Thomas Arms, Thomas Street
Thomas Arms, Thomas Street
When the Post Office arrived in Llanelli in 1811 the Swansea to Carmarthen railway had not been built and the mail arrived by coach and horses. At first these would have been accommodated at the Falcon Inn, but it was not long before another coach house was established at the top end of Thomas Street and was known as ‘The Thomas Arms’.
The Thomas Arms was probably built around 1828 when farmers of the parish gave materials for the building, thinking it was going to be a vicarage for the Reverend Ebenezer Morris, vicar of Llanelli Parish Church. The farmers, who did not charge for the building materials, were annoyed and frustrated when they realised that the building was going to be used as an hotel for Rees Goring Thomas and not as a residence for their vicar.
On 3 January 1829 an announcement appeared in The Cambrian newspaper advertising the letting of the Thomas Arms. It was placed by the Reverend Ebenezer Morris acting as Agent for Rees Goring Thomas. It seems that the first advertisement was not successful and the vicar had to re-advertise in the September of 1829. The property was finally leased in January 1832.
Apparently, at the initial ‘house warming’ at the Thomas Arms a little too much ‘Cwrw Dda’ or Good Ale was consumed which led to a fracas between the Reverend Morris and a Carmarthenshire Magistrate, John Edward Saunders, JP. As a result of the dispute the Magistrate was carried to another room by his friends.
Pigot’s Trade Directory of 1830-31 lists the Thomas Arms with William Lover as proprietor.
1835 Elizabeth Hulm was the proprietress of the Thomas Arms and Posting House.
1844 The Thomas Arms and Posting House was managed by Thomas Thomas (Thomas was obviously a very popular name).
1851 Thomas Thomas had died and his wife Elizabeth was managing the Thomas Arms with her daughters, Sarah Morris, Catherine Thomas and Elizabeth Thomas.
1861 John Eynon, Innkeeper and Postmaster and his wife Jane were managing the Thomas Arms and continued to do so until he retired.
The Thomas Arms and the Sea Level Debate
In 1951 there was much discussion about whether the Thomas Arms in Thomas Street was above or below sea level. Even 50 years later stories were still being told about the fact that at one time the River Lliedi lapped around the steps of the famous hotel.
A letter to the editor of the Llanelly Star in 1951 from G D Morris and E D Lewis, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, settled the query when they answered aquestion that had appeared in the paper a few weeks earlier.
"The 1” OS map will show that the crossroads in front of
the hotel is just over 50ft above sea level. If that is not sufficient
proof a little thought will make it clearer. The river Lliedi flows near
Buckley’s Brewery that is below the Thomas Arms. Since the river has to flow down to the
sea level the Thomas Arms must be above sea level."
© W & B Rees & ARTdesigns 2004/2006
Page updated
Friday May 18, 2007