A Pint of History Please

Exploring the History of Ceredigion's Pubs

Details of pub: Wine Vaults, Aberystwyth

Other names: Watkins' Vaults; Fear's Vaults; Hardings' Vaults; North Parade Hotel
Address/Location: Terrace Road/ North Parade
OS Grid Ref: SN5844181758
Opened: c.      
Closed: 1937       Type: Pub
Summary: 29 Terrace Road (corner of Terrace Road and North Parade, where the Barnardo’s charity shop now is).

This sold alcohol wholesale and in bottles but was marked as a public house on a map in about 1900. Its earliest record dates to 1840 when William Watkins lived there as a beer retailer. By 1851, Jones and Watkins were selling imported wines and spirits. John Watkins continued to sell wine and spirits wholesale there until 1900 when Theodore Fear leased it from the owners, David Roberts, the brewers of Trefechan, who owned many pubs in Aberystwyth. Theodore Fear retired early and died young, and the stores were Taken over by Emil H Harding by 1909. It appears that he continued to manage the business until the building was demolished to make way for Burton’s new shop which was opened in 1938.


Notes: 1840
William Watkins
occupation: beer retailer
address: Terrace Road
source: Robson's trade directory 1840

1849
Jones and Watkins
occupation: Wine, spirit and Porter merchant
address: 1 Terrace Road
source: Hunt and Co, 1849

1851
Jones and Watkins (successor to the late Evan Jones)
Importers and dealers in Foreign Wines, Spirits etc
I Terrace Road, North Parade
[List of items for sale]
Morgan, T.O., (1851), Guide to Aberystwyth and its Environs, (2nd edition) page f

1869
Watkins, John, occupation Spirit Merchant ,
house no.: 1 Terrace Road
source Morgan, T.O., (1869), Guide to Aberystwyth and its Environs (5th edition) page 179
date: ..1869 1986.294.1 advert

1871
John Watkins
occupation: wine and spirit merchant
29 (old number 1) Terrace Road
source: Post Office, 1871

1874
Watkins, John, occupation wine and spirit merchant,
house no.: Terrace Road Established 1833, corner of North Parade and Terrace Road source Anon, (1874), Morgan's New Guide to Aberystwyth, adverts section page 29
date: ..1874 advert

1884
John Watkins
occupation: wine and spirit merchant
address: 1 Terrace Road
source: Kelly's trade directory, 1884

date?
John Watkins, 1, Terrace-road, Aberystwyth, (involved in the Cardiganshire Agricultural Show).

1.5.1900
New lease for Mr Watkins property on corner of Terrace Rd and North Parade – conditions
Aberystwyth Town Council Minutes, Ceredigion Archives, ABM/SE/1/4

1900
Messrs David Roberts and Sons Ltd. to John Watkins Esq
of 16 North Parade and The Terminus Hotel
16 North Parade leased for 75 years to John Watkins from 12.11.1896, transferred to David Roberts, 13.6.1900
Mortgage, dated 30.6.1900, £6,000
NLW Roberts and Evans, Aberystwyth deeds 4; CG1/9

1900
J Watkins wholesale and retail wine and spirit merchant
29 Terrace Road
source: Bennett's Business Directory, 1900corner with north Parade

1900
NEW SHOPS AND NEW BUSINESSES AT ABERYSTWYTH
Along Terrace road we find more improvements, the first to catch the eye being that of Mr T Ellis, draper. These premises have been largely extended and improved and a commodious showroom added to the establishment. The front sign in a bold white enamel is a striking feature amongst the other shops.
Montgomery County Times, 2.6.1900

1900
WINES AND SPIRIT
Mr Theodore Fear, who has taken Messrs Watkins's wine and spirit business, announces in another column that in future the business will be carried on by him. Wines and spirits of the best qualities will be sold, the whole of the bonded stores having been purchased by him from Messrs Watkins.
CN 27.7.1900

1901
F. FEAR (Late John Watkins), WINE, SPIRIT, STOUT, AND ALE MERCHANT, BOTTLER OF BASS'S AND GUINNESS'S AND Co.. OPPOSITE THE POST OFFICE, ABERYSTWYTH. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. ESTABLISHED 1833.
CN 31.5.1901

1905
Petty Sessions: Aberystwyth; number on list: 47; name of premises: Wine and Spirit Vaults; Parish / Place: Aberystwyth; Licensee: Fear, Theodore M.; owner or tenant : tenant; registered owner : David Roberts and Sons; free or tied: tied; tied to: Aberystwyth Brewery; type of licence: full; on or off licence: on; number of licenced days per week: 6. (1905 list)

1906
Thomas Frank Fear
occupation: wine and spirit merchant
Terrace Road
source: Kelly's, 1906and 16 North Parade

1909
At the weekly Petty Sessions on Wednesday, before J. D. Perrott, Edward Evans, and W. J. Watkins, Esqrs., the licence of the Wine Vaults, Terrace-road, was transferred from Mr Theodore Fear to Mr Harding of Manchester.
CN 8.10.1909

1910
29 Terrace Road stores
occupier: T. F. Fear and Co
Owner: David Roberts and Son
Gross annual value: £30
source: Duty on land values, 1910, Ceredigion Archives T/DV/2, page 85 no. 1708

1910
29 Terrace Road offices
occupier: J Mathias and Co
Owner: David Roberts and Son
Gross annual value: £35
source: Duty on land values, 1910, Ceredigion Archives T/DV/2, page 85 no. 1709

1910
29 Terrace Road
T. F. Fear occupation: wine and spirit merchant
source: Wales Trades' Directory

1912
Ellis, T., occupation draper & silk mercer,
house no.: 29 Terrace Road
source Jones, W., (1912), Aberystwyth Almanack page 6
date: ..1912 AYB20 advert

1914
Emil H Harding [see photograph by Gyde]
occupation: wine and spirit merchant
address: Terrace Road and 16 North Parade
source: Kelly's trade directory 1914

1914
Thomas Ellis and Co
occupation: draper
address: 29 Terrace Road
source: Kelly's trade directory 1914

1915-1930
29 Terrace Road
Thomas Ellis and Co. occupation: draper
source: Wales Trades' Directory

1915-1918
29 Terrace Road
E. H. Harding occupation: wine and spirit merchant
source: Wales Trades' Directory

1920
Emil H Harding
occupation: wine and spirit merchant
29 Terrace Road
source: Kelly's, 1920and 16 north Parade

1926
Wine Vaults, 16 North Parade, Aberystwyth
Among the many freehold properties owned by David Roberts and Sons, 31.3.1926
NLW, Roberts and Evans, David Roberts of Trefechan; CB7/7

1937
Building demolished

1938
Burton's draper's shop opened.



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