This is by far our best description of a pub in 19th Century Hilsea. The only other one that comes close is Henry Town’s quitting of the Battle of Minden in 1830. I’d love to find one of the printed catalogues for one of these auctions.
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
Combine this with The War Department trying to let the premises a year earlier, and it’s obvious Lucy Neat came close to abandoning or losing the business after the death of her husband.
But it seems impossible that this sale went ahead; she continues to run the business until at least January 1864.
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. This could have been the solution to whatever problems she was having - a partnership with her daughter and son-in-law.
Her daughter’s marriage certificate might be an interesting document here.
On the 1871 census Lucy Neat is a “former innkeeper” living in Widley, in 1881 she is living at Wymering Road Alms House, and she dies in 1890.
Todo
Flesh out our knowledge of Lucy Neat and her family.