My great grandfather, Reuben Elsden was the licensee until sometime after
1926.
In 1926 his daughter, Nellie and son-in-law Walter lost their business in
Newport, Mon as a result of the General Strike and returned to live at the
Fitzroy Arms (with their daughter, Kathleen).
Nellie and Walter had a son, Peter in 1929.
The licence was transferred to Walter (date unknown). Reuben died in 1949.
Whilst still living at the Fitzroy Arms Peter met and married Anne Parker in
1950, having a son Alan. Alan has vague recall of the pub, but whether this
is whilst living there or as a visitor after moving away is not known.
Walter and Nellie retired in 1954 after which the pub had one or two
temporary licensees before being closed.
The Fitzroy Arms was in the middle of a development scheme designated the
Kite project (describing it’s footprint shape)which effectively blighted the
area from 1950 until completion as the Grafton Shopping Centre in the mid
1990s. The building was demolished in the 1980s.
