Introduction
This
page is a continuation of the author's original posting
about the Victoria Hotel, Penygroes, entitled "Just
some old memories by
Graham Bell ~ November 2006".
»» Read the original posting by following this link (there is a link back to this page at the end of the original posting)
"Memories of
the Llanfair Arms"
by Graham Bell ~ December
2007
Since posting my Pen y Groes Victoria Hotel Memories,
I have had various messages from people who have
read them, including one from the daughter of a
previous landlord. Additionally please see
the following document, which is part
of some e-mail correspondence concerning
the Llanfair Arms which may kindle more memories
from nantlle.com readers.
Image: an
old photo taken by my dad or mum of one of the locals
showing
off his horses outside
the pub garage (enlarge this image  ).
Best Regards,
Graham.
Dear Graham,
I have just been reading
the Nantlle Valley website, just thought I could share
my findings with you.
I have been tracing my
family tree and in the 1851 census Llandwrog, my great
great
grandmother Margaret
Williams aged 32 years old was married to Owen
Williams
who worked as a butler in Glynllifon park. Margaret Williams was living at
the Llainfair Arms Groeslon, an employer of the
inn. She lived at the Llainfair arms
with her children which included my great grandmother Ellin aged 2 years
old. Margaret remained at the inn for another 30 years.
In 1881 Owen and Margaret
were 63 and 62 years old, working as innkeeper and farmers of 35 acres.
A
few years ago my sister and I visited the pub, though
unfortunately the name had changed. We were taken
into the cellar which I found fascinating.
It seemed
amazing that we were in the place of our ancestors.
Do you have any information
on the Llanfair arms even stories of the past? Photographs
etc I would love to hear.
Yours sincerely,
Linda Magrath.
Hello Linda,
Unfortunately I have been unable to trace any previous
landlords of the pub before my father and mother
were looking after it. I have checked various census
results up to 1901 without much success but will
try again with the info you have
indicated.
I can only relate to when we lived there so----
As you will see from my
memories - we as the Bell family,
took the pub on from the Brewers Marston Thompson and
Evershed of Burton on Trent (note-they do not have
any records of pre war tenancy as their files are only
from the recent years due to modernisation of their
record keeping in the 60's/70's) c1946 until 1953 and
my father was landlord and ran the garage + taxi service.
My mother ran the the B&B
side of the pub as well as looking after me and my
brother and helping out in the bar.
I remember that
when I was about 7 or 8 we cleared out the first outbuilding
next to the cottage part
of the building (the right hand side of the pub looking
at the front door)--this had been a stable because
it had a cobbled floor and we found an ancient flint
lock musket and an old mandolin that both I and my
brother played with for many years both unfortunately
were lost in time.
The pub in those days,
consisted from left to right of the bar, an outdoor
snug for
off licence take away,
a parlour where the old farmers and railway station
manager used to drink mulled beers in winter - they
would heat up the iron poker in the coal fire and then
put it into their pewter tankards of ale to get a "winter
warmer".
To the rear of these rooms
towards the back garden and railway line, there was
a corridor that connected
all 3 with access to the gents urinals, cellar trapdoor
and the upstairs landing then ran to the right down
some 3/4 steps into the living accommodation which
consisted of a parlour,living room leading to a small
kitchen with access into a tiny yard with outside loo
and a coal shed there were some 6/7stone steps up into
the large long garden that ran the full length of the
property.
To the right of the living accommodation was the stable/store
room mentioned above, the garage office and battery
charging area a garage for 1 taxi then a small parking
area in front of the main garage building where my
father did welding and other repairs + garaged the
second family car-cum-taxi.
In front of the "office" there
was the hand cranked petrol pump with a BP globe on
top and later it was replaced by a new fangled electric
dispenser with a glass Shell on top.
Upstairs there
were 3 bedrooms and a new bathroom that my father made
from a box room again all linked
via
a landing at the rear of the house.
I have no bad memories
of living there, only a child's recollections of a
great place to play, with all the
attractions of a rural country life. Lots of small
tales keep coming back such as the "pet" orphan
lambs we reared, that mysteriously disappeared when
they got big enough and we had chops and roasts at
week ends...
One of the ram lambs "Larry",
I taught to butt the farmers as they bent over the
fire to make their mulled beer... this being great
sport for me but not appreciated by one of the farmers
who
ended 1/2 way up the chimney and Larry was banished
from the house to the outside shed during opening hours.
That's
it as I remember, if you get any more history, let
me know
Best regards,
Graham.
If you have any more history about the Llanfair Arms, please do let nantlle.com and Graham know by sending e-mails to:
nantlle.com: post@nantlle.com
Graham: gbell.orchardcottage@btinternet.com |
