The Roebuck Inn

 

 

Roebuck Cottage, formerly The Roebuck Inn. Photo c.2008

The Roebuck Inn was sited at the top of Pebble Hill. The earliest record found for the pub is from 1881, but it probably existed before then. The 1891 census refers to it as “Roebuck Tap”, but it was unoccupied with the “beer retailer”, James Arnold (who was also a builder), living next door. It is thought to have finally closed its doors as a pub in the 1950s. After this it became a private residence but was unoccupied for at least 10 years until about 2008. The photo shows it had, by then, fallen into disrepair with at least one of the windows boarded up. It was renovated and extended in 2008/9, and is now named Roebuck Cottage. 

 

The bottle, shown below, was found at the time of the building’s renovation. Its inscription reads “Guernsey Aerated Water Co.”, and probably dates from around the 1870s.

 

Images of the building and the bottle courtesy of Sara Riley.

Landlords & landladies of the Roebuck in 19th and 20th Centuries 

(approximate dates – some details still sketchy, so if you have any further information or corrections, please do contact us at: baldonshistory@gmail.com)

1881	Francis Percy, George Gooding
1891	James Arnold
1901-1904	Caroline Barrett
1920-1931	David Stone
1930s?	Bert Bargus

Snippets from the press

1886 - the sudden death was reported of Frederick Lewis Coaker, ex HM Navy, age 29, whilst visiting his sister at the Roebuck Inn

1904 – Mrs Barrett, landlady of The Roebuck Inn, suffered a regrettable accident. Her foot slipped as she was coming down the stairs, and she broke her leg.