Andover pub history index
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Hampshire . The Hampshire listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.
The following entries are in this format:
Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.
1889/John Webster/../../../Kellys Directory
1898/Wm Hy Dixon/../../../Kellys Directory
1911/William Rawlings/../../../Kellys Directory
1920/William Rawlings/../../../Kellys Directory
1927/Frederick Smith/../../../Kellys Directory
1956/Robert Henry & Victoria May Trueman/../../../.. ***
My Grandad (Robert Henry Trueman) better known as "Bob" and Granny (
Victoria May Trueman) better known as "May" was the landlord and landlady of
the "Elephant Inn, 56 New Street, Andover, Hampshire.
I remember many happy times there, even though I was very young, in 1955.
The front door to the pub came straight out on to the public footpath. Along
the left hand side of the building was a long integral corridor that lead to
the back of the pub and the private quarters. At the back of the pub was the
garden / orchard. Gran had apple trees and gooseberry bushes, strawberries
and raspberries. Also vegetables, potatoes, carrots etc.
I remember the small kitchen area and the backroom, where gran and grandad
used to have friends come in for a drink after hours. I remember the stairs
going up to the bedrooms looked like a cupboard door and the staircase was a
spiral staircase. My brother and I used to sit half way down the stairs
listening to the hubbub in the bar. A lot of service men used to frequent
the bar and my Dad used to play the piano and the punters used to stand
round the piano and sing along with the music. Next door to the pub was a
field that had an air raid shelter in it and my brother and I used to play
in it. I think it was next to the Norman Gate school.
I'm not sure what year it was but the brewery decided to build a new pub on
the same land as grandad's pub. Grandad was offered tenancy of the new one
but he turned it down and moved to an old style pub in Southampton. The pub
that replaced the Elephant Inn is now called The Merrie Monk. ***
*** Provided By Susan England