Tirzah Bell was born in 1843 in Narberth, Pembrokeshire. Much of what is known of her was discovered in her obituary at Narberth Museum. Tirzah lived for almost a century and at the time of her death in 1938, she was described as the ‘Oldest Narberthian’.

Tirzah married a ‘Commercial Traveller’ called George Harries in 1864 and by 1871, they were living in Sheep Street (now St. James Street) in the town. Tirzah was best remembered for her time as landlady of the Angel Hotel, ‘famous for nut-brown home-brewed ale’. Her obituary states that ‘during her long life of 95 years, she witnessed a complete change in the everyday life of Narberth and the surrounding districts’. At the Angel, this included the transition from serving home-brew to James Williams ales and spirits as well as the evolution of the hospitality industry in the town.

Between 1877 and 1899, Tirzah was a tireless host, taking over the license at The Angel completely after George’s death in 1891. She was held ‘in high repute in arranging public functions…annual dinners and banquets…(and) the monthly farmers’ luncheons (for which she received) well-deserved praise’. The Pembroke Friendly Society’s annual feast was lauded for ‘the variety of the dishes and strength of the drinks (which) were not surpassed at the celebrated Pickwickian Christmas dinner at Dingley Dell’. She also provided catering for other groups and societies in the town, including the Freemasons.

Tirzah’s approach to business could be considered unorthodox. Instead of charging rent to hire the ‘club room’ at The Angel, each member of Pembroke Friendly Society was allocated ‘a specific number of drinks out of the society’s funds, and in the absence of full attendance, a larger allowance of drinks became available for distribution among the members present’. Whatever the resulting level of drunkenness, Tirzah was assured of a predetermined number of sales and therefore, covered her costs.

Reporting on her death in March 1938, The Narberth Weekly News concluded: ‘Mrs. Harries showed firmness and geneality, and complaints of any sort were never made against The Angel’. She had lived out her retirement in Woodbine Terrace, Narberth.

Ganed Tirzah Bell yn 1843 yn Arberth, Sir Benfro. Darganfuwyd llawer o’r hyn a wyddom amdani o’r deyrnged goffa iddi sydd i’w gweld yn Amgueddfa Arberth. Bu Tirzah fyw am bron i ganrif ac ar adeg ei marwolaeth ym 1938, fe’i disgrifiwyd fel yr ‘Hynaf o Drigolion Arberth’.

Priododd Tirzah â ‘Theithiwr Masnachol’ o’r enw George Harries ym 1864 ac erbyn 1871, roeddent yn byw yn Stryd y Defaid (Stryd St James erbyn hyn) yn y dref. Roedd Tirzah yn cael ei chofio orau am ei chyfnod fel perchennog Gwesty’r Angel, ‘sy’n enwog am facsu cwrw brown golau’. Mae’r deyrnged iddi yn nodi ‘yn ystod ei hoes hir o 95 mlynedd, gwelodd newid llwyr ym mywyd beunyddiol Arberth a’r ardaloedd cyfagos‘. Yn yr Angel, roedd hyn yn cynnwys y newid o weini cwrw macsi i gwrw a gwirodydd James Williams, yn ogystal â’r datblygiad yn y diwydiant lletygarwch yn y dref.

Rhwng 1877 a 1899, roedd Tirzah yn westeiwraig ddiflino, gan gymryd drosodd y drwydded yn yr Angel ar ei phen ei hun ar ôl marwolaeth George ym 1891. Roedd parch mawr iddi am drefnu digwyddiadau cyhoeddus … ciniawau a gwleddoedd blynyddol… a bwyd amser cinio bob mis i’r ffermwyr y canmolwyd hi yn haeddiannol am safon y gwasanaeth’. Canmolwyd gwledd flynyddol Cymdeithas Gyfeillgar Penfro am ‘yr amrywiaeth o fwydydd a chryfder y diodydd nad oedd eu rhagorach yn y cinio Nadolig enwog Picwicaidd yn Dingley Dell’. Hefyd roedd hi’n arlwyo i grwpiau a chymdeithasau eraill yn y dref, gan gynnwys y Seiri Rhyddion.

Gellid ystyried agwedd Tirzah tuag at fusnes yn anghonfensiynol. Yn lle codi rhent i logi ‘ystafell y clwb’ yn yr Angel, roedd pob aelod o Gymdeithas Gyfeillgar Penfro yn derbyn ‘nifer penodol o ddiodydd allan o gronfa’r Gymdeithas, ac os oedd rhai yn absennol, byddai’r rhai oedd yn bresennol yn cael mwy o lwfans o ddiodydd’. Pa mor feddw bynnag fyddai’r gwesteion, roedd Tirzah yn sicrhau ei bod yn gwerthu nifer penodol o ddiodydd, a thrwy hynny yn gallu talu ei chostau.

Wrth roi’r hanes am ei marwolaeth fis Mawrth 1938, daeth y Narberth Weekly News i’r casgliad: ‘Dangosodd Mrs. Harries gadernid a sirioldeb, ac ni wnaed unrhyw gŵyn o fath yn y byd yn erbyn yr Angel’. Ar ôl ymddeol bu’n byw gweddill ei hoes yn Nheras Woodbine, Arberth.