Dyfed Family History Society

ON September 26 members enjoyed an interesting talk on Carmarthen’s Postal History by Howard Jones.

In 1827 Thomas Telford was commissioned to survey the Mail Road from Gloucestershire via Carmarthen to Milford. He recommended that Hobbs Point, Pembroke be the new port for the Irish Mail with a new road from St Clears.

From 1783 to 1815 the Post Office was in a Ships Chandlers & Tallow Shop in St Mary’s Street. In the 1841 Census it was at 8 Spilman Street which is now the Spilman Hotel (meeting place of the DFHS Carmarthen Branch). The Postmaster was Mr John Matthews who was appointed in 1816 until his death at the age of 77 in 1858. He became the longest serving Carmarthen Postmaster.

In March 1849 Ann Matthews aged 28, the Postmasters youngest daughter who was the Postmaster’s Assistant, was convicted at the Carmarthen Assizes of stealing from the Carmarthen Post Office and was transported to Tasmania, Australia for 10 years.

In August 1865 the Post Office moved to 8 King Street, the house of the late Mr D Morris MP. By 1907 a new Post Office was built and opened next door to it. The old Post Office then became the Carmarthen Journal Office. When the Carmarthen Journal Office moved further down King Street the building was demolished and a new building was put in its place between 1950/54. It became an extension to the Post Office which was still in use when it closed in February 2014 on relocation to WH Smith.

The final part of the talk was an impressive display of items of old letters depicting the various types and styles of the postmarks that the Carmarthen Post Office used from the 1730’s to the present day.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 31, at 7.30pm at the Spilman Hotel, Spilman Street, Carmarthen when Adam Whitehouse will give a presentation on the Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership. Non-members are welcome to attend.