Flashback: The pubs Basingstoke lost in the Edwardian Cull

At the start of the 20th century Basingstoke still had 54 pubs while the population had grown to 9,510. But then came the Great Edwardian Cull.

In 1902 as part of a nationwide campaign, the Hampshire Quarter Sessions resolved that steps should be taken to reduce the number of licences where they were excessive in relation to the population. They drew attention to the powers of magistrates to refuse to renew licences and urged them to consider reducing the number of licences where they exceeded the requirements of the inhabitants.

A group of people, including Thomas Burberry, argued that a reduction in the number of pubs would lessen the temptation afforded by facilities for obtaining drink, and intemperance would materially decrease. This was like arguing that a reduction in the number of grocery shops would lessen the temptation to buy cornflakes and lead to a reduction in the amount of cornflakes people would eat. A Dr Andrews told the licensing bench that if all the licences were suppressed, life would be ten times longer. He later changed that to one-tenth longer.

Thomas Burberry (Image: Newsquest)

As a result of the pressures to close what were regarded as redundant licences, the town lost 11 pubs between 1903 and 1910.  This represented a drop of 20.4 per cent, compared with the 10 per cent of licences that were extinguished nationwide during the same period.

An advert for The Pear Tree in Flaxfield (Image: Newsquest)

The Annual Licensing Sessions held in February 1903 allowed the Pear Tree in Flaxfield Road and The Lamb in Hackwood Road to continue on condition that their owner, Farnham United Breweries, closed the Golden Pheasant in Flaxfield Road and the Royal Oak in Bunnian Place. The Ship and the Harrow in Church Street and the Swan in Wote Street also lost their licences.

The Ship Inn in Church Street (Image: Newsquest)

The Harrow in Church Street (Image: Newsquest)

The Anchor had a narrow escape despite its proximity to other pubs because the Superintendent of Police said it did a good business on market days when the yard and stabling was much used by carriers and country people. It was also a most useful house when it came to billeting. The officers would put up at the Red Lion, and their servants would be accommodated at the Anchor next door.

The Bell in London Street lost its license in 1904 due to the proximity of other licensed premises and the fact that the landlord had the bad luck to have been caught allowing gambling in his pub just a few Sundays before the Licensing Sessions were held.

The Bell in London Street (Image: Newsquest)

In 1906, the Licensing Committee met to consider the fate of the pubs in Reading Road, which the Rev A C Tarbolton of the London Street Church said “were rather like a bunch of bananas, so close together were they”.

The Committee refused to renew the licences of The Old House at Home, (not to be confused with Old House at Home without the “The”) and the Waggon and Horses.

The Licencing Act 1904 provided for the payment of compensation to the owner and tenant when a licence was refused to be funded by a levy on each pub. The tenants got the worst of the deal. Crowley’s, the owners of The Old House at Home, were awarded £256, but the landlady received only £28.  Farnham United received £372 for the Waggon and Horses while the landlord only got £75.

In 1908, the Crown and the Three Tuns lost their licences. During the hearing Police Superintendent Hale told the Licensing Committee that twice in the past year he had summoned the landlord of the Crown for permitting drunkenness on licensed premises. He added, “During the year this house has been the resort of poachers, bad characters and loose women, and improper conduct has taken place in the passage and the back premises”.

The Crown in Winchester Street (Image: Newsquest)

In 1909 the Licensing Committee met to consider the objection from the anti-drink brigade that there were too many pubs north of the railway. The Soldiers Return was spared as it was “a country wayside inn which served a legitimate demand of people coming to and from the town” and was “very useful and necessary for men working in the fields”. It was said that the men from eight farms came there for their harvest beer.

The Committee considered that the Great Western was definitely the best house north of the railway and admirably adapted as a station hotel. It was the only house north of the railway with a bathroom and flushing appliances for the outside conveniences.

The Half Moon was situated on Chapel Hill between the Rising Sun and the railway bridge. The Committee decided that only one of the Chapel Hill pubs should remain as they were so close to each other. The Rising Sun had a cricket field behind it and a club house which overlooked the field which would sit 55 people at dinner. As the Sun’s accommodation was better than the Moon’s, it was the Half Moon that was the final victim of the Edwardian cull. It closed in 1910.