Memories of The Swan Inn in 1920s and 30s Jane Hussey September 2018
Landlords, Mr and Mrs Watts, shown in 1922 without hats (courtesy Box Parish Council)
Further to Jane's article about the history of The Swan Inn, Kingsdown, she wrote to us about memories of the pub by local resident Victor Painter: I have found a transcript of a piece of correspondence from Victor Painter to a Mr Anderson, which I must have received when assisting with the saving of the Swan. Unfortunately, I have never seen the photos he refers to but they could be the first two included in this article. Victor's letter reads as follows (updated for typos but in his original vernacular wording):
Monday 30th November 1998
Watersmead,
White Horse Way,
Westbury,
BA13 3AH
To Mr Anderson,
Dear Sir,
It was very kind of you to write to me. Many thanks for your letter and also the two photocopies of the Swan Inn of just how it was when I was a young boy with the stone walled gardens and the only toilet for those living at the Swan Inn was an earth closet that was situated in the lower part of the garden, and in the photo was being shown a few sheets of tin that was for a Gentlemen’s Stand Up.
The tree growing up inside of the garden gate was a Laburnum Golden Chain. Behind the Inn was a grass field of almost an acre with many upper trees and a water well at the lower side with pump to pump water to the Swan. The water was pumped up to the tank inside the corrugated tin hut that the photo shows on the left of the building. The water tank was of about a thousand gallons. There was a door way into the shed from the kitchen and a door way from the shed to get outside of course.
And now of the five people facing camera. The two gentlemen wearing caps and the gentleman with the trilby hat, sorry but they were real strangers to me, not Kingsdown chaps. But the gentleman and lady were so well known to me and me to them, and they were the Swan Inn Landlord and Landlady Mr & Mrs Watts in 1922. Mr Watts' name was Nathan Watts but was called Natty by the customers of the pub, and they really kept a very happy pub the Swan until 1934. Mrs Watts did look after the Swan on her own quite a lot of the days. Mr Watts had been a farmer in early days and was a wonderful ploughman with two horses. And
Mr Sully of Sheylors Farm use to get Mr Watts to do most of the ploughing on his large farm. That is near to Ashley House that can be seen quite clearly from the back windows of the Swan Inn.
In the time of the photo being taken of the five people in front of the inn there had been no change of the building inside up to that date and the Bar was a long narrow room to the right of the Inn door with the pumps that pulled the beer up through lead pipes from the 18 gallon wooden barrels from the cellar. The prices through the 1914 to 1918 stayed the same which was 4d. and 5d. and Best (Beer) 6d. The Tap Room was behind the Bar and a small opening for orders to be taken.
Monday 30th November 1998
Watersmead,
White Horse Way,
Westbury,
BA13 3AH
To Mr Anderson,
Dear Sir,
It was very kind of you to write to me. Many thanks for your letter and also the two photocopies of the Swan Inn of just how it was when I was a young boy with the stone walled gardens and the only toilet for those living at the Swan Inn was an earth closet that was situated in the lower part of the garden, and in the photo was being shown a few sheets of tin that was for a Gentlemen’s Stand Up.
The tree growing up inside of the garden gate was a Laburnum Golden Chain. Behind the Inn was a grass field of almost an acre with many upper trees and a water well at the lower side with pump to pump water to the Swan. The water was pumped up to the tank inside the corrugated tin hut that the photo shows on the left of the building. The water tank was of about a thousand gallons. There was a door way into the shed from the kitchen and a door way from the shed to get outside of course.
And now of the five people facing camera. The two gentlemen wearing caps and the gentleman with the trilby hat, sorry but they were real strangers to me, not Kingsdown chaps. But the gentleman and lady were so well known to me and me to them, and they were the Swan Inn Landlord and Landlady Mr & Mrs Watts in 1922. Mr Watts' name was Nathan Watts but was called Natty by the customers of the pub, and they really kept a very happy pub the Swan until 1934. Mrs Watts did look after the Swan on her own quite a lot of the days. Mr Watts had been a farmer in early days and was a wonderful ploughman with two horses. And
Mr Sully of Sheylors Farm use to get Mr Watts to do most of the ploughing on his large farm. That is near to Ashley House that can be seen quite clearly from the back windows of the Swan Inn.
In the time of the photo being taken of the five people in front of the inn there had been no change of the building inside up to that date and the Bar was a long narrow room to the right of the Inn door with the pumps that pulled the beer up through lead pipes from the 18 gallon wooden barrels from the cellar. The prices through the 1914 to 1918 stayed the same which was 4d. and 5d. and Best (Beer) 6d. The Tap Room was behind the Bar and a small opening for orders to be taken.
|
|
1904 Architect's Plans for redesigning the plan of The Swan Inn (courtesy Wiltshire History Centre)
In the Tap Room there must have always been a large open fireplace. But a smaller fire grate had been filled some years before and the photo shows a small chimney being built up outside the old Swan Inn chimney that has now been removed. It was in the early days before any changes a passage that went from the front door straight to the cellar door to the very many steps that went down to the Beer barrels when they needed changing.
The room to the left of the front door was towards the kitchen and called the Smoke Room. People using this better furnished room with nice chairs and tables paid one penny more on all of their drinks.
The room to the left of the front door was towards the kitchen and called the Smoke Room. People using this better furnished room with nice chairs and tables paid one penny more on all of their drinks.
Motor bike trials outside The Swan Inn (courtesy Derek Hawkins)
Now crossing over the other side of the road to where the entrance of the Stone Quarry used to be in the days that I remember of Horses and Carts that brought out cart loads of Stone of no good and it was tipped in a hole on the Down.
Now of the Motor Bike trials up the top road past the well-known Swan Inn. The starting point was by Victory Cottage and one half of mile was to Gridiron Farm. The first trial was carried out in the summer time 1921. It was mostly young men that had served in the 1914 to 1918 to 1919 war and the top rider was a Victor Anstie of Bath that had set up a Motor Bike Garage. The trials was carried out on about four years running and crowds of people came to watch and Mr & Mrs Watts did any amount of bacon sandwiches and sold soft drinks outside the pub on tables to make extra cash. One young Kingsdown lad rode his own motor bike and got good marks. He was the son of the Baker and Village Shop Owner and Postmaster for (Kingsdown) Brookes was their name. One boy Stan Ford had the toe cap taken off his boot standing too close at the corner below the Swan. And that very corner below the Swan Inn was always called the White Wall.
Now the Swan Inn landlords of Kingsdown in my young days of living on Kingsdown. Mr George Betteridge that I understand had been the Swan Inn landlord for many years made a move in 1909 to the Longs Arms in South Wraxall, and it was Mr Fred Pullen that took over until 1916. And then a Mr Ted Fawkes took over until 1922, and then Mr Nathan Watts took over until about 1934 when for a time Mr & Mrs Watts lived in 2 The Firs which was next to the Village Shop and Post Office and Bake House that belonged to Mr John Brookes.
I believe there were a few changes in Landlords from that time on. And my own by leaving Kingsdown was never the same again really, but well thought of always and it is really nice to know that you, Sir, have a great interest in bringing our loved Old Swan Inn back to life after three to four years a very sad place with little life at any time.
Now of the Motor Bike trials up the top road past the well-known Swan Inn. The starting point was by Victory Cottage and one half of mile was to Gridiron Farm. The first trial was carried out in the summer time 1921. It was mostly young men that had served in the 1914 to 1918 to 1919 war and the top rider was a Victor Anstie of Bath that had set up a Motor Bike Garage. The trials was carried out on about four years running and crowds of people came to watch and Mr & Mrs Watts did any amount of bacon sandwiches and sold soft drinks outside the pub on tables to make extra cash. One young Kingsdown lad rode his own motor bike and got good marks. He was the son of the Baker and Village Shop Owner and Postmaster for (Kingsdown) Brookes was their name. One boy Stan Ford had the toe cap taken off his boot standing too close at the corner below the Swan. And that very corner below the Swan Inn was always called the White Wall.
Now the Swan Inn landlords of Kingsdown in my young days of living on Kingsdown. Mr George Betteridge that I understand had been the Swan Inn landlord for many years made a move in 1909 to the Longs Arms in South Wraxall, and it was Mr Fred Pullen that took over until 1916. And then a Mr Ted Fawkes took over until 1922, and then Mr Nathan Watts took over until about 1934 when for a time Mr & Mrs Watts lived in 2 The Firs which was next to the Village Shop and Post Office and Bake House that belonged to Mr John Brookes.
I believe there were a few changes in Landlords from that time on. And my own by leaving Kingsdown was never the same again really, but well thought of always and it is really nice to know that you, Sir, have a great interest in bringing our loved Old Swan Inn back to life after three to four years a very sad place with little life at any time.
Extract from Vic Painter's letter
|
I have lots of interest in your letter and to know your friend lived at Gridiron Farm Cottage for so many years. And I really lit up when you said you once lived at Broughton Gifford in the house that once was the Village Shop Mortimer’s and I really knew that shop in the days when trade was good. I often rode a push bike from Little Chalfield where we once lived for three years in 1951 after returning from Germany in 1945. I worked in the gardens for Mr Henderson the owner of Little Chalfield a quarter of a mile up the cinder path was Great Chalfield Manor and Church and then a long drive way on to Broughton Gifford. Great Chalfield Manor was Major and Mrs Fullers.
I am afraid that although my interest is in Kingsdown and your Inn, The Swan, I have trouble getting myself into a car to travel anywhere. I am a real old cripple the left leg just won’t bend and twisted and two inches the leg is short, I have two walking sticks to get around this House. But I do have a Grand Son that is a London Policeman and really likes a pint or two and his lovely lady friend that he always has with who is a top car driver will take over the driving once she knows he is over the limit and Giles is his name have a wonderful way of folding me up and getting me in and out of his car and so will do again before too long. I do know Edith Turner’s good son Michael would bring me up but I would be such a great trouble to him. I will show up one day with Giles, with many thanks to you, Sir, for your letter and photos. |
Yours Truly
Victor Painter
This letter may spark off further interest amongst your readers or those with connections to Box. I do hope so.
Postscript
You can read more of Victor Painter's memories in the excellent website by Derek Hawkins, http://www.choghole.co.uk/victor/victormain.htm
Victor Painter
This letter may spark off further interest amongst your readers or those with connections to Box. I do hope so.
Postscript
You can read more of Victor Painter's memories in the excellent website by Derek Hawkins, http://www.choghole.co.uk/victor/victormain.htm