Anchor Inn, Lydbrook

The Anchor Inn at Lower Lydbrook is said to have buildings that date back to the 15th century. However, the earliest known reference to the Anchor Inn in Lydbrook was when it was offered for sale in the ‘Gloucester Journal’ dated 30th November 1807. Mary Wilce paid five shillings in poor rates in 1831, when the rateable value was set at £4. The inn was adjacent to the tinplate works and, at one time, the horses were stabled at the Anchor.

The ‘Gloucestershire Chronicle’ dated March 26th 1870 reported that ‘Thomas Phelps and William Brazington had been prosecuted for being drunk, creating a disturbance and refusing to leave the Anchor Inn at Lydbrook. Phelps was fined 30 shillings and costs or one month imprisonment, and Brazington was fined five shillings and costs or thirteen days imprisonment.’

Between 1879 and 1891 the inn was run by the Burgum family, part of the "GG" family Tree".

 
The Anchor Inn sold beers from the Wickwar Brewery, owned by Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd from the early 1900's. It closed on 9th May 1954 when John Cooper was the licensee, probably selling Cheltenham Original Brewery ales at the time. The license of the premises was relinquished and transferred to the Bailey Inn at Yorkley. In 1967 the premises was owned by Edwards Transport and the structure of the inn had fallen into considerable disrepair. After being closed for 26 years the Anchor Inn reopened with a restrictive restaurant licence in 1980, gaining a full on-licence a year later. The Anchor Inn is still successfully trading, although I understand an application for it to be changed to domestic housing was received recently.

Landlords at the Anchor Inn
1807 - John Banton
1831 - Mary Wilce
1840,1856 - Edwin Thompson
1863 - John Hancorn
1869, 1870 - Robert Russell (owner Lydbrook Chemical Company)
1876 - Edwin Jones (Morris & Co Commercial Directory & Gazetter 1876)
1878, 1879 - Robert Banks (from the Kings Head, at Cinderford)
1879 - A. Burgham
1885 - William Burgham
1887, 1891 - Hannah Burgum
1891 - A.J. Russell (free from brewery tie, rateable value £24.15s.0d). 1894 - Mr Phelps
1895 - Edwin Jones
1897 - Mrs Ellen Phelps
1903 - William Russell (leased, Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery)
1906 - Mrs Ellen Phelps
1912,1913 - Frederick Jones (moved to the Sawyers Arms, Lydbrook)
1914 - Osborne Meek (until Feb’ 1914)
1915 - George Meek
1925,1927 - Mary A. Meek
1935 Gertrude and Sidney ‘Squib’ Howells
1938 Jim Cooper (closed 9th May 1954)
1979-1983 David Price
1983 - Barbara Williams
1985 - Alan Sharp and Yvonne Woodhouse
1988 - Irene Breakwell and Sheila Tropman
1990 - Stephen J. Tomkins
1992, 2008 - Alan McLean

For more on the GG Family Tree Click here.