History behind pubs past and present in NorthamptonHistory behind pubs past and present in Northampton
History behind pubs past and present in Northampton

PICTURES: Take a look at FIVE old Northampton pubs and the incredible history behind them - including attempted murder, soldiers fighting, a radio star owner, and an ancient inn

These snaps of historic Northampton pubs have been dug up from the archives by local historian Dave Knibb
By Logan MacLeod
Published 6th May 2022, 13:38 BST

So many fondly-remembered Northampton pubs have shut their doors over the years but are still in the memories of their customers.

These photos - researched by Dave Knibb, the Northampton author of 'Last Orders: A History and Directory of Northampton Pubs' - show some of Northampton's old stomping grounds.

Dave's self-published book has sold more than 2,000 copies. Call 07939990790 or email [email protected] to buy a copy.

Dave said: "The Bell was one of the ancient inns named in 1585 and was mentioned in 1532, one can only speculate how far back it went before this though. It was also mentioned in the Universal British Directory in 1791, so it remained an inn of importance for many centuries. It was an unlikely candidate for closure during the licencing purges although the council did object to its renewal in 1891. During the appeal, it emerged that it still had stabling for 20 horses, had 11 beds to let and had between 900 and 1,000 ‘lodgers’ a year so it was still doing a fair old trade. The 20th Century wasn’t so kind, though, it held its own for many years, being revered as one of the ‘scrumpy’ pubs in the 1960s, a potent drink if ever there was one. By the end of the 1970s, though, it had run its course, a couple of facelifts and new names saw it continue trading for a few more years but The Bell of Ancient Inn fame died with its original name."

1. THE BELL - in Bridge Street

Dave said: "The Bell was one of the ancient inns named in 1585 and was mentioned in 1532, one can only speculate how far back it went before this though. It was also mentioned in the Universal British Directory in 1791, so it remained an inn of importance for many centuries. It was an unlikely candidate for closure during the licencing purges although the council did object to its renewal in 1891. During the appeal, it emerged that it still had stabling for 20 horses, had 11 beds to let and had between 900 and 1,000 ‘lodgers’ a year so it was still doing a fair old trade. The 20th Century wasn’t so kind, though, it held its own for many years, being revered as one of the ‘scrumpy’ pubs in the 1960s, a potent drink if ever there was one. By the end of the 1970s, though, it had run its course, a couple of facelifts and new names saw it continue trading for a few more years but The Bell of Ancient Inn fame died with its original name." Photo: Dave Knibb

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Dave said: "The Spinney Hill Hotel was the result of a concerted attempt by breweries to attain new licenses in the 1930s. Permission was granted, after many years of lobbying for it in 1935. The brand new building opened in 1936. The ‘dream team’ of Reg Seymour and Bertha Willmott took over in 1937. Bertha was a radio star when the radio was really the be all and end all. Born in London, she married Reg in 1918 and became adopted as our 'Northampton star’ from the 1930s onwards. The touch of glamour certainly worked wonders and the Spinney Hill Hotel was certainly the place to stay for quite a few years. As well as doing tours to entertain the troops during World War II, she welcomed a famous visitor in 1943 when Captain Clark Gable stayed there." Dave added: "It’s a lovely place. A visit every couple of months keeps the developers away."

2. SPINNEY HILL HOTEL – Kettering Road

Dave said: "The Spinney Hill Hotel was the result of a concerted attempt by breweries to attain new licenses in the 1930s. Permission was granted, after many years of lobbying for it in 1935. The brand new building opened in 1936. The ‘dream team’ of Reg Seymour and Bertha Willmott took over in 1937. Bertha was a radio star when the radio was really the be all and end all. Born in London, she married Reg in 1918 and became adopted as our 'Northampton star’ from the 1930s onwards. The touch of glamour certainly worked wonders and the Spinney Hill Hotel was certainly the place to stay for quite a few years. As well as doing tours to entertain the troops during World War II, she welcomed a famous visitor in 1943 when Captain Clark Gable stayed there." Dave added: "It’s a lovely place. A visit every couple of months keeps the developers away." Photo: Dave Knibb

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Dave said: "The wonderfully named Gasometer was, rather obviously, in Gas Street with a Gasometer as a near neighbour. It dated from 1874 and survived until the 1960s when the area was cleared for the St Peter’s Way development. In 1899 there was an attempted murder in the street outside. James Richardson, aged 43, had been ‘walking out’ with 17 year old Annie Field until her parents objected and she finished the liaison. Now James, obsessed with her, went and bought a gun and cartridges, determined that if he couldn’t have her, then nobody could. On the 13th December, he had been drinking in the Gasometer when he saw her walk past, he ran out and shot her twice at point blank range. Seeing that she was still alive, he then tried to cut her throat with a bread knife, and then, as a final act of the spurned lover, he put the gun into his own mouth and pulled the trigger. What he didn’t realise was that when he bought the gun, the cartridges he had bought were blanks. I know it was a serious incident for all concerned but I confess I did laugh."

3. THE GASOMETER – 25 & 27 Gas Street

Dave said: "The wonderfully named Gasometer was, rather obviously, in Gas Street with a Gasometer as a near neighbour. It dated from 1874 and survived until the 1960s when the area was cleared for the St Peter’s Way development. In 1899 there was an attempted murder in the street outside. James Richardson, aged 43, had been ‘walking out’ with 17 year old Annie Field until her parents objected and she finished the liaison. Now James, obsessed with her, went and bought a gun and cartridges, determined that if he couldn’t have her, then nobody could. On the 13th December, he had been drinking in the Gasometer when he saw her walk past, he ran out and shot her twice at point blank range. Seeing that she was still alive, he then tried to cut her throat with a bread knife, and then, as a final act of the spurned lover, he put the gun into his own mouth and pulled the trigger. What he didn’t realise was that when he bought the gun, the cartridges he had bought were blanks. I know it was a serious incident for all concerned but I confess I did laugh." Photo: Dave Knibb

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Dave said: "The Gardeners Arms started life as the Milkmaid and dated back to 1837. The Wellingborough Road part had just been constructed with both Bouverie and West Streets to be laid out and built in 1838. In the 1870s it became The Gardeners Arms and remains so to this day, even outlasting the majority of Bouverie Street. This was on the edge of Thomas Grundy’s ‘New Town’ which was built in the 1830s. The boundaries of it were pretty self explanatory, the Wellingborough Road was the north boundary, West Street to the west, East Street to the east and South Street to the south. Not really much imagination was there? Considering it's been open for 180 years, it’s with deep regret that I couldn’t find any salacious gossip or scandals attached to it."

4. The Gardeners Arms - in Wellingborough Road

Dave said: "The Gardeners Arms started life as the Milkmaid and dated back to 1837. The Wellingborough Road part had just been constructed with both Bouverie and West Streets to be laid out and built in 1838. In the 1870s it became The Gardeners Arms and remains so to this day, even outlasting the majority of Bouverie Street. This was on the edge of Thomas Grundy’s ‘New Town’ which was built in the 1830s. The boundaries of it were pretty self explanatory, the Wellingborough Road was the north boundary, West Street to the west, East Street to the east and South Street to the south. Not really much imagination was there? Considering it's been open for 180 years, it’s with deep regret that I couldn’t find any salacious gossip or scandals attached to it." Photo: Dave Knibb

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