Thursley, Surrey

The Murder of a young sailor

I've come across a set of 6 postcards that tell the tale of a young sailor who was murdered by 3 other sailors that he met up with in the, 'Red Lion' at Thursley. Apparently the other 3 sailors accompanied him up to 'the Hindhead Hills' and murdered him and dumped his body in the Punch Bowl. Is this a well known story in local folklore?

Landlord

My uncle, Frank Millard, was landlord and lived there in the 40's with his wife, Linda and their adopted daughter.
Frank had an artificial leg owing to a motor bike accident when he was 18 years of age and living in Ash with his parents and siblings. He was born around the turn of the century.
Maybe some-one remembers him?

Surrey Revisited Photographic Memories

In the 18th century, The Red Lion was a popular stopping point on the London to Portsmouth road before the stage coaches began the long haul up to the wild and treacherous wastes of Hindhead Common, the second highest point in the county. In September 1786 this inn was also a final supping place for an unknown sailor who was subsequently robbed and murdered by his three Irish companions on the heights above. The villains were pursued by a posse of ten or eleven men from The Red Lion, who captured them near Petersfield; they were convicted, and hanged on Gibbet Hill, Hindhead in April 1787. The sailor lies buried in Thursley churchyard, while the inn is now a private home.

Godalming Town and City Memories

Three of Church Street’s five pubs are in this photo - the Corn Meter extreme left, the Star centre left, and the Live and Let Live just beyond the archway on the right. The arch led to the rear of the Angel Hotel yard, owned at that time by John Jasper Taylor, who also had a temperance hotel, Deanery House, further down Church Street.

Godalming Town and City Memories

In Edwardian days cyclists frequented Godalming, especially at weekends. There was a demand for teashops, and Church Street had three - one is on the left here. Also very popular was the sending of picture postcards, which served people much as the telephone does today - Eatons paper shop, on the left, claimed to have the largest selection.