Press Officer Rick Purnell reports...........

Pauline Dean of the local U3A History Group gave an informative and interesting talk to Teignmouth Probus Club about the Ale Houses, Pubs & Boozers of Teignmouth past and present. Teignmouth was heavily populated with drinking houses with a pub in almost every street. Names of some 35 lost establishments were given, 16 gone since 1838, 13 were demolished for the by-pass, 6 reverting back to residencies and 8 back to shops or coffee places. The two World Wars, particularly the bombing of the docks area saw several losses. A nostalgic pub crawl was invoked by some of the lost pubs, The Brunswick Arms, The Northumbrian, Queensbury Arms, The Endeavour, The Lifeboat Inn in particular. Interestingly, the most popular pub name in several reincarnations was  King William IV or King Billy, all the others had unique names. The oldest survivor being an ale house since 1132, ‘The Ferryboat’ but now called ‘Ye Olde Jolly Sailor’ survived the 1690’s French invasion as it was requisitioned as their H.Q. and the more recent Weathespoon’s ’Jolie Brise’.

Despite the ravages of social changes, ‘the pub’ still functions as a community centre with some 20 pubs within Teignmouth Town centre, south of the mainline railway.

The vote of thanks was given by member Roger Williams reputedly being our most knowledgeable member of such establishments.