White Horse Hotel, Romsey & The Foley Arms, Claygate

[websterbfc]

My ancestor was the landlord/licensed victualer of these two pubs in 1881 & 1891 respectively

i have visited the Foley Arm....has anyone ever been to the White Horse Hotel? I have found a description of it an pic on the internet but not the same as going there (as i found out on my visit to foley arms lol)

just wondered it was like and if anyone knows if there are records that the breweries kept on employees

[Colin Moretti]

The White Horse, Romsey, has had a rather checkered career in recent years but has just had a major refit, it reopened about a week ago - it's very swish now, I've not yet dared to venture inside the front door!

The Lower Test Valley Archaeological Study Group (known to all, for obvious reasons, as LTVAS) has published an interesting booklet So Drunk He Must Have Been to Romsey about the town's pubs and inns, it gives the publican in 1881 as Robert TALMY-TURNER and includes a long item on the White Horse. They may well have more information.
http://www.romseynet.org.uk/ltvasbooks.htm

The local newspaper, the Romsey Advertiser, had an article and photos of the reopening last week. They would no doubt be able to provide you with up-to-date pictures.
http://www.romseyadvertiser.co.uk/search/display.var.2360003.0.white_horse_reopens.php

Colin

[websterbfc]

Richard Talmy Turner was my guy, but i am sure it is the same person, thanks so much for that info colin, very interesting, i will look at those links

[Nigel Ward]

The White Horse in Romsey is worth a visit after its refurbishment - the new owners have worked hard to retain the historic aspets of the building and make them a feature. I'm sure Richard would recognise some parts straight away, as well as appreciate the modern touches. You'll find their website has some of the historic material as well information about the hotel today.

Having done some research for them, I've got varying levels of information on owners and licensees at The White Horse from the early 1700s until 1920 when it went into corporate hands, including some on RTT, to which I hope you'll be able to add.

The Hampshire Record Office in Winchester has a wonderful copy of the Indenture of Lease he signed with the then owner, Ellen Trask, in August 1879. He had to pay £150 p.a. in rent. The item reference number at HRO is 20 M 79 / E T1.

The reopening of The White Horse saw the great great grandson of another licensee, James Bignal (1888 - 1898), cut the ribbon, so I know they'll be keen to hear from others connected with its history.

[websterbfc]

Hi Nigel

thats great, thanks for replying. I will contact them and hope to get there for a visit at some time

[Nikkij65]

I see from your message that your ancestor is Richard Talmy Turner - this is my husband's great grandfather. We knew that he was a "brewer" but didn't know where - and so from your message we now know! My husband's aunt has researched this side of the family but we haven't got too much information ourselves except that we have been told that the Talmy's came over from France in the 15th century at some time.

Nikki

[Nigel Ward]

Nikki

Glad the information was of some interest. Another snippet, which may expand the "where" and the occupation details from the census, comes from Melville's 1858 county directory for Sussex. The Bognor section listed "Turner Brothers, Brewers, South Bersted". This would presumably have been his father and at least one uncle, with whom he gained his experience before moving to The White Horse.

RTT took over the running of The White Horse as the tenant / licensee in 1879 following the death of the previous owner, Vincent Newman, in June of that year. During Richard's time in Romsey the hotel remained in the ownership of Newman's widow until 1882 before being sold to a London solicitor, Claude Penley. In 1885 Kelly's Directory still listed Richard at The White Horse, but by August the following year a new lease agreement had been made with the owners by Richard's successor, Katherine Bowles.

My own interest is in The Whie Horse Hotel itself, and I'm trying to build as detailed a picture as possible of the people who have been associated with it over the centuries. I'd be grateful, therefore, if you were able to share the details of his birth (1838), marriage to Susanna Boniface (1864), and his death (registered at Westhampnett, 1913) as I've not acquired the relevant certificates.

As well as "So drunk he must have been to Romsey" that Colin mentioned, you may be interested in a couple of other books that feature The White Horse to get a sense of where he worked. "Tales of old inns" (Trust Houses Limited, 1927) has four pages and a couple of photographs from the end of the 19th century about the hotel. An update of the book by Richard Keverne and published by Collins in 1937 has a couple of paragraphs and a different photograph from a later era. Most library services appear to have at least one of these titles in their reserve stocks or local studies sections.

Nigel

[Nikkij65]

Nigel

Thank you for passing on this information. We are just starting out on finding out more information on the Talmy-Turners (and the Talmy's and the Turners!!!) and I will pass on any information I find. At the moment you have more information than we do!! My husband knows his aunt has researched this side of the family so we are hoping to visit her soon to find out more from her. I think I remember her saying that the Turners were farmers/landowners in Sussex (Bognor) originally but we will need to check this out. What I can tell you is that we think RTT is buried in the Parish Church in South Bersted as is his sister.

sorry not to be able to help at the moment but I will be back in touch as soon as I have more information. As Sunday looks as if it is going to be a lovely sunny day (fingers crossed!!) we are going to visit Romsey and I am sure we will venture into the White Horse - what am I saying! - I know we will venture into the White Horse!!

Nikki