'My dearest Sarah' | A Bridgend Love Letter.

Detail of the letter. 

While going through the National Museum of Wales Collections, I came across a love-letter. Addressed to a 'Miss Sarah Al..' of the 'Glove and Shears, Bridgend', it is posted marked 14th of February 1845. It contains beautiful handwritten pieces of poetry.

"Excuse me, dear, for being so bold,

As not write your name in gold, 

the gold was scarce as you may think,

that made me write your name with ink."

(You can view the love-letter here.)

Detail of the letter.

Although the letter isn't signed and despite the lack of information, I have been able to trace the recipient of the letter. Her name was Sarah Allen and she was 20 years old when she received the letter. 

Sarah was baptised at St Mary's Church, Nolton on the 26th of November 1825. Sarah was one of eight children born to Isaac and Mary Allen of Oldcastle.

The 1841 Census tells us that Sarah was living with her family in Oldcastle. They lived in a house in what now is known as Nolton Street. At the time of the census, her father, Isaac is listed as a 'skinner & glover.'


The 'Lower Hamlet of Coity' Tithe Map of 1842 tells us that Isaac was paying 6d in tithes to Rev. John Harding. The landowner was the Earl of Dunraven and the apportionment is listed as 'House and Garden'. It is interesting to note that the house where the Allen family lived was next to the first Police House in Bridgend.

We know from the letter that at some point between 1842 and 1845, their dwelling became 'The Glove and Shears' Public House. We can assume that the public house takes its name after the occupation of its owner.

Bridgend Petty Sessions mentioning Isaac Allen. 

In 1845, Sarah then aged 20, received a love letter from her admirer. A month prior to receiving the letter, Sarah's mother, Mary, died aged 54 years old.

In September of the same year, Isaac was charged at Bridgend Petty Sessions with “keeping his house open after the hour of ten o'clock at night.” He was fined £1 7s 10d.

The 1851 Census tells us that the Sarah lived with her father and two of her brothers at 'The Glove & Shears'. Isaac, now a widower, was listed as being a 'skinner & publican'. John and Thomas his sons are also listed as a 'skinners'. Sarah, now aged 25, does not have a listed occupation.

The Welcome to Town, 1900. 

In 1851, Sarah married Thomas George, a local butcher, at St Mary's Church, Nolton. Thomas was baptised at St Mary's Church, Nolton on the 22nd of July 1821. He was the only child of William and Margaret George of Oldcastle. Thomas' father was a farmer who worked a stretch of land from Freeschool Court to Coychurch Road.

Sarah and Thomas had seven children, six of whom survived infancy.  

• Twin boys Isaac and William who were baptised in February 1854. 
• Thomas who was baptised in July 1855.
• Mary Margaret who was baptised in October 1857.
• Sarah Allen who was baptised in May 1859.
• Margaret who was baptised in November 1860 but sadly died five months later.
• Margaret who was baptised in June 1863.

The baptism record of their son Thomas lists his father Thomas as a 'Publican.' Later in 1859, a notice in 'The Cardiff Times' announcing the birth of Sarah and Thomas' daughter Sarah, lists Thomas as the landlord of the 'Welcome to Town'. 

The Welcome to Town Inn (now a derelict building) is situated on the junction of Nolton Street and Freeschool Court. It was the haunt of many travellers and locals during its 150+ years as a public house.

The 1861 Census tells us that Sarah and Thomas were living in Freeschool Court with their five children. Although the name of the dwelling isn't mentioned, we can assume that they were living at the 'Welcome to Town Inn.' The census record shows that the family employed a nurse and general servant.

On the 4th of January 1868, Sarah died aged 42 years old. Her cause of death is noted as pneumonia of which she had been suffering from for three weeks. The informant listed on her death certificate is John Cooke. John was the husband of Sarah's sister Elizabeth. John and Elizabeth lived a few doors down from the Welcome to Town Public House. As the address on the death certificate is simply given as Nolton Street, it could be that Sarah was at their residence when she died. Sarah was buried at St Mary's Churchyard, Nolton three days later.

The death certificate of Sarah George. 

The following year, the license for the 'Welcome to Town Inn' was transferred to John Davis and the family moved to Coychurch Road. In 1871 tragedy struck the George family again when their eldest son Isaac was 'lost with all hands' in the Barque Mangosteen. This was followed by the death of their son William in 1880 and their daughter Sarah in 1882. 

The 1871 Census shows that Thomas and his family were living at 13 Coychurch Road. Here Thomas lived with four of his children who are all listed as Scholars. Thomas is listed as being a butcher.

The 1881 Census shows that Thomas and his family were still living at the same address. Living with his three daughters, the census listed Thomas' occupation as a Butcher. His daughter Sarah is listed as a Dressmaker, Margaret is listed as a pupil-teacher and Mary does not have a listed occupation.

The 1891 Census shows Thomas living at the same address. Thomas lived there with his daughter Mary who is listed as a 'domestic housekeeper'. 

Thomas George died on the 20th of October 1892, aged 71 years. He was buried with his wife and children at St Mary's Churchyard, Nolton. 

The gravestone of Sarah and her family. 

The gravestone of Sarah and her family,

(Sources: NLW Welsh Newspaper Archive - NLW Wills - NMW Online Collections)