Somerset Inn

Licensees

- ????-1856-1861-????	Joseph Banfield
- ????-1875-1879	James Speed
- 1879-1888		George Brimble
- 1888-1890		Thomas Mercer Williams
- 1890-????		Joseph Gane
- ????-1892		Frank Rowsell
- 1892-????		Frederick William Perry
- ????-1899		George Lumbert
- 1899-1904		Albert Cullen
- 1904-1937		William Gillard
- ????-1939-????	M. Harrington
- 1951-1974		James Macey
- 1974-????		Alec White
- ????-1991-????	Ian and Yvonne MacFarlane

Timeline

Date	Detail	Source
06/03/1856	"March 6, at Paulton, the wife of Mr. Joseph Banfield, of the Somerset Inn, a son."	Wells Journal - 22 March 1856
04/04/1856	Baptism of George Banfield, son of Joseph and Ann of Paulton. Joseph is a Beer House Keeper.	Paulton Parish Records
07/04/1861	Joseph Banfield (age 35) is living with his wife Ann (age 31) and three children Mary (age 10), George (age 5) and Henry (age 9) at Brittens, Paulton. He is a Coal Miner & Beer Seller.	1861 Census
12/01/1875	James Speed, beer-house keeper of Paulton - selling beer after 10 o'clock. Fined 18s 6d.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
26/01/1875	Thomas Holvey was fined 5s and 7s costs, for being in the James Speed's beerhouse "The Jug" at unlawful hours.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions Western Gazette - 29 January 1875
09/02/1875	James Speed summoned for not producing his beer licence to have it endorsed. He claimed that excise had improperly kept his license, and had John Blanning (landlord of the Lamb Hotel) as a witness. He was convicted.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions Western Gazette - 12 February 1875
Early 1879	George Brimble becomes landlord - in 1887, he had been landlord for nearly 9 years	Bristol Mercury - 12 October 1887
09/01/1879	License transferred from James Speed to George Brimble	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
03/04/1881	George Brimble (age 36) is living with his wife Elizabeth (age 26) and three children, Lena W (age 5), Laura A (age 3) and Bertie G (age 2 months) at Top the Gug, Beer house "Victoria". He is a Beerseller and Coal Miner.	1881 Census
29/09/1886	George Brimble had his license renewed. There had been a complaint about Sunday trading - police would oppose renewal next year if not stopped.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions Bristol Mercury - 29 September 1886
11/10/1887	George Brimble convicted of selling beer on a Sunday - Two men, Turner and Parfitt, were found on the premises and tried to hide in the cellar.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions Bristol Mercury - 12 October 1887
25/10/1887	George Parfitt, engine driver and David Turner alias Rogers, coal miner, both of Paulton - the men who were found in the cellars of the Somerset Inn during closing hours on 25th ult (landlord was fined at last session) pleaded guilty.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
25/09/1888	License of Somerset Inn, Paulton, transferred From George Brimble to Thomas Mercer Williams	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
18/03/1890	License temporarily transferred to Joseph Gane in succession to Thomas W. Williams.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
13/05/1890	License transferred to Joseph Gane from Thomas W. Williams	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
05/04/1891	John Kelland (age 45) is living with his wife Eliza (age 34) and two children Gladys (age 1) and John (age 1 month) at the Somerset Inn, Paulton. He is a Publican.	1891 Census
05/04/1892	William Vines is charged with being drunk and disorderly at the Somerset Inn. Frank Rousell is the licensee.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
11/11/1892	License Transferred from Frank Rowsell to Frederick William Perry	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
1895	Frederick Perry is a beer retailer in Paulton	Kelly's Directory of Somerset 1895
07/01/1899	Licence of the Somerset Inn transferred from George Lumbert to Albert Cullen	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
23/12/1899	Assault outside the Somerset Inn	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
31/03/1901	Albert Cullen (age 33) is living with his wife Annie (age 50) and his stepson Bertie Gardener (age 15) at the Somerset Inn, Paulton. He is a Coal Miner & Inn Keeper.	1901 Census
01/11/1904	License transferred from Albert Cullen to William Gillard	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
06/12/1910	William Gillard of the Somerset Inn is charged with not giving up his license to move pigs.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
31/03/1911	William James Gillard (age 44) is living with his wife Elizabeth (age 45) and five children at New Pit, Paulton. He is a Licensed Victualler.	1911 Census
1914	William Gillard is a beer retailer in Paulton	Kelly's Directory of Somerset 1914
04/01/1919	Georges' Brewery takes over from Welton Brewery, and with it the Somerset Inn.	Western Daily Press - 04 January 1919
1935	William Gillard is a beer retailer in Paulton	Kelly's Directory of Somerset 1935
15/05/1936	Funeral of Elizabeth Gillard (age 69) wife of licensee of the Somerset Inn	Western Daily Press - 15 May 1936
1937	William Gillard gave up license and left Paulton when he married his second wife (as related in description of his funeral)	Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 12 April 1940
08/02/1939	Sanitary accomodation needed to be improved at last years licensing session - work not yet completed. Renewal of license was to be adjourned until 7th March, but George's Breweries said the work would be done soon.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions Western Daily Press - 08 February 1939
23/06/1939	Funeral of Mr. L. H. Banfield. There is a floral tribute from Mr and Mrs M. Harrington and Edna, Somerset Inn.	Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 23 June 1939
04/08/1939	Golden Wedding Anniversary of Mr and Mrs Coombes, a Somerset Inn, residence of their youngest daughter, Mrs. M. Harrington	Shepton Mallet Journal - 04 August 1939 Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 04 August 1939
12/04/1940	Funeral of William Gillard, landlord of Somerset Inn from 1904 to 1937.	Western Daily Press - 13 April 1940 Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 12 April 1940
1951	Mr James (Jim) Macey took over as licensee (in 1974 he had been licensee for 23 years)	Somerset Standard - 30 August 1974
25/05/1950?	Flooding in Paulton, which affected the Somerset Inn. Mr. Alec White, who was a brewery estimating and costing clerk was up early (4am!) working so was able to move things upstairs when "Water came down across the Paddock at the back of the Somerset Inn like a river"	Somerset Standard - 08 December 1972
13/04/1956	Full licence granted to John Macey for the Somerset Inn - prior to this the premises only had a beer license.	Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer - 20 April 1956
30/08/1974	Mr Alec White, son-in-law of James Macey and his wife Doris, take over the license. Jim Macey had been licensee for 23 years.	Somerset Standard - 30 August 1974
14/11/1975	Interesting interview with Alec White about how its going - "I didn't realise it would be such hard work physically", "Marion and I have only had 3 days off in a year and it means we cannot devote the time we would like to our family"	Somerset Standard - 14 November 1975
1991	Write up in Egon Ronay's Pub Book - Ian and Yvonne MacFarlane are licensees. Yvonne's food sounds great!	Egon Ronay's MLC guide, 1992 : pubs: including the best of British meat dishes