulders. Volunteers came forward to assist in the work, and also deserve commendation. Among those most active were Mr. H. W. Lewis, engineer of Plymouth, with the hose; Mr. D. T. Richards, ironworks; Mr. Biddle, smith; Mr. Evan Davies, cabinet-maker; Mr. W. Brown, Court Arms; and Mr. Absalom Williams, miner, in rescuing furniture and giving other material assistance.
Great sympathy is felt by all parties in the town with Mr. Meredith in the great loss he has sustained. The escape of the four children was almost miraculous. They were sleeping in a bedroom close to the shop at the outbreak of the fire, and were rescued by Mr. Meredith and one of his assistants with very great difficulty. If they had been a minute or so later the children’s lives would have been sacrificed. Mrs. Meredith, at the writing of this report, is lying dangerously ill and great fears are entertained for her recovery. Mr. Meredith was rather severely burnt in trying to put the fire out.
Four of the assistants (two young ladies and two young men) and three servants are rendered well-nigh destitute by the calamity, all their clothes having been burnt, and having no home to go to. A subscription list has been opened, and already a handsome sum has been collected, the rector (Rev John Griffith, Mr. T. J. Evans of the Brecon Bank, and Mr. W. Harris, merchant, having headed the list with £10 each, and Messrs. Phillips and Evans with £5. Subscriptions may be received by Mr. W. Harris, merchant, and Mr. D. Phillips, of the firm of Phillips and Evans. It is to be hoped that the public will not be backward in responding to this worthy appeal.
It is not often that such a dire calamity as this comes upon this town, and the effect has been very great upon all classes of society. Thousands of people visited the scene of the fire yesterday, and on all sides were heard nothing but heartfelt expressions of sympathy with Mr. Meredith in his great affliction.
Memories of Old Merthyr
We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.
Memories crush upon me so rapidly with respect to the High Street, that one, at least, of those there in 1834 have slipped. It is the Printing, Bookselling and Stationery Establishment of Mr H W White. It was situated opposite to the the residence of Mr W James, just above the Globe Inn, on the same side. After his removal across the road to the corner, since occupied by Messrs Farrant and Frost, the business in those premises was in drapery. When first remembered by me it was the only one in town of note.
Mr White’s brother, Isaac, was the assistant in the shop, but there was a staff of persons in the printing and book-binding branches, two of whom are well recollected, one, Mr Rees Lewis, who afterwards opened on his own account in the shop adjoining the Bush Hotel, which business is now being carried on by his son; the other Benjamin Davies, who went to Australia and became a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria.
The shop was not large, but fully fitted. Noticing a bar of wrought iron about 2 ¼ diameter recently fixed, and asking the reason, I received a reply there was so much stock in the room above he was fearful of the joists giving way and causing very considerable damage. Thinking of Mr H W White recalls that he married one of the Misses Williams, of Mill Street, and as the others all married from there lest it may slip, I may state that one married Mr Thomas Joseph, another the Rev T Davies (minister of High Street Chapel then, but subsequently principal of Haverfordwest College), and the other Rev Enoch Williams (father of the present recorder of Cardiff).
We now return to John Street, and keeping on the first shop on the corner was kept by a David Davies – it was a draper shop on one side and grocery on the other. Its scrupulous cleanliness is yet impressed upon me. A son of Mr & Mrs Davies was a doctor at Mountain Ash for many years, and the first medical officer of health of the local board of that town. It cannot be stated positively whether Mr Edward Morgan’s residence came next or a few more doors above, but a watch and clock business was carried on by William Williams exactly opposite the entrance to Glebeland Street. He had a small square turret, say four feet square or so, projecting above the roof, an observatory from which the necessary observations were taken, to keep all his works in order it was said.
There was another house then used as a residence, and then the premises of the Brecon Old Bank, of which Mr David Evans was managing partner. These premises have been altered and enlarged.
Immediately abutting on these bank premises is the road leading to Thomastown. It was then nothing like as wide as it is now, and being, perhaps, the only one now living who can evidence what brought about the change, I will tell the tale.
The road was then only used as a thoroughfare to Professional Row and the Tramroad. After the building of St David’s Church and Schools it became expedient to enclose them. I was asked to make necessary drawings and superintend the carrying of it out. Subscriptions for this were not enough to carry the railings all around, so it was determined to build a wall on the southern side, but even a wall required money, and Dr Thomas, of the Court, after whom the district is named, was approached, and upon the promise of the wall being set back far enough to make a good opening contributed £90 towards its building, but it must not be understood that this took the road up as far as the Tramroad, for it covered only as far as the church property near.
Then came a garden appertaining to the end house of the row, and for this small additional distance I then heard £200 had been paid. There is no deed of conveyance with respect to the land given up by the church. It was all well-known to the committee, and that most excellent man – Rev James Colquhoun Campbell, then rector. Time has now given an irreproachable title for it was done over half a century ago.
To be continued at a later date…..
Memories of Old Merthyr
We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.
Above Gillar Street there was no opening on the right hand side used as a thoroughfare until John Street (now part of the entrance to the railway station) was come to, and John Street was really a private road, for there was a door across near the Tramroad, which was often locked. Then on the same side, adjoining the premises of the Brecon Bank, was a narrow road leading to the Tramroad and Professional Row.
On the left hand side, after Three Salmons Street, was the Swan opening, now called Swan Street I believe, and, with the exception of an opening into a malthouse and back entrance of three or four houses, there was no other until the one at the post-office (Glebeland Street) was come to.
The market was held in Three Salmons Street, along the High Street for a part, and in the yard between the ironmonger’s shop (now Mr Wm. Griffiths’s) and the next shop above. In Three Salmons Street a Mr Kay kept a boot and shoe establishment. At the corner was a druggist’s kept by one Farley. Mr Walter Smyth afterwards took this place, and subsequently moved to next door above, but which was then a butcher’s shop kept by Mr Lewis Lewis, who was also a partner with Mr David Williams, Ynyscynon, in collieries in Aberdare.
The next above was then, as now, an ironmonger’s kept by Job James who also had a business in Cardiff, then, I think, but am not quite sure, a saddler’s kept by Adney, then a draper’s, Mr William James, whose sobriquet of ‘Billy for Snuff’ was, no doubt, fully deserved. Mr Stephens (whose cottage in Mount Pleasant has been alluded to) also had a shop there, and Mr Daniel Thomas (a brother of Dr Thomas, of the Court) kept a leather and curriery business; while at the very corner, in a very small building, Francis Argust carried on boot and shoe making.
Crossing Swan Street, what is now the Court Arms was then the London Warehouse, kept by Mr Lewis; and above, in one of the three or four houses before coming to Mr James’s malthouse, Barclay and Perkins opened a place for the sale of their ales and stout.
The Bristol and West of England Bank was first opened in Merthyr in another of those houses. The manager at the opening was a Mr George Pearce. The Gable end of Mr James’s malthouse abutted on the High Street, an adjoining, standing back a couple of yards, was the residence of that gentleman. I have said ‘Billy for Snuff’, and it is but right to explain that it originated in his having his snuff (for High Dry and Queen’s were much in vogue) from Bristol by coach via the Passage near Chepstow rather than by slow sloop to Cardiff, and barge thence to Merthyr. No doubt it was kept freer from moisture as well as arriving earlier at its destination.
To be continued at a later date…..