Kettering Road c1950, Isham
Kettering Road c1950, Isham Ref: I31035
Memories of Kettering Road c1950, Isham
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Isham & local memories
Read and share memories of Isham and Northamptonshire inspired by Frith photos.
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... Read more
