Former French masonic chapter, Abergavenny

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Link to French translationFormer French masonic chapter, 22 Monk Street

From 1740 to 1815 Great Britain and France were almost constantly at war with one another. Many thousands of prisoners were taken. Some of these were sent to Abergavenny – a much more pleasant place than the rotting boat hulks in Portsmouth Harbour! The soldiers were housed in the castle and in barns. The officers were housed in private houses and often given hospitality by British Freemasons. At this time, Freemasonry was popular in the French army and the British army.

The French Freemasons set up a French chapter at 22 Monk Street, previously a school. Four of the masonic certificates issued in 1813 and 1814 are still kept in St John's Church, Abergavenny, where the Masonic Lodges meet today. After peace was declared, the prisoners were repatriated.

On 23 July 1821 this property became John Pocock’s Hope House Academy, an expensive day and boarding school “for the instruction of young gentlemen in a commercial, classical and mathematical education”. It even boasted a tennis court at the rear. Initially the fee for boarding pupils was 25 guineas for the year, and washing cost an extra two guineas. There were additional charges for French, drawing and music.

John Pocock had an established academy in Prospect Place, Bristol. He died just days after the Abergavenny school opened. His brother George continued the ventures.

The National School for girls was subsequently at Hope House, until the property became the offices and boardroom of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway Company. The company was founded in 1859 to build a railway line through challenging terrain to tap the industrial output of Heads of the Valleys towns. Much of the route west of Llanfoist is now a walking and cycling route.

The company’s half-yearly meeting here in 1863 was chaired by industrialist and MP Crawshay Bailey. The directors reported that a new Bill had been introduced in Parliament for the company to raise more money to double-track the new railway (then one track for both directions). The railway between Abergavenny and Brynmawr had been given to the mighty London & North Western Railway to operate, as agreed at a special general meeting here in 1862. The LNWR took over the MT&A company in 1866.

Later records show that Annie Radford owned a Boarding & Day School here from 1920 to 1934.

Our thanks to Becky’s Hairdressers at 20 Monk Street for displaying the QR codes for this HiPoint.

With thanks to Gill Wakley, of Abergavenny Local History Society

Postcode: NP7 5NP    View Location Map

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