Bull Inn, St. David Street
1835 Thomas & Elizabeth Burch - (Pigot’s Directory)
1841 Thomas & Elizabeth Burch
1844 Thomas & Elizabeth Burch - (Pigot’s Directory)
Hereford Times - 26th January 1850
23rd January, at his residence, the Bull Inn, Presteign, of which he had been landlord for many years, Mr. Thos. Burch, deeply regretted by a family to whom he had endeared himself as an exemplary husband and fond father, and by a very numerous circle of friends by whom he was respected for his blunt honesty and sincerity, and neighbourly conduct, to which few are equal, none superior.
Mr. Burch had been engaged throughout the Continental war, and had received medals for being engaged in many sieges and battles. A few weeks since we mentioned his having received the medal granted by Government for the survivors in the late war; and by no one, we believe, was it more highly merited.
Hereford Journal - 30th January 1850
PRESTEIGN.—On Saturday evening last, on occasion of the funeral of Mr. Thos. Burch, the late highly-respectable landlord of the Bull Inn (whose death is noticed in our obituary), the town presented a sombre appearance, all the shops being closed on the line through which the melancholy procession passed, and the lowered blinds of the private houses also showed the esteem in which the deceased had been held, thus offering a tribute of respect to the memory of departed worth. A heavy snow storm fell during the period occupied in conveying the body to the church, which did not lessen the effect previously produced. Mr. Thomas, the organist, chanted the services for the burial of the dead, and the earth closed upon one of the oldest veterans in the county: few being left to tell a tale of similar long service with the deceased.
Mr. Thos. Burch was born in the borough of Radnor, and at a early period in life enlisted in the 79th or Royal Cameronians: he served under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, in Egypt, 1801: through the whole campaign of the Peninsular war, and was also at Waterloo; and was wounded, though not dangerously, on several occasions. He was engaged in upwards of thirty battles, sieges, and skirmishes, and retired on a sergeant's pension after the battle of Waterloo. He had been presented with the Waterloo medal, and one from the Colonel of the 79th in 1817 for good conduct, and had also received the medal with six bars—Toulouse, Nevelle, Pyrenees, Fuentes, Busaro, Corunna. He had also sent in his claim, and was in expectation of receiving the medal given for the campaign in Egypt, for his services there.
1850 Elizabeth Burch (widow)
Hereford Times - 14th September 1850
SUICIDE.—We regret to have to announce that a very much respected and old inhabitant of this town, Mrs. Burch, of the Bull Inn, at an early hour on Wednesday morning, terminated her troubles and her existence together by hanging herself.
Mrs. Burch, since the death of her husband, which occurred some months ago, has been in a very low desponding state, and for the last month or five weeks much more so than usual. On the above morning she arose from her bed, desiring that her daughter, who had had a bad night, should rest a little longer. After coming downstairs the deceased proceeded with her domestic occupations as usual. Some time afterwards, however, her son, on going down into the cellar, was horrified at discovering his mother hanging in the doorway. He immediately raised an alarm, and neighbours rushed in; she was instantly cut down, and a medical gentleman was immediately on the spot, but she was already past all human aid, having been dead probably about half an hour. This sad event has caused a deep gloom to settle on the town, as the deceased, from her feeling disposition and high character as a neighbour and in every relation of life, was beloved and respected.
Hereford Times - 9th November 1850
BULL INN, PRESTEIGN.
Important Sale of HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, Superior Brewing Utensils, 200-Gallon Casks, Hogsheads, and Quarter Barrels, Excellent Feather Beds, China and Glass, Dinner Services, and other effects,
TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION,
BY WALTER BLUCK,
UPON the Premises, at the Bull Inn, PRESTEIGN on TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY, the 12th and 13th days of NOVEMBER, 1850. The Sale to commence at One o'clock precisely.
1851 Richard & Elizabeth Butler
Hereford Times - 22nd February 1851
PERMITTING A FIGHT IN A PUBLIC HOUSE
Mr. Rd. Butler, landlord of the Bull Inn, Presteign, appeared to answer an information preferred against him for having on Saturday night, the 18th ult., allowed persons to fight in his house, and also for obstructing P.S. Dixon, by refusing to admit him into the said house.
A respectable witness named Weaver deposed to the persons fighting in the house, and also said that the landlord did the best he could to prevent them.
Butler in defence, said that he did all that lay in his power to prevent them fighting, and that he did not know it was the policeman who was at the door.
He was ordered to pay, fine and costs 19s.
1859 James & Sarah Meredith - (Slater’s Directory)
1861 James & Sarah Meredith
Hereford Journal - 24th January 1863
PRESTEIGN.
DISTRESSING SUICIDE IN THE COUNTY GAOL.— On Friday last this usually quiet town was thrown into a state of excitement by the intelligence that a man named Thomas Burch, aged 40 years, a native of Presteign, and who was sent to prison on the 6th of January for 14 day's hard labour for leaving his wife chargeable to the parish, had committed suicide by hanging himself by attaching his neckerchief to the cell window.
On Saturday the Coroner, W. Stephens, Esq., held an inquest on the body of the deceased, when Mr. Verdon, the Governor, deposed to seeing deceased a short time before his death, (about 12 o'clock,) when he asked permission to go to his night cell, feeling unwell and in pain from a rupture, which he allowed. The turnkey let him into his cell, and he laid down upon his bed. In about an hour after the turnkey took his dinner to him, when he found him apparently standing by the window, and he immediately told him (Mr. Verdon.) of it, but when he arrived deceased was quite dead but warm. G. H. Holden, Esq., surgeon, was called in, but life was quite extinct.
The jury returned a verdict of Temporary Insanity, and deceased was buried on Saturday evening, about 40 of the members of the Old Friendly Society of this town attended the funeral.
The father and mother of deceased kept the Bull Inn for many years, and were highly respected. It is a strange fact that deceased's mother hung herself 8 or 10 years ago.
1871 James & Sarah Meredith
1875 James & Sarah Meredith - (Worrall’s Directory)
Hereford Journal - 16th March 1878
SALE. - that old-established and full-licensed inn, known as The Bull, with garden, yard, and buildings, situate in St. Davids-street, containing 34 perches or thereabouts, purchased by Mr. Green for £400.
1880 James & Sarah Meredith - (Slater’s Directory)
1885 James & Annie Burt
Eddowes's Journal - 21st October 1885
PRESTEIGN. TRAP ACCIDENT.—On Saturday Mr. James Burt, landlord of the Bull Inn in this town, left here in a trap for the purpose of driving Mr. W. Powell. who represents Messrs. Watkins, brewers, of Hereford, to Bleddfa. They were going at a rapid rate, and, in turning the sharp corner at the Dolley Bridge, came into contact with the stonework of the bridge, upsetting the occupants, breaking the ribs both of Mr. Powell and Mr. Burt, and inflicting a wound of a serious character on Mr. Burt's head. Mr. Powell had his injuries attended to, and was able to proceed home to Hereford in the evening. Mr. Burt, however, is lying in a critical condition.
1888 James & Annie Burt
James Burt died at the Bull on 7th January 1891, aged 46 years.
1891 Annie Burt
Leominster News - 7th September 1894
Mr Wakelin applied for the license of the Bull Inn (lately held by Mrs A Burt), to be transferred to Mr William Burt, the application was granted.
1895 William Burt - (Kelly’s Directory)
William Burt was the son of James & Annie Burt
1897 David Pritchard
In 1895 David Pritchard had been running the Duke's Arms, Presteign.
1901 Herman & Ada Strauss
1910 William A. J. Steiner - (Kelly’s Directory)
1911 William & Alice Steiner
The Brecon Radnor Express - 16th September 1915
Presteign Blaze.
ALARMING CONFLAGRATION.
FIRE BRIGADE'S GOOD WORK. - Soon after midnight, on Tuesday, in last week, an outbreak of fire occurred in premises at the rear of the Bull Hotel, the property of Mr Wm. Steiner, and the residence of Dr. Lower, in David street, Presteign. At the back of these premises there is a range of outbuildings used as stables and a coach-house, wooden built, on the Bull side, and on the premises of Dr. Lower, and immediately adjoining, a range of outhouses, timbered buildings, and communicating with the front part of St. David's. Both these ranges of buildings were quickly one mass of flame, and the old timber which entered largely into the construction of the property being ignited, there was much fear that the conflagration would spread to the main parts of the dwelling-houses of the Bull Hotel and St. David's, so closely were the two premises connected. Luckily the wooden buildings at the back of the Bull Hotel were separated, although only by a few feet, from the hotel itself, and the efforts of the brigade, who were promptly on the spot, and worked with a will, assisted by plenty of volunteers, were directed to preventing the further spread of the flames in that direction, which they succeeded in doing. Meanwhile, owing to the buildings at the back of Dr. Lower's premises being internally connected with the main part of the dwelling-house, the flames rapidly spread, and it was feared would be ignited, there was much fear that the conflagration already partly destroyed the scullery and kitchen, and with commendable foresight the Brigade devoted their attention to separating the main part of the premises from the back offices. To this end the firemen got on the roof, and cut a passage right through from the roof to the ground floor, thus separating the portion on fire from the part of the premises which had not yet been reached by the flames. The brigade then played the hose on the burning back offices, and after a time succeeded in getting the fire under sufficiently to prevent any danger of its spreading any farther. At one time it seemed as if the flames would ignite and destroy the whole block of buildings, as well as a dwelling-house belonging to Mr J. R. Powell, which closely adjoins, and the buildings comprising the Radnorshire Arms stables and coach-houses, as there were some wooden sheds across the yard which were scorched by the flames, but by playing water on to these buildings the danger was averted. As it was, the whole of the buildings used as stables and out-offices at the back of the Bull Hotel, and the range of out- buildings, scullery, and kitchen at the back of St. David's were practically totally destroyed, and the damage must run into some hundreds of pounds. The Fire Brigade captain (Mr J. J. Griffiths) was away from home, and the brigade was under the charge of the superintendent (Mr William Lewis.) The whole brigade worked coolly and well, and there is no doubt they were instrumental in saving the property from destruction. There was an abundant supply of water from the various hydrants, but we hear the brigade were rather hampered for want of more hose. The property is, we understand, covered by insurance.
1923 John Ellams - (Kelly’s Directory)
1939 Marjorie G Bough (married Horace J J Cadwallader in 1940)