Quote
COACH AND HORSES, HILSEA.
TO INNKEEPERS & OTHERS.
W. H. G. HILL has received instructions from Mrs. NEAT, who is leaving the above House, to SELL by AUCTION, on Friday, January 16th, 1857, on the premises,—The HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, Fittings, Stock-in-Trade, and Effects of the above well-found Public-house.
The Household Furniture consists of mahogany four-post bedsteads and furniture, feather beds and bedding, bolsters and pillows, palliasses, oak secretary, mahogany chest of drawers, pier and dressing glasses; pembroke and card tables, seven deal tables, quantity of ash and mahogany chairs, stools and settles, booth tables, roller blinds and brass racks, spittoons, fenders and fire-irons, knives and forks, three stump bedsteads, Kidderminster carpet, 30-hour clock, one set China tea service, a large quantity of plates and dishes, double and single guns.
In the Bar will be found 4-motion beer engine, with pipe and tapping cocks complete; spirit casks with brass taps, labelled spirit bottles, ale and grog glasses, 25 pewter measures, tin funnels, stone jugs, tin beer cans, the remaining stock of beer and spirits, case of champagne, 8-day spring dial.
The Yard contains 22-hole pigeon box, set of skittle and four-corner pins and ball, flag staff, beer stands, rabbits and hutches, fowls, well-bred yard dog and house, 15-round ladder, 5-barred gate, 20ft. water trough, taps and lead pipe, and a variety of other effects.
Catalogues are in preparation and may be had of the Auctioneer, at his Office, 14, Commercial-road, Landport; or at the place of Sale, three days before the auction.
The goods may be viewed the morning of Sale until the Auction commences.
Owing to the number of lots the Sale will commence at Eleven o’Clock precisely.
— Hampshire Telegraph, Saturday 10 January, 1857 (source)
Question
Did this sale ever take place? Lucy Neat continues running the business until at least January 1864, but presumably she came close to abandoning/losing it after her husband died in 1855.
The War Department is trying to let the premises in 1866, in 1871 she is a “former innkeeper” living in Widley, in 1881 she is living at Wymering Road Alms House, and she dies in 1890.
Question
Hold on, hold on, if her husband died in 1855, and she’s still running the place in 1864, who’s the husband in 1862?
Conclusion: she holds the license, but is not managing the pub directly. I think some of the other articles around this time, that mention a son-in-law(?) bear out this conclusion.