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glovers arms (2)
49 Reckleford
The
second Glovers
Arms, marked 'A'
on the map
below, was
originally a
17th century
farmhouse at the
bottom of
Reckleford Hill.
It was the home
of the Isaac
family until the
death of Yeoman
Samuel Isaac
in 1849.
The building had certainly been a pub since the 1850’s, and was given its name after the demise of the first Glovers Arms - a beerhouse in Brunswick Street. At one time the buildings attached to it were part of a small glove-making factory and certainly two former landlords, James Allen and William Tucker, were glovers as well as licensees. These buildings were later converted to cottages and have recently been completely refurbished.
The following description is taken from the Somerset Historic Environment Record -
"Inn with possible C17 origins. Local stone cut and squared with (painted) Ham stone dressings, with Welsh slated roof between coped gables; brick chimney stacks (the tops in modern work) at each end. 2-storey, random facade. The off centre doorway probably of C19, the pair of 2-panelled doors having a shallow segmental arch over, surmounted by a flat hood of shallow projection on simple pattern console brackets; to left of doorway a pair of 2-light hollow chamfered windows with hood moulds, and to the right a 5-light similar window: at first floor level 2-light window on the left, then a 3-light and a 4-light, all without hood moulds. On the east return wall a small arched stair window. Further mullioned windows to rear but a early C20 2-storey brick extension covers some of the elevation. The interior not fully inspected, but the east room on the ground floor retains a large fireplace (partly restored) and the bulk of the winding staircase to one side of same (having very deep risers), with its arched door-way, still survives."
At left is a
public house
'check' or trade
token issued at
the Glovers Arms
during the
period William
Bond was
licensee - from
about 1911 until
1923. It is made
of brass, is
23.8mm in
diameter and has
a milled edge.
On the obverse
it says "WILLIAM
BOND - GLOVERS
ARMS - YEOVIL"
and on the
reverse, within
a wreath, is its
value - 2D. At
this time two
old pence could
buy you a pint
of stout. Checks
were frequently
used in games,
such as skittles
or quoits where,
for instance,
players would
'chip in' a
check to the
'kitty' which
would be won by
the winning team
to redeem at the
bar. By issuing
checks a
landlord could
guarantee they
would be spent
in his
establishment
only.
|
Yeovilians remember... From me - "The Glovers Arms had a good skittle alley ‘out back’ where I played for many years during the 1970’s, and I seem to recall a glass dividing wall to the rear of the pub, but my memory is distinctly hazy on this point – probably something to do with the copious amounts of beer drunk on skittle nights!" |
The following is from an article in the Western Gazette of 15 May 2003 -
|
Yet another blaze makes pub unsafe A derelict pub is in danger of collapsing because of constant arson attacks. On Tuesday at 4.42pm firefighters attended the blaze at the Glovers Arms pub at Reckleford, Yeovil, and found it to be well alight, with thick smoke pouring from the building. Four appliances and eight firefighters dealt with the blaze and had it under control by 5.40pm. A spokesman for the fire brigade said it was thought to have been started deliberately. |
The Glovers Arms closed around 2005 following several fires and has now been converted to flats.
Until the death of Samuel Isaac in 1849, the Glovers Arms was a private farm house. It became licensed premises after his death.
The first licensee I found, James Allen, was born 5 August 1805 in Yeovil, the son of John Allen. In the 1841 census glover James and his glove cutter wife, Elizabeth, née Appleby, and seven of their nine children were listed as living in Vicarage Street. In the 1851 census the family are listed at the Glovers Arms although James' occupation is given as glove cutter. In 1861 however, the census lists James as the inn keeper of the Glovers Arms and his daughter, Emma, as a barmaid. James died in 1865 and Elizabeth assumed the license for a year or two.
The longest serving landlord at the Glovers Arms was William Tucker, who ran the Glovers Arms from at least 1871 until his death at the turn of the century. William was born in Yeovil around 1838, the son of leather dresser William Tucker and his wife, Lydia. In 1841 the family was living in Reckleford and William, at this time aged 12, had given his occupation as a glover. By the time of the 1861 census William's mother had died and he was living with his father and siblings in Reckleford. By 1871 William and his wife, Frances, were at the Glovers Arms where William was listed as inn keeper and glover. In fact William was actually a glove manufacturer, having invested in the business of F Blake & Co just a few doors along in Reckleford. When William began investing in town development and providing speculative housing for glove workers, he named two of the roads he built after members of his family; Earle Street after his son and Vincent Street, as well as Vincent Place, after his wife's maiden name. William was also listed in several directories through the years, the final entry being in Kelly's Directory of 1897. William died in December 1899 and Frances took on the license for a year or two. She is listed as a publican in the 1901 census, living at the Glovers with two of her children and a grandchild. By 1911 she was living at 37 Hendford Hill on private means with her daughter and granddaughter. Frances died in 1932, aged 88.
William Bond was
born about 1865
in Yeovil, the
son of farmer
William Bond and
his wife, Mary
Ann. William
senior farmed 25
acres and
employed one
labourer at
Lower Lyde,
Yeovil. William
junior listed
his occupation
as a farmer's
son in the 1881
census (and
repeated it in
the census of
1901). William
and Beatrice
Henrietta Evans,
some 14 years
his junior, were
married in
Yeovil in
October 1899 and
lived in Colmer
Road with baby
daughter,
Beatrice, who
sadly died in
childhood.
According to the
advert at left,
William was
licensee of the
Glovers Arms by
1907. In the
1911 census the
family were
living at the
Glovers Arms
where William
was listed as
hotel keeper and
Beatrice as
assistant in the
business.
William was
still listed as
licensee in the
1923 edition of
Kelly's
Directory.
Check out
William Bond's
advertisement at
left from the
Western Gazette
Almanac of 1907
- the Glovers
had a rifle
range! Who said
guns and alcohol
don't mix?
map
A postcard of the 1960s
From my
collection
The front and back of a 1960s' advertising postcard of the Glovers Arms. Although originally a 17th century farmhouse and not licensed premises until the 1850s, "The Oldest Pub in YEOVIL" would probably be contested by the Mermaid - serving ale at least 333 years earlier!
The bar, enlarged from the postcard.
...and the impressive fireplace, also enlarged from the postcard.
gallery
The photograph above was taken in 1911 when the inn was decorated to celebrate the Coronation of King George V. In the doorway is William Bond, landlord at the time. You can tell by the fence in the lower right foreground that Reckleford was not very wide at this time.
This photograph, taken in 1960, shows the terrace of houses that were demolished for the widening of Reckleford and the construction of the ambulance and fire stations that opened in 1962. In the distance, Salisbury Terrace was demolished shortly thereafter for the Reckleford widening as were the cottages at right – built around 1850 by William Bide to house workers in his glove factory.
This photograph was taken in the mid 1960's. Reckleford was obviously a little wider than is apparent in the photograph above but was about to become much wider as the cottages at right in this photograph were demolished so that Reckleford could be widened even further into the dual carriageway it is today. Note too that Salisbury Terrace, seen in the previous photograph, has now gone.
This colourised photograph
features in my
book 'Yeovil
From Old
Photographs'.
A nice study of the Glovers Arms from the 1960's.
Courtesy of
Chris
Rendell
The Glovers Arms photographed in 1989.
Courtesy of
Simon
Phillips
The Fire Brigade attend one of the several fires at the former Glovers Arms - this occasion was around 2001-02.
Courtesy of
Vivien and John
Cornelius
Closed and before a string of fires almost destroyed the building. Photographed in 2002.
Courtesy of
Vivien and
John
Cornelius
The Glovers Arms after a series of fires left it standing as just a shell. Photographed in 2003.
This photograph
features in my
book "Yeovil
In 50 Buildings"
The Glovers Arms, now converted to flats. Photographed in 2017.
This photograph
features in my
book "A-Z
of Yeovil"
... and photographed from a slightly different perspective in 2018.
licensees
1851 – James
Allen – Glove
Cutter (1851
census) listed
as Glovers Arms
1852 – James
Allen – Retailer
of Beer
(Slater's 1852
Directory)
1861 – James
Allen – Inn
Keeper (1861
census) listed
as Glovers Arms
1861 – James
Allen – Beer
Retailer
(Kelly's 1861
Directory)
1866 – Mrs
Elizabeth Allen
– Beer Retailer
(Kelly's 1866
Directory)
1869 – Mrs
Elizabeth Allen
– License
transfer (Borough
Petty Sessions,
October)
1869 – William
Tucker – License
transferred (Borough
Petty Sessions,
October)
1871 – William
Tucker – Inn
Keeper & Glover
(1871 census)
1875 – William
Tucker (Kelly's
1871 Directory -
Hotels & Inns)
1881 – William
Tucker –
Publican &
Glover (1881
census) listed
as Glovers Arms
1889 – William
Tucker (Kelly’s
1889 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1891 – William
Tucker –
Publican & Glove
Manufacturer
(1891 census)
Glovers Arms Inn
1895 – William
Tucker (Kelly’s
1895 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms PH
1897 – William
Tucker (Kelly’s
1897 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1901 – Frances
Tucker (widow of
William) –
Publican (1901
census).
1902 – Mrs F
Tucker (Kelly’s
1902 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1907 – W Bond
(Western Gazette
Almanac 1907 -
advert above)
1911 – William
Bond – Hotel
Keeper (1911
census) listed
as Glovers Arms,
49 Reckleford
1914 – William
Bond (Kelly’s
1914 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1919 – William
Bond (Kelly’s
1919 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1923 – William
Bond (Kelly’s
1923 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms PH
1936 – FH Witts
(1936 Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1938 – FH Witts
(1938 Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1939 – Fred
Witts (Kelly’s
1939 Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms PH
1947 – F Wills
(1947 Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1949 – F Wills
(Kelly’s 1949
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1951 – F Wills
(1951 Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1954 – ML Wills
(1954 Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1957 – CB
Campbell (1957
Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1960 – CB
Campbell (1960
Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1965 – Licensee
not named (1965
Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1968 – Licensee
not named
(Kelly’s 1968
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1969 – Licensee
not named
(Kelly’s 1969
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1970 – Licensee
not named
(Kelly’s 1970
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1971 – Licensee
not named
(Kelly’s 1971
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1972 – Licensee
not named
(Kelly’s 1972
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1973 – Licensee
not named
(Kelly’s 1973
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1973 – Steve
Custons (Letter
in Western
Gazette)
1974 – Licensee
not named (1974
Yeovil
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
1983 – Steve
Custons (Letter
in Western
Gazette)
1987 – Licensee
not named
(Denton’s 1987
Directory)
listed as
Glovers Arms
