Home > Hampshire > Up Somborne > Blacksmiths Arms Blacksmiths Arms

Picture source: Gordon Pearson

The Blacksmiths Arms was present in 1967. Publican in 1911 was Thomas Lane.

Source: David Fisher

In November or December 1968 I was an Ordnance Survey surveyor based in Southampton, but in training in the area of Up Somborne. I was engaged in a solo surveying exercise in the village and at lunchtime made my way for a ploughman's at the only pub. The place was empty except for the landlord and he chatted to me from behind the bar as I ate. He asked me where I was from and I told him Manchester. This seemed of great interest to him as he then told me that his late wife was from there and when courting her, he rode his motorbike up and down the A34 every weekend. I presume that he was doing this journey in the 1920s/30s as I recall he was in his sixties. He said he would show me his photo album with the pictures of his then fiancee and his motorbike; he entered his living quarters to fetch the album. I waited and waited, but he did not return. After about 15 to 20 minutes a friend of his came in to the pub (I think he was a postman) and I told him that the landlord had gone in to his private rooms. This man started knocking on the door behind the bar and shouting his name. There was no answer, so he entered the room and very sadly found the landlord dead on the floor. The ambulance and police arrived and I gave them a statement, but never heard any more. I have often thought that this man's final minutes were spent with warm reminiscences of his dear wife.

Rupert Bayer (December 2016)

A brick built pub constructed in 1878 with a large cellar. It closed in 1972 and was converted into a house now known as Strathmore.

Gordon Pearson (July 2019)

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