The Old Days

A historic tour of the public houses in Blewbury
in the company of the blacksmith, John Johnson,
of the Forge in Westbrook Street

Updated 25 August, 2005

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John: "Blewbury has six pubs for it 550 inhabitants. They provide the social life for many of the men in the village. If you have a florin to spare, I would be happy for you to buy me a round in each of our historic pubs."

It is lunchtime on Saturday 26th November 1908
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A Disclaimer

John Johnson has a fund of knowledge about the village - his family has lived here for generations. Nevertheless he is a drinking partner and guide not an academic historian. Though all his views can be supported, some of his facts might be presented as likely rather than definite by more cautious historian.

John Johnson was the blacksmith at the forge in Westbrook Street at this time. This is confirmed in an article on this web site by his great grandson Michael Johnson. The tour was created before we knew any more about your guide than that a Johnson had been at the Forge around the date selected.

The photographs of your trip are not all taken in this year of 1908. They can usually only be dated approximately, for example by the dress being worn. Some are known to have been taken in the previous century, while a few have features that would have been a surprise to both you and John. Tarmacadam on the roads and telegraph poles beside them were not features in the village in 1908.

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