So many Public Houses
Further to the various reminiscences about the White Hart and other Bagshot
pubs. Lionel Parr recalls that around 1930, when he believes Bagshot was
home for fewer than 2000 souls, the following pubs existed:
Previously, there had also been
Of Lionel's list of nine pubs in 1930, eight still exist. The Jolly Farmer is no more (now a golf shop), and the Hero was rebuilt as the Windle Brook. Can you add anything. Please use the message pad below to reply. There is more about the White Hart here. Go further back and I understand that there were even more pubs, including the Red Lion to the right of the Three Mariners and yet other opposite across the High Street. Three Mariners pub
Chris asks: Does anyone know why there seems to be a strong sea connection in Bagshot? There is or was a shipping company there. Also why is the pub named The Three Mariners? Alan Gosden tells us: "My grandfather always said the Three Mariners pub was so named after the 3 ex-sailors who owned it in the late 18th/early 19th century." and David writes: When you go into the Three Mariners, you can't help but notice the timber piles supporting the building. This timber is over 150 years old and was originally from a ship. If you go into the Mariners, they have found a document explaining the history of the pub. Ron Frost recounts a rather macabre story: I read something about the site of the "Three Mariners" car park. On VE day evening, 8th May 1945, a very large bonfire was lit on that ground. Hundreds of people came to celebrate the victory in Europe and as you can expect, most were well inebriated. As the fire was dying down a bit, two young Canadian soldiers from Bagshot Park camp, tried to jump over the fire whilst holding hands. Both fell in the fire a died - this, as you can imagine, stopped the celabrations for many people. ref612.0206 |
Courtesy of her mother, Lyn provides us with these memories from the time her grandparents ran the Three Mariners pub 647.406 647.1206
My mother remembers sleeping in a bedroom in the pub that had a hole in the wall which was reputed to be Dick Turpin's hidey hole - as he was supposed to frequent the pub on his route to London.
This was during the last world war, when my great grandmother (Mrs Rebecca Stevens - known to locals as Becky) and her two sons, Henry and Daniel, owned the pub. Becky came from Chiswick, London, but she was in Bagshot at the outbreak of the war.
During her 'reign' the locals will remember her holding local 'musical evenings' with live entertainment; and talent competitions - see Bagshot had the X-Factor too!!
During the war years evacuees from London used to come down to the Three Mariners]to get a night or two's sleep from the bombing, and so after the music had finished for the night, out would come the camp beds into the bar areas, where the weary could sleep.
Needless to say at opening time the pub was always full of soldiers, Canadians and Free French, and later on Americans, as well as British. Our soldiers had tents in fields behind Bagshot Railway Station. When it was their turn to go overseas Becky would set up a table outside the pub, so that the troups could be given free drinks as they started their journey, Becky, Danny and family, wishing them all well. A lot of those soldiers returned to visit her in the pub and bring news of those less fortunate. A Canadian wrote to Becky after the war, enclosing a snap shot of an oil painting of the Three Mariners that he had in his sitting room in Canada - I don't know who did the painting I assume it was the soldier.
Another very memorable occasion your villagers may remember; was on V.E. Day, when Mr Stan Hurst (milkman) was delivering the milk with his horse and cart (it looked more like a chariot!). Becky, thrilled with news war was finishing, decided to do a lap of honour round the village in celebration! So in her best 'Bodicea' mode, she jumped on the back of the milk 'chartiot' and woke the horse up - however, the pub was the last stop before his dinner, back at the farm, and the horse bolted!!
The local police officer in charge was Sgt Lowe, and any major crisis would see him coming along on his bike. On one occasion my graet grandmother called the police when the pub was being burgled - by the time that Sgt Lowe had arrived she had apprehended the burglar, sat him down and had a drink with him, and promptly forgave him!
On her retirement in the 1950's, Becky handed 'the Mariners' over to my grandmother Caroline (Carrie) Tobutt / Chisholm. Carrie was the mother of Elsie and Albert Tobutt, who as children, used to entertain the troops together with their father Albie Tobutt. As a teenager, my mother, Elsie Perkins (formerly Tobutt) used to help behind the bar.
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Kings Arms Inn
Some time between 1920 and 1970 the old Kings Arms was demolished
and a Kings Arms new built further back
from the High Street. The photo on the right shows the old building.
David has written saying that his grandfather was licensee of the Kings Arms
back in the 1920s. He would like to find out more about the old hotel,
and especially when it was rebuilt in its present
location. ref337
A former Bagshot schoolboy has reduced the time-span by 12 years: The Kings Arms was certainly further back in 1958. I drank my first pint (Watneys Red Barrel) in there in the back bar at the age of 15. On occasions the Morris dancers would appear and dance in the car park at the front of the pub, between the building and the bus shelter.
And Dave Brightman writes from Linconshire to narrow down the date a bit more: The Kings Arms was certainly in its present position in 1954 and looked as though it had been for many years. I went out with the landlords daughter, Vida Nicholls.
Lionel Parr believes the Kings Arms was rebuilt between 1937 and 1939. He was going to school at Camberley on the bus at this time and thus passed the old pub building.
Finally, I have this from another correspondent: My mother, who is now 83, reliably informs me that the Kings was moved in 1936. It was previously attached to what is now the dry cleaners and was rebuilt to its present position because it was on the bend and the pub sign used to overhang the High Street!
Thanks to all the contributors.
Jolly Farmer Pub
The Jolly Farmer / Golden Farmer was just outside the parish boundary on the London Road towards Camberley. For some years it traded as "The Mongolian Barbecue" (part of a food and drink chain) but closed in 2001. It is now a golf shop. The name is attributed to a highwayman who lived nearby.
Jon Gooda writes: ref 229
I am researching the former Jolly Farmer pub and would be interested to see if anyone knows how long the existing building has been there and when the name changed from the Golden Farmer. Also any ideas on which brewery the pub was run through and when exactly it shut would be gratefully received.
Allend thinks that the Jolly Farmer was a Courage house when he frequented the pub in the 1960's. 661.0306
Lynda's husband remembers Friary Meux being the brewery when he used to drink there, and adds that the last landlord of The Jolly Farmer was Peter Hutcheson who now runs the Swan at Thatcham in Berkshire. 697.906
Ann thinks that Arthur Wilkinson, a great uncle of hers, may have been the publican of The Jolly Farmer pre- or post- war but knows nothing else and would be pleased to receive any info anyone may be able to contribute. 7066.807
An epic motorcycle journey
Roy Buchanan writes: Florence Blenkiron was presented with a motorcycle
and sidecar by Bertie Marians, the Sales Director for the makers of Panther
Motorcycles, and Torrens, the pen-name for a columnist who wrote for The
Motor Cycle at the Jolly Farmer on 30th November 1934. The motorcycle and
sidecar were to be used by Florence Blenkiron and Theresa Wallach to make
an epic journey across Africa. They started their trip on 11th December 1934
with a send-off by Lady Astor and the Acting High Commissioner of Southern
Rhodesia from Crown House in the Aldwych. They became famous as a result
of their motorcycling adventure.
Does anybody know anything about this meeting at the Jolly Farmer? I would
be thankful for any help.
April 2009 will be the 10th anniversary of Theresa's death at the age of
90 and I am hoping to do something to commemorate the anniversary.
6/08
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The Hero of Inkerman / Windle BrookThe Hero of Inkerman pub on London Road at the bottom of Church Road got closed down and later burnt down in a mysterious fire. It is now replaced by the Windle Brook, an outlet of a bar/restaurant chain. Gerry Davidson wrote from Ontario, Canada, "Mrs. Melita Harris (Woodhouse), who lives here in Ottawa and turns 98 soon, often talks about her father's pub, The Hero of Inkerman, in Bagshot." 0905 I later heard that Mrs Harris passed away in January 2006 at the age of 98. 583.0406 Yvonne sent the old photo of the Hero.555.506 Printing on the back indicates that the licencees at the time were Emily and Charles Webb, can you put a date on when this would have been? The general appearance of the building is much as I remember it before it was destroyed, a four-digit phone number printed on the back shows it to be pre-1973, but the car and the pedestrian crossing becon on the right are much older. The board propped up by the pub sign invites coaches to pull in! The second picture is the present building. I am told by a resident of long-standing that the building seen in the B&W photo was built in the 20's when the original building was demolished to make way for the byepass. It was owned by Nicholsons Brewery. Lionel Parr recalls a building even older than the black and white photo shown here. It was demolished in 1929 (the year he started at Bagshot School). He speculates (n.b. speculates) that perhaps the old "Hero" was a free house bought-up by a brewery chain wanting a more prominent premises on the coach route, the A30. A large car park could accommodate a good six motor coaches, and Sundays were popular days, with people going on day trips to the coast from London. He recalls that in the 30s Ascot Week and Aldershot Tattoo brought it a large amount of trade too. 118.1206 Richard Rosser: I remember the 'Hero' well. I had my first alcoholic drink in there (under age!!) in 1957, just before going off to join the Army. The run down Jenkins Hill to the Hero used to be known as the 'screaming mile' because of the racing along it by the Sandhurst Cadets on their way to the pub in their little MG's. In those days it was run by a retired Army captain and I have a funny feeling that his name was Webb - so that would place him there between 1954 and 1957ish. 333.1207 Peter Summerston : I celebrated my 18th. birthday [Nov 1960] in The Hero of Inkerman and was kissed by a girl called Yvonne. When my girl-friend found out, she was jealous but I failed to capitalise on this and instead of playing 'hard to get', I capitulated and lost the high ground, never to regain it! 7068.508 |
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Bird in Hand
Bernadette Mahoney writes: I am researching my maternal ancesters and would like any information about The Bird in Hand public house during the early 1900's. My grandmother, Annie Holland was resident there with her mother and stepfather at the time of her marriage to my grandfather Frank Alfred Smithers in December 1919. Her mother, also Annie Holland, was widowed in 1898 but had remarried by the time of her residence at The Bird in Hand. Her husband had the surname of either Baggs or Rawley. 6144.1206
Mary Bennett from the Surrey Heath Museum tells me that they have copies of the deeds of this Pub. 7044.407
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Shoulder of Mutton & Parfett Brewery
A reader is looking for information on Parfett Brewery in Brewhouse lane, Bagshot in approx 1860-1900. He believes it was next to the Shoulder of Mutton Public House also on Brewhouse Lane. 7059.807
Green Man
Bob writes: During the early 1980's I stayed in Bagshot and am sure
the pub we stayed in was called The Green Man. All I can remember is that
it was a red brick building with some land across from it and they did bed
and breakfast which you had to eat down in the bar. Can you help me to find
out if it still exists and where it is, or what it is called know. I have
just moved to Woking and would love to visit it for old times sake if possible.
Many thanks. 7065.807
I know of nowhere that is, or has been, called the Green Man. Can
you help Bob?
Gavin writes that the only Green Man he knows of is only a few miles away
on the Crowthorne Road in Bracknell. 8042.708
Lee comments : "I wonder whether Bob is thinking of the Foresters on Jenkins
Hill near the Bird in Hand. I went in both these pubs in the 1980s and I
can picture a 'Green Man' image from somewhere - was it maybe even a local
brew or a brewery chain which invested in either of these pubs ? Just a thought."
552.308
Red Lion
Derek Garforth writes: have been studying the Talbot's for some time,
particularly William Talbot 1710-1782 Lord Steward of the Royal Household.
He was offended about an article placed in the 'North Briton' by John Wilkes,
which resulted in the a at Bagshot, neither was hurt in the incident and
afterwards they celebrated their survival over a tankard of claret in the
Red Lion coaching Inn. This was in 1762, I would be interested to know if
there are any surviving pictures of the inn or history concerning it, location
etc......
The Red Lion used to be in the High Street next to the Three Mariners.
There is now no sign of the original building. Another version of the
story of the dual says they drank afterwards at the White Hart.
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