Cornish Arms, King Square
The story in Llanelli starts with Holden’s Trade Directory listing Mary Ball as a victualler. At that time the location of the premises were not listed. Llanelli was a small developing town and everyone knew everyone else so there was no necessity to indicate exact locations.
Pigot’s Trade Directory of 1830 lists Mary Ball as landlady of the Cornish Arms (King Square). There was another Cornish Arms (now the Bucket and Spade) in Seaside which was managed by John Shambrook in 1830.
Mary Griffith, who was born in 1757, married William Ball and they had a daughter, Elizabeth Ball, who later married John Billing of St Columb, Cornwall.
In 1866 Mrs Suzannah Rees was landlady of the Cornish Arms, King Square.
Pigot's Trade Directory of 1897 shows that the Cornish Arms, King Square was managed by Elizabeth John.
Because Llanelli was a port the sailors and tradesmen had regular contact with the Somerset, Devon and Cornish ports. Many Cornishmen married into local families and vice versa. It was common practice for the wives of mariners to run local licensed premises whilst their men were at sea.
Extract from the notebook of Police Sergeant John Evans No 4,
dated Saturday 3 December 1898
‘About 2.30 am one John Davies of Caradog Street a convicted thief apprehended and locked up by PC Reynolds charged with burglary. He was caught in the act of breaking into the Cornish Arms, King Square. Found town otherwise quiet. Retired at 6.00 am.’
Note in margin of notebook
‘Examined the parlour window of the Cornish Arms and found marks on the bolt as if it had been recently tampered with the paint being scrapped off.’
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Page updated Saturday May 19, 2007