GRIFFYDAM HISTORY

Available records date back to 1870 when the inn was listed as a ‘wine and beer house’. It was located on Top Road, Griffydam.

 

In a sale by auction in 1890, it was described as an ‘old established beer-house known as the Travellers Rest, situate at Griffydam, with stabling for four horses and a hayloft over, cow houses for four cows, outbuildings and large gardens. The house comprises Tap Room, Back Parlour, Front Sitting Room, Two Kitchens, Six Bedrooms and large Cellar with four room Cottage adjoining. There is a good supply of hard and soft water and a very extensive frontage to the highway leading from Griffydam to Hinckley.’

 

In the photograph taken in 1935, the adjoining cottage on the left is still there. Frank Richards was the landlord at the time, and his name is above the door. However, if we look at the following football team photograph we can see that one of the two entrance doors had been taken out and the upper and bottom side windows have been replaced by more modern windows. Also in 1904 photo, there was no brewery advertising board above the doors. Text was just painted on the wall it appears. From 1921 to 1936 the Travellers Rest was owned by Offilers’ Brewery.

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The next photograph taken in the 1960’s shows a major change as the adjoining 4 bedroom cottage has been demolished by this time. Also, the attractive front window has been removed and been replaced by a modern bay. The brewery owners are now ‘Mitchell & Butlers’.

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Landlords:-

1870/1875    Joseph Lager and Thomas Upton

1875 (part)    Henry Southard and Joseph Lager

1876 (part)    Joseph Lager and William Redfern

1878/1879    Joseph Lager

1880/1881    John Chambers

1882-1885    Frederick Ratcliff

1886-1888    Robert Ratcliffe

Up to this date the pub is recorded as having no sign and was just listed as a wine and beer house

1889/1890    Robert Ratcliff

1890             Thomas Booth

1890/1891    Joseph Bradley

1892             Tom Hardy

1893             Walter John Grey

1894-1896    Tom Hardy / Silas Hill

1897             Thomas Booth

1897-1905    William Batson (was landlord at The Rising Sun for 7 years). In the official licensing records there was no licensees name given between 1897 and 1905. However William Batson is shown as the licensee in the 1901 census and may have have held the license over this 8 period

1905- 1908   John Emerson

1909-1912   Bartholomew Lawrence Wilson

1913            Thomas Wilson Coulson

1914-1922  John Michael Field (wife Alice Mahala)

1923            George Smith Wheatley

1924             John William Chadwick

1925-1933    Thomas Johnson

1934 part      Sarah Ann Johnson

1936-1952    F S Richards

C,1952-1978   Albert Abbot (wife Mabel)

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The group photograph with the name of William Batson on the License board may have been taken when William Batson was there and therefore reasonable to assume it was taken between 1897 & 1905. Its possible that William Batson is sitting in the centre with the child on his knee and his wife Susannah and some of their other children are also likely to be those in the picture. The Brewery is shown as being Wells Brewery of Kegworth, who apparently used a fleet of steam waggons to deliver their beer at one time.

 

In 1978 the pub was sold by the Brewery

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In the 1980’s the pub was taken over by Malcolm Allured of Showaddywaddy fame who later transformed it into the legendary Travellers nightclub.

 

The Travellers was demolished in 2002 and rebuilt as a pseudo farm courtyard of houses named Batsons Court. The courtyard was given its name by a pupil from Griffydam Primary School who won a competition to name the new development. It was named after her ancestor, William Batson, the inn keeper in 1901.

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Click here to find ot more about the Batson family.

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