the history of yeovil's pubs
PUBS HOME PAGE |
PUBS INTRODUCTION |
PUBS BY NAME |
BEERHOUSES |
Carpenters' Arms
A 'disorderly house' in Middle Street
Only one reference to the Carpenters' Arms in Middle Street is known -
At the Somerset Summer Assize, in August 1863, William Jones of the Carpenter's Arms, Middle Street, was summoned for keeping a disorderly house on the night of Saturday, 11 July 1863. The defendant's wife appeared before the Bench and said her husband was at work "on the line" somewhere near Blandford.
Police Constable 49, giving testimony, said that on the night in question, he went to Jones' house and found a number of navvies fighting. There was blood on the floor and "there had obviously been a desperate battle." He added that there were a number of prostitutes in the room.
Mrs Jones said that the row was caused by a man who "came there for the set purpose of fighting some other man." She denied there were any prostitutes present and further stated that she had sent for the police once before, but they refused to take the man who caused the disturbance into custody.
Mrs Froom, who
claimed to be a
married woman,
asserted that
all the women
present on the
night of the
11th were
married women.
She charged the
policeman who
had given
evidence with
having assisted
at the row by
helping to beat,
with a stick,
one of the men
engaged in the
fracas. William
Jones was fined
10s, including
costs, in his
absence.
