I have received another email from Kevin Larcombe with some further interesting information about the Parrot pub. He says:
The first photo shows the remains of the pub outer wall in the foreground (Facing Town End) when my grandfather was having the bungalow built, I’m probably accurate guessing 1967-68 period. The second shows the spiral steps and fireplace, we uncovered these when excavating around 1991
From memory of playing amongst the ruins including the cellar as a kid in the 70s the pub would not have been that big, The front of the pub must have been set back and not directly on the canal towpath. I seem to recall a Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company marker post set back about 15-20 feet from where I believe the towpath to have been, this was located near the front of the pub remains.
Also on the land here was the cottages No 9 and 10 Canal Bank, the adjacent number 8 Canal Bank was knocked down by Torfaen Council a few of years ago. The council had to buy it from the owner to avoid a court case because the owner intended taking them to the high court over access issues when the council removed the access to build the Osborne Rd bypass. The council then ended up with a property they could not sell, rent or demolish because there was no access to it. To solve this they waited until the property had been written off their assets and then purchased the adjacent property (Drill Hall House) under the premise that it was going to be used as part of the Hales House scheme.
I believe they only purchased Drill Hall House so they could hide their c*** up that forced them to purchase 8 Canal Bank to avoid a legal case. They never used Drill Hall House or the land at 8 Canal Bank for the Hales House scheme. After a few years left empty they then sold the property with the land from 8 Canal Bank included.
The Hales house scheme was forced upon us due to another Torfaen shambles as they had purchased the old TA Centre to build the proposed super school. This was funded out of the education budget and they got into a bit of a mess when the Welsh Assembly refused to provide a grant for the proposed super school because it was thought to be a poorly thought out plan by Torfaen Council.
I would like to thank Kevin for the information and the photographs. The latter I print below. It’s pleasing to know that, starting from a position of knowing nothing about the Parrot pub, not even knowing where it was, we now have some reliable information about some of its previous occupants, the exact spot where it was located, and also some photographs.
Tags: information about the Parrot pub, photos of the Parrot pub
Reminiscences of Old Pontypool 
July 31, 2011 at 11:53 pm |
Hello
My Gt Gt Grandfather William Jones lived at 11 Canal Bank from sometime after 1891 to 1937 when he died there. He had 14 children, but most died whilst living here. My Gt Grandfather Morgan Jones was born at West Place in 1889 and is on the 1901 census here. Just out of intrest, the Wakely family lived at No 10. The Dobels at No 9 and the Newmans at No 8
Darren
August 1, 2011 at 4:00 pm |
This is great, for a long time there has been a mistery as to the where about of this Pub,
August 3, 2011 at 7:00 pm |
I notice that ancestory.com lists the one of the occupants of 11 Canal Bank as Amy Jones aged 10 Months in 1939, I wonder if she is still with us and maybe a possible lead for further info.
I also came across some info previously (need to find it again) that listed 11… Old Parrot ??, it was either a mistake or the Parrot was number 11 Canal Bank. I also remember the filled in cellars remaining of another row of cottages the other side of the Parrot that would have been 11, 12 etc Canal Bank. In addition I also remember the derelict cottages (3 – 5 ?) at the other end of the lane near the old bridge that was just to the left of the old cottage that still exists near the bridge on Merchants Hill. We used to use this bridge as our rear vehicle access until it was removed in the 90s.
I believe cottages 5, 6 and 7 Canal Bank were demolished when the Drill Hall/Drill Hall House was built.
August 9, 2011 at 3:59 pm |
Hello Kevin
I thought Amy may have been one of My Gt Gt Grandfathers Grandaughters whos parents kept the house on when he died in 1937. Looking at Trevethin Burials, Unfortunatly it seems Amy died at 11 Canal Bank on the 1st of July 1939 aged 10 months.
August 10, 2011 at 2:37 pm |
Hi Kevin
I have been told that the Holder Family lived in no7, there son Peter went to Twmpath School
August 12, 2011 at 10:15 pm |
Michael,
I was told in the early 1980s by an elderly gentleman living in Trevethin that he visited a friend living in one of the cottages. If I recall correctly I’m sure he said they were living in the basement. It’s funny how things stick in your mind,but I have always remembered that the friends name was Alfie Holder.
I assumed at the time that it was either 9 or 10 Canal Bank, so it may be just a coincidence.
August 12, 2011 at 10:25 pm |
Darren,
I can just about remember an old couple called Higgins living in number 8 Canal Bank when was very young. (Early 70s)
I passed on a scanned copy of the ministry clearance order from 1939 that gave 30 days notice to vacate 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 Canal Bank. My grandfather told me that the order was not enforced until a much later date due to the outbreak of war. I understand that the properties were not vacated until sometime around the mid 1950s.
August 16, 2011 at 2:35 pm |
The Holder Family later went to live on the Sowhill, just down from the Donkey steps, but on the other-side of the road, Alfie worked at Hafod. collery
August 17, 2011 at 2:57 pm |
Kevin was your Grandfather Tom Tudor, Only I worked with a Gentle-man who was Building a house there, we use to travel to Cwmbran together, he was from the Pant origanaly,
August 19, 2011 at 6:58 am |
Michael,
My grandfather was Gwyn Tudor who was building the house, and yes he was from the Pant. (Tom was his brother)
I am guessing that you were travelling either to Girlings or Saunders Valves where he worked in those days.
April 7, 2013 at 9:51 pm |
I can remember Mr & Mrs Higgins from the 1960’s – Mr Higgins was a very tall man, I can also remember Tudor Bungalow being built. I used to live in Rockfield Terrace and my dad was born there in 1923, I knew nothing of the Parrot pub wish I had known earlier and I could have asked my late dad.