Memories of Isham

The Red Lion Isham

We bought our house in 1968, it is almost opposite the Red Lion. The landlord at the time was Mr. Fred Nobles who was my wife's uncle, and we believe he had been landlord from about 1955. The pub still had an orchard at that time with Gents toilets "up the yard". One of the most talked about clients was the Lion from Wellingborough Zoo who visted the pub and stood with his front paws on the bar while partaking of some liquid refreshment. Fred continued as landlord until I think 1978, when the pub was taken over by Mr. P. Stanbrook.
Mrs. Hilda Cheney was still living with her husband Jack in Langton Place, and every washday would walk across the A 509 and hang her washing out on a line on the Motar Pits which was common land.

The Old Red Lion

I was born in the above pub in  1940. My grandmother Mary Jane Abbot used to run it and there was an old skittle alley in the bar. I was born in the room above it. The pub used to have an old rose garden, an orchard and a small car park, a pet pig [Sally] and I used to help pull the pints aged 3 in the bar. There was an old boy called "Champ" who used to tease me all the time, telling me "You've got your Mam's ribbon on" or some such nonsense. Another esteemed customer was a Mr Fort. My uncle Colin was a fine jazz piano player  and played in the pub [where he lived with Mary Jane] until he married in about 1950. The rose garden and the skittle alley have gone now. I used to play in the fields of corn, and we spent Christmas there most years when I was a child. I adored it all and still miss it. A lady who worked for my Nan was Hilda Cheyney; I used to call her "Neney". She entertained the visiting vicar or preacher every Sunday. [She was chapel but we were Church] and if I was very good she let me climb into the corner cupboard and get the sweet jar out!The turkey was baked in the ancient bakers oven over the road. The baker used to let many of the villagers use it then. My cousin and her family still lives nearby in Wellingborough and other cousins live in Kettering. My family name was Watson and if anyone remembers my Mum Eileen Abbott or her husband Chris Watson, please get in touch.