Hello,

My name is Mary Richards Hoy and I live in the US.

Recently I was moving my elderly mother out of her home and found a business card for Benjamin Richards, who I believe is my great grandfather. The business card reads as follows:

Benjamin Richards
Swan Inn,Castle Gates,
(opposite the railway station)
Shrewsbury
Wines and Spirits of the Finest Quality
Refreshments, Beds, &c.

I immediately searched on Shrewsbury online, and found that there is also a Shrewsbury in Pennsylvania here in the States.

However, I tend to believe that my great-grandfather came from your area. I do know that he emigrated to the US from England and that he was of Welsh descent.

Anyone who is a historian and may have any information that could help me trace my family roots may contact me at my e-mail address, mrhoy@comcast.net.

Thank you!

Yup that address is of Shrewsbury, England.

Good luck. :)

Castle Gates is a street that still exists but there is no longer a "Swan Inn" situated there.

PS I think there's also a Shrewsbury in Massachusets.

hello mrhoy

the Swan was at 11,Castle Gates.It was listed in directories from 1856 until 1925.

In January 1934 the building would have been knocked down to make way for the Granada theatre,now a Gala bingo hall.

do you know when your great grandfather was there?

in 1895 the landlord was Samuel Lewis.
in 1899 it was called the Swan Vaults and J.P.Salisbury was proprietor.

s.g.d.

Just had a 10 minute search through the census - I have found Ben(jamin) Richards in three places, and with more searching could probably tie him down further.

In 1881, Ben Richards (aged 40, born in Berriew, Montgomeryshire - in Wales, but not particularly far from Shrewsbury) is listed as 'hotel keeper' at the Swan at 11 Castle Gates, St Mary's, Shrewsbury. The only other member of his family is his wife Mary Ann Richards (also aged 40, born in Ketley, Shropshire). At the same address was a 15 year old barman and 4 hotel guests (all of whom had the occupation of 'cattle dealer', understandable because Shrewsbury's main livestock market was a few hundred yards away at the time, and right up to the 1950s I believe).

In 1861, Ben Richards (aged 20) was living at an address in Pontesbury, Shropshire ( a village about 10 miles west of Shrewsbury) and working as a servant.

In 1851, Benjamin Richards (aged 11) was living in Vaynor Uchaf, Montgomeryshire with his father (also called Benjamin Richards, aged 41), mother (Mary Richards, aged 40) and brother Jake Richards (aged 4).

I couldn't find any information about Ben Richards's children, which is annoying; and also, the 1891 census records that I'm using are missing the relevant bits of Castle Gates, so I can't tell whether he was still at the Swan later.

Hope this is of some use.

Hi mrhoy,

If Town Walls is correct in his findings then Benjamin Richards is no longer at the Swan in 1891 but there is a Mary A Morris at that address listed as a publican and born in Wellington.

She is married but there is no husband present on census night. There is a son though aged 18 who has the surname Richards ( apologies but my eyesight is awful and I cannot make out the first name but it looks like Alfred)

Hope this helps!

For all the Shrewsburies (erm! :blink: ) in the world, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrewsbury_(disambiguation)

:)

Benjamin died in 1884 (or late in 1883) -
Benjamin Richards, d. Mar qr 1884 (44), Atcham, GRO ref 6a, 473.

Mary Ann remarried in 1885 -
Mary Ann Richards and Samuel Henry Morris married Dec qr 1885, Atcham, 6a - 1294.

So Mary was still running the Swan in 1891, like Shropshirelass says. I think the son's name is Alfred, too, but I haven't found him in the earlier censuses yet. If Benjamin was your great-grandfather then we need to find at least one child of his. Was your grandfather called Alfred or are there other children to look for?