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COMMERCIAL ARMS
(Now Pembrey Inn)

In 1822 Francis Randell of Kidwelly married Margaret Williams of Kidwelly, They were married at St Mary's Parish Church Kidwelly, firstly the were at the Ashburnham Arms, shortly afterwards into the house which has now become the Commercial Arms, in the ye ar 1825, their first child John was
born in Pembrey in 1826.

It is this Francis Randell that the Square (Randell Square) is named after. The name Randell, is or was originally Randall, it appears that the name changes from time to time between Randell and Randall, I can only assume that it changes from one to the other through ignorance, when it has been written in documents over the last three hundred years, it has been written in both ways for the same persons throughout history. In fact when the first Randell appeared in Kidwelly at the end of the 17th century, his name was written JESPER RANDEL. ( I am not sure when he arrived but JESPER RANDEL of Clovelly Devon - Sailor. was buried in Pembrey church on 8th February 1718).

Francis Randell of the Commercial Arms was first and foremost a mariner, as were all his ancestors before him. On the 4th April 1823, Francis Randell was the Master of the Sloop 'Eleanor & Catherine' which was totally lost at sea loaded with iron being shipped from Newport to Kidwelly, all
the crew and cargo were saved.

Francis Randell was also the Master In 1825 of a Sloop registered at Pembrey on 26th May 1825, named 'Prince Regent', built in Carmarthen in 1811, and weighing 94tons.

Francis Randell was always a mariner before an Innkeeper, infact he was a pilot for the Burry Estuary for many years, and continued his love for the sea until he died, He was not really an Innkeeper, by the time his daughter Margaret was old enough, she was running the Pub, on the 1851 Census returns for Pembrey, Margaret Randell is stated as the 'Victualler' at the age of 21.
Although Randell Square had not been named yet, and was still know as the Village Square, the Commercial Arms and both the houses alongside the Commercial Arms were called No's 1 & 2 'Randells Row'.

Francis Randell Family :

Francis Randell Head Born 1801 Kidwelly
Margaret (nee Williams) Wife Born 1806 Kidwelly
Francis Son Born 1822 Kidwelly
David Son Born 1826 Pembrey
Margaret Daug Born 1829 Pembrey
Rebecca Daug Born 1833 Pembrey

1844 16th May, Francis Randell (son) married Anne Thomas daughter of William Thomas from the Frood.

1853 Elizabeth Randell (see below)

1853 25th December, Margaret Randell, married William John Roberts a grocer from Tynewydd near Pembrey.

There is no record of David Randell either by marriage or death in any of the Pembrey registers, I can only assume he moved away.

Frances Randell buried Pembrey Church 14Feb1870 age 70

Margaret buried Pembrey Church 14Jun 1866 age 66

FROM THE RANDELLS TO THE MALIPHANTS
1853 - 1901

ON 13th April 1853 Elizabeth Randell married Henry Maliphant of Towyn Bach who was a mason and son of David Maliphant originally of Kidwelly.

By 1861 Francis Randell and his wife, had moved from the Commercial Arms to 2 Pilot Terrace in Burry Port, by this time he was 60.

The first child was Elizabeth who was born in 1855, but sadly died in 1859 at the age of 5 years, Margaret was born in 1857, George was born in 1859 and died at the age of 8 in 1867, and Henry was born in 1860.

For a period the Commercial Arms was known as the Commercial Inn, as it is stated in the 1871 Census as '6 Village Commercial Inn'. But by the 1881 census it had returned to the Commercial Arms as it was in the 1861 census.

Margaret married Thomas Williams a farmer from Moat son of David Williams on 23 September 1876.

Henry Maliphant (son) married Sarah Bowen daughter of John Bowen on 30th September 1883.

Henry Maliphant was buried on 12th May, 1885. Aged 59.

At the age of 58 in 1891 Elizabeth Maliphant (Nee Randell) had been a Widow and the publican of the Commercial Arms for 6 years, but by this time
her granddaughter (daughter of Margaret Williams (Nee Maliphant)) Margaret Williams at the young age of 14 was living with her at the Commercial
Arms.

Elizabeth Maliphant was buried on May 7th 1901, in Pembrey Church.

From this date at the age of 24 Margaret Williams became the Publican of the Commercial Arms.

FROM THE MALIPHANTS & WILLIAMS'
TO THE LEWIS'

Margaret Williams remained the Publican of the Commercial Arms until 1903, when on 20 Aug 1903 she married Thomas John Lewis, A
Shipchandler, son of William Lewis of Burry Port House, Burry Port, When Thomas John Lewis became the Publican at the age of 34. Eight years
older than Margaret.

COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT HENRY HEAD MARRIED 35 STONE MASON & PUBLICAN 1861
COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT ELIZABETH WIFE MARRIED 28 1861
COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT MARGARET DAUG 4 1861
COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT GEORGE SON 2 1861
COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT HENRY SON 7 MTHS 1861
COMMERCIAL ARMS PHILLIPS REBECCA SERVANT SINGLE 19 PUBLICANS SERVANT 1861

6 VILLAGE COMMERCIAL INN MALIPHANT HENRY HEAD MARRIED 43 MASON & LICENSED VICTUALLER 1871
6 VILLAGE COMMERCIAL INN MALIPHANT ELIZABETH WIFE MARRIED 38 1871
6 VILLAGE COMMERCIAL INN EVANS MARIA SERVANT SINGLE 18 GENERAL SERVANT 1871

COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT HENRY HEAD MARRIED 55 MASON & FARMER OF 11 ACRES 1881
COMMERCIAL ARMS MALIPHANT ELIZABETH WIFE MARRIED 49 1881
COMMERCIAL ARMS GANES ANN SERVANT SINGLE 22 DOMESTIC SERVANT 1881

5 VILLAGE MALIPHANT ELIZABETH HEAD WIDOW 58 PUBLICAN 1891
5 VILLAGE WILLIAMS MARGARET G/DAUG S 14 DRESSMAKER APPRENTICE 1891

Richard James

1996