THE RED COW AND THE GRAND HOTEL.

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I wrote all this stuff about old Cardiff with major reference to the ancient Pubs, Taverns and Inn`s that once populated the town, I wrote all this during the Covid lockdown, I was still working but I was board in work so started researching Cardiff pubs, leaving the pubs of the smaller town of Bridgend to some other time in the future, I still have not began the old castle part of Bridgend yet.

I will admit I did not realise how much time and effort I would need to put into the Cardiff project, but saying that, I have found it extremely interesting and have been fascinated by some of the facts and places I have uncovered with my research, I thought I would bore you guys with the interesting bits I have found.

Enjoy the moments guys, they are very fleeting.

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CARDIFF ONE.

The Red Cow pub and The Grand Hotel.

(Photo 1) . Womanby Street early 1880s looking towards the Castle. The Red Cow and the Horse and Groom side by side on the left of the photo, the street is probably the oldest street in Cardiff, it is believed the street name as Viking origins, in the background is the clock tower of Cardiff castle.

These two distinctly different kind of businesses were oddly connected and linked together for seven years.

The Red cow was a very old pub, in one of the oldest parts of Cardiff, Womanby street, the Red Cow was also one of the oldest pubs in Cardiff dating back to the early 1700`s, And maybe even earlier before that date, the Grand hotel was built on wasteland in 1886, facing Westgate street, it was built on land with the Horse and Groom and the Red Cow pubs Directly behind it.

The connection between the old ancient public house and this large imposing building lies in a deception.

The Grand hotel used the same licence as the Red Cow, and were run under the same licence for seven years.

When the authorities discovered the licence was covering two separate businesses of different requirements, the Grand hotel was told to close the Red Cow and its entrance on Womanby street permanently.

At the time the red cow had a good trade with large numbers of farmers on market days, particularly on Saturdays, and just like its neighbour next door the Couch and Horses public house were very busy, with the local inhabitants of Cardiff.

The Red Cow severed its last pint, and closed its doors for the last time in September 1893.

The Horse and Groom pub which was literary next door absorbed the trade that the old pub had turned away.

(The Horse and Groom is now called FUEL, a themed biker bar)

The Red Cow was left to rot, and fall into disrepair, a sad end to a popular busy old pub.

The double use of the licence came to the notice of the licensing board because of two licensing offences in 1893.

The first offence for selling beer on a Sunday, and the second offence for supplying liquor to a policeman while he was on duty.

The Grand hotel at this time in its existence was in a terrible state of disrepair, it was said that there were several cracks in the walls in numerous places around the hotel and that the whole front was sinking towards the river, and the floors were leaning outwards.

There was water coming through the roof and the walls.

The place was so damp in the lower apartments that the servants could not stay there.

The billiard room was damp, dark and dirty, the two club-rooms and several bedrooms were in such a state that visitors could not remain in them.

The hotel had only been open for seven years.

( Photo 2 ) . Map of the area showing location of the grand hotel and the red cow, 1888.

Between 1887 and 1893 the Red Cow was renamed The Grand Hotel Vaults, but the regulars still called it the Red Cow.

It has been stated that the basement of the hotel was very damp and on one occasion after a thunderstorm there was one and half inches of water on the floor of the kitchen.

The landlord at the time in the 1890`s Mr Evan John had great difficulty in keeping his servants, because of the dampness of the building.

The hotel was sold at auction in 1891 for the grand some of £2,000, which included the outbuildings and stables.

Even in the condition that the hotel was in, the hotel was still excepting guests, and running as a going concern.

After the offences the licensing board granted the hotel its licence, but the Red Cow was to be closed for good.

In 1900 the licence was transferred from a Sidney Nicholls who was a Welsh rugby international to a Gwyn Nicholls, on granting the licence it was stated that parts of the hotel were in a dilapidated condition.

The Hotel in its early years was very popular with local sporting society’s, smoking concerts were held at the hotel were people smoked while they listened to music.

Some of the society’s included, Trade union meetings, the Jewish amalgamated society of tailors, and the Cardiff borough Cycling club.

In 1893 the hotel advertised as providing “splendid accommodation for visiting football teams”.

In 1908 the hotel caught fire, the fire began in the hotels bar, it was discovered in the early hours at around 3.30 am, the hotel manager a Mrs Rosser ran down to the fire station in her night clothes to alert the fire station which was just below Quay street junction.

There were ten people trapped on the third floor including her six-year-old daughter, the trapped gusts could not escape down the staircase as smoke billowed towards the upper floors.

The firemen rescued all the guests and Mrs Rosser daughter through the upper stories windows.

Today in 2022 the hotel house’s 22 modern flats and a restaurant.

Hopefully they have fixed the damp problem.

( Photo 3 ) . The Grand Hotel, Westgate street, 2020.

( Photo 4 ) . A proposed image of the hotel and theatre before they were built 1885.

( Photo 5 ) . The landlady/ manageress of the Grand Hotel Mrs Rosser and her daughter.