Blackbird Inn

Overview

The Blackbird Inn was a pub in Paulton which closed in 1961. The earliest reference to the name I can find is from when the license transferred from John Smith to his son-in-law George Banfield in 1879. However the premises was definitely a beerhouse from at least 1861 since we find John Smith there in the census as a beerhouse keeper. It is likely it was serving beer since at least 1854 when John married Elizabeth Carter. When their first son, John William Smith, was baptised on the 3rd of January 1855, John Smith's occupation was already "Beer Seller"

The pub was always a family affair. The license (and property) passed from John Smith to George Banfield (who had married Mary Elizabeth Smith on 11 Feb 1879). George was the son of Joseph Banfield, licensee of the Somerset Inn. When George died suddenly on the 15th of January 1891, Mary became the licensee. Finally, the license passed to their son Joseph on the death of Mary. Joseph then ran the pub until his death on the 4th of February 1961.

Location

The Blackbird Inn is marked as a Beer House (BH) on this OS map from 1884

Licensees

• John Smith (????-1855-1879)
• George Banfield (1879-1891)
• Mary Eliza Banfield (1891-1921)
• Joseph Banfield (1921-1961)

Timeline

Date	Detail	Source
26/10/1879	John Smith Died. Probate is to George Banfield, beerseller and George Carter, Yeoman	Probate
04/11/1879	Temporary license to sell beer at Blackbird beer house, until next license day, given to George Banfield of Paulton, coal miner	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
13/01/1880	License of Black beerhouse, Paulton transferred to George Banfield	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
03/04/1881	George Banfield, age 25, is listed as a Beer Seller at Winterfield. Mary is living with him	1881 Census
10/02/1885	The Blackbird is mentioned (in passing) in an assault case.	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
20/01/1891	Funeral of George Banfield, who died suddenly a few days before	Bristol Mercury - 22 Jan 1891 Western Daily Press - Jan 22 1891
05/04/1891	Mary E Banfield (widow, age 35) is listed as a Beer Seller at the Blackbird Inn	1891 Census
04/1894	The Blackbird is the first of several pubs on a pub crawl that ending in tragedy. The others were The Dolphin, The Stone's Cross and The Greyhound.	Shepton Mallet Journal- 27 Apr 1894
02/01/1900	Blackbird Inn mentioned in passing in a case about stealing suet	Temple Cloud Petty Sessions
31/03/1901	Mary E Banfield (widow, age 45) is a Beer Retailer at the Blackbird Inn	1901 Census
05/07/1909	Wedding of George Henry Banfield, son of (late) George Banfield and Mary Eliza - "of the Blackbird Hotel"	Shepton Mallet Journal - 09 Jul 1909
02/04/1911	Mary Eliza Banfield (age 55) is a Beer Retailer at Winterfield	1911 Census
02/1921	Mary Eliza Banfield died. "Football News... L Banfield, the Bristol City back, has suffered a bereavement by the death of his mother, who was the licensee of The Blackbird, Paulton"	Wells Journal - 04 Feb 1921
1935	Joseph Banfield is a Beer Retailer in Paulton	Kelly's Directory of Somerset 1935
29/09/1939	Joseph Banfield is a Beer Retailer at the Blackbird Inn	1939 Register
04/02/1961	Death of Joseph Banfield, who was listed in Probate as "of the Blackbird Inn"	Probate

Sources

Probate

29/11/1879 SMITH John <£100 The Will of John Smith of Winterfield in the Parish of Paulton in the County of Somerset Beerseller who died 26 October 1879 at Winterfield was proved at Wells by George Carter Yeoman and George Banfield Beerseller both of Paulton the Executors.

10/02/1891 BANFIELD George £32 15s Administration of the Personal Estate of George Banfield late of Paulton in the County of Somerset Beerhouse Keeper who died 15 January 1891 at Paulton was granted at Wells to Mary Eliza Banfield of Paulton Widow the Relict.

12/02/1921 BANFIELD Mary Elizabeth £171 8s BANFIELD Mary Elizabeth of Paulton Somersetshire widow died 26 Jan 1921 Adminstration Wells 12 February to Joseph Banfield shoemaker. Effects £171 8s

28/04/1961 BANFIELD Joseph £1,444 BANFIELD Joseph of The Blackbird Inn Paulton Somersetshire died 4 February 1961 Probate Bristol 28 April to George Henry Banfield monotype operator.

Petty Sessions

04 Nov 1879 Temporary license to sell at Blackbird beer house, until next license day, given to George Banfield of Paulton, coal miner (Shepton Mallet Journal - Friday 07 November 1879)

13 Jan 1880 License of Blackbird beerhouse, Paulton to Geo. Banfield (Shepton Mallet Journal - Friday 16 January 1880)