Pub Buildings Courtesy Rose Ledbury December 2025
In chosing postcards for collections, private domestic houses were avoided and too many church views could become boring. Instead, publishers often selected vuews of pubs which could be combined with images of people and social gatherings.
Chequers Inn, Market Place
The postcard above shows the Chequers Inn with a horse and cart about to go up Glovers Lane. Before the A4 was developed, the Market Place was the main route through the village and the pub was at a crossroads in the very centre of the residential area. The postcard requested the return of a "tin hat box" which had been left behind. The postcard was either never sent or enclosed in an envelope. The image shows a crowd of curious children outside Bence's shop. The presence of the photographer had attracted the crowd under the sign advertising "P&P Campbell, Dyers, Perth". The Perth company specialised in dying, cleaning and laundry needs ,but only had this name between 1911 and 1920, allowing us to date the postcard.[1]
The postcard above shows the Chequers Inn with a horse and cart about to go up Glovers Lane. Before the A4 was developed, the Market Place was the main route through the village and the pub was at a crossroads in the very centre of the residential area. The postcard requested the return of a "tin hat box" which had been left behind. The postcard was either never sent or enclosed in an envelope. The image shows a crowd of curious children outside Bence's shop. The presence of the photographer had attracted the crowd under the sign advertising "P&P Campbell, Dyers, Perth". The Perth company specialised in dying, cleaning and laundry needs ,but only had this name between 1911 and 1920, allowing us to date the postcard.[1]
This photograph shows the pub still in action in the 1980s but Bence's shop had been closed and converted into residential flats. The stables seen in the earlier image have now been replaced by an extension, once a butcher's shop run by Percy Vezey who died in action in the Great War,
The Bear Inn, Box High Street
The Bear Hotel in Box High Street formed the background to this image of 1951, which otherwise focuses on the road itself. The Bear Inn is possibly the oldest pub in the village. A building in the vicinity of The Bear appears on 1626 Allen map and a register of 1614 recorded someone dying at Baylys house.[2] The Baylys were a very prominent family in Box in 1600s and on 27 October 1674, Sir George Speke granted certain premises in Box, now known as The Bear, to Michael Bayly, father of John the Elder, aforementioned inn holder.
Lamb Inn, Devizes Road
The Lamb Inn is a much later building probably developed whem the Devizes Road was turnpiked in the decade after 1830. The first recorded licensee was Peter Smith in 1848. After the Second World War, the pub liked to develop a social clientel with a party atmosphere and an active Darts team in 1947. The indoor bowls arena was another attraction. The Ledbury collection includes the photograph above and below from Sidney Oliver, landlord of the pub, 1942-1949.
Northey Arms, Station Road
Old and new images of the Northey Arms.
Above is a classic postcard hand-coloured with the sign advertising the establishment as a leisure hotel "Northey Arms Hotel Pleasure Gardens, Luncheons and Teas Provided, Bowls and Croquet" requesting the recipient to bring a tin of "kindergarten biscuits" which was sent in 1909. The building was originally called the "Station Hotel" built to accommodate travellers on the railway.
The pub was famously owned by the vaudeville star Maisie Gay and her partner impressario OD Harris in the 1930s. The recent photograph below is of a side view of the building and dates from the 1980s. The sign advertises Lounge Bar along with Restaurant and Buffet. Unfortunately the sign has a "Fawlty Towers" slippage in the letter "E".
Above is a classic postcard hand-coloured with the sign advertising the establishment as a leisure hotel "Northey Arms Hotel Pleasure Gardens, Luncheons and Teas Provided, Bowls and Croquet" requesting the recipient to bring a tin of "kindergarten biscuits" which was sent in 1909. The building was originally called the "Station Hotel" built to accommodate travellers on the railway.
The pub was famously owned by the vaudeville star Maisie Gay and her partner impressario OD Harris in the 1930s. The recent photograph below is of a side view of the building and dates from the 1980s. The sign advertises Lounge Bar along with Restaurant and Buffet. Unfortunately the sign has a "Fawlty Towers" slippage in the letter "E".
Quarryman's Arms
The Quarryman's Arms is one of the few pubs catering for the residents of an outlying hamlet, in this case at Box Hill. Before renovations in the last 50 years, the pub was a simple residential building converted into a beerhouse for the needs of local quarry workers. For nearly a century the pub was tenanted by the Hancock family who started as quarry workers and ran underground pit ponies.
The Quarryman's Arms is one of the few pubs catering for the residents of an outlying hamlet, in this case at Box Hill. Before renovations in the last 50 years, the pub was a simple residential building converted into a beerhouse for the needs of local quarry workers. For nearly a century the pub was tenanted by the Hancock family who started as quarry workers and ran underground pit ponies.
Queen's Head
The classic postwar postcard of the centre of the village and the Queen's Head is dated 1952. The pub sign promotes the brewery owners as George's, who sold their pub chain to Courage Brewery in 1961. The Allen map of 1626 shows a building in the vicinity of the Queen,s Head, although the present building is dated to the early 1700s. It was a coaching inn offering a change of horses and refreshment to travellers coming from London to Bath. The pub originally had a garden in the ground on the opposite side of the road.
The classic postwar postcard of the centre of the village and the Queen's Head is dated 1952. The pub sign promotes the brewery owners as George's, who sold their pub chain to Courage Brewery in 1961. The Allen map of 1626 shows a building in the vicinity of the Queen,s Head, although the present building is dated to the early 1700s. It was a coaching inn offering a change of horses and refreshment to travellers coming from London to Bath. The pub originally had a garden in the ground on the opposite side of the road.
