Edward A. Welsh
Edward Aloysius Welsh, renowned as a bar and restaurant proprietor, also took up the role of New Jersey's State Boxing and Wrestling Inspector during the period when these sports came under state regulation.
Born on December 17, 1892, in Ireland to Michael and Katherine Welsh, Edward immigrated to the USA shortly thereafter. His sister Mary Ella arrived in 1894, and soon after, the family settled in Camden. Edward attended St. Mary's Parochial School in Camden and showed prowess as a bantamweight boxer, although he never pursued it professionally.
The Welsh family resided at 919 Lawrence Street when the 1902 Camden City Directory was compiled. Edward's appearance in City Directories begins in 1903, where he is listed at 919 Lawrence Street, likely working as a bartender, possibly at John Graham's establishment at 800 Fern Street. The 1905 New Jersey State Census records Edward A. Welsh living with his parents and siblings — Mary Ella, John Francis, Anna, and Michael Joseph — at 614 Cedar Street. Records indicate he remained at this address until 1908.
In 1906, Edward A. Welsh took up a position at 601 Pearl Street working for Owen Kernan. When John Graham retired and sold his bar at 800 Fern Street to John McGovern in 1907, Edward returned to his previous workplace for a short stint. By March of 1908, he became a bartender for James Daly at 401 Market Street. In January of 1910, Edward moved to Philadelphia to work as a bartender at the Penn Hotel, where he remained until 1912. The 1910 Federal Census records him as a bartender, residing with his wife of less than a year, Sarah "Sallie" Kinsey, at 517 Bailey Street.
By 1912, Edward A. Welsh transitioned to a managerial role, as indicated in the City Directory, while residing at 625 York Street. Later that year, he ventured into the bar business independently, establishing his own establishment at 225 North 9th Street. He sold the bar in the spring of 1916 and engaged in a real estate and brokerage firm, which operated in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. City Directories reflect his residences at 814 Penn Street in 1916, 722 North 9th Street in 1917, and back to 625 York Street in 1918, where he remained until January 1920.
The 1920 Census shows Edward A. and Sarah Welsh, along with their young son Edward Newell Welsh, still residing at 625 York Street. Interestingly, the census also notes that Edward owned a hotel, likely referring to The Newell, located in Atlantic City.
In 1921, Edward A. Welsh took ownership of the bar at 601 Pearl Street, a place he had previously worked at during the early 1900s under Owen Kernan's management. Prior to Welsh's ownership, the bar had seen several proprietors, including William Kohl (1896-1900), Ernest Allen (1900-1904), George Lotz (1905-1906), James "Jimmy" Martin (1911-1912), and John H. Smith (1913-1915). Matthew Geoghegan held the establishment from 1915 to 1921. Renaming it "Eddie Welsh's Cafe," Welsh quickly became a notable figure in Camden.
Active in Republican politics in the Second and Tenth Wards, Edward A. Welsh cultivated a wide network of friends and associates from his years in the bar and restaurant industry. He maintained a close friendship with John S. Smith, New Jersey's inaugural boxing commissioner. On September 13, 1923, Welsh was appointed inspector for Camden County by Nelson A.K. Bugbee, the State Boxing Commissioner.
Welsh operated his establishment at 601 Pearl Street until 1929 when it was shut down for a year due to Prohibition violations. He subsequently sold his stake in the business to Edward W. "Big Ed" Williams and relocated to 429 White Horse Pike in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. Following his departure from the bar scene, Welsh focused on his role as a boxing and wrestling inspector and served as the chairman of the Camden Lodge of Elks' Krippled Kiddies charity boxing events, a position he held until his passing. He was also actively involved with Camden Aerie No. 65, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Edward A. Welsh fell ill in December of 1931 and passed away at home on January 16, 1932. He was laid to rest at New St. Mary's Cemetery in Bellmawr, New Jersey.
