Last orders for Harry

Harry and Mrs Tingey are seated in the front centre of the picture holding a clock and flowers respectively.

The photo was kindly brought in by regular contributor Melvyn Bryant who says: “Mr and Mrs Tingey were the landlords of the original Red Lion which moved to where Budgens is now. The old Red Lion was magic. It had swing doors into the public bar a bit like a cowboy saloon and was filled with characters!

“Harry was a very strict landlord. He was an ex-guardsman who brought everyone a drink on the Queen’s birthday and drank a toast to her.

At the time, Melvyn was in a skiffle group and can recall a night where he was playing in the Red Lion to a very large crowd but was chucked out by Harry. This caused a mass exodus to the Lord Roberts pub which left the Red Lion empty and it wasn’t long before barman Henry Jarvis ran over saying that Harry was asking for them to come back.

Melvyn also recalls: “Once a year, the pub played a football match. All dressed in old fashioned clothes, Harry played in goal with a top hat on. Natty Jeeves played centre forward and Henry Jarvis looked after the beer. They played in the triangular meadow alongside the pub.”

This meadow was also used for travelling fairs and the Sandy Show in August where Melvyn can recall having to sleep with the produce displays to protect them.

In the photo, Melvyn has been able to pick out some of the names. Perhaps readers can help with others. Top left is Helmut Mueller and standing in front of him is cricketer and market gardener Ted Smith. John Kalaspi is the chap at the back who is partially obscured with a tankard on his head. Melvyn is also standing at the back with his face partially obscured underneath the arm of Dawn Fitton, later to be his wife. Melvyn’s brother Tyrone is standing next to Dawn and to the right of him is Roger Jarvis. Just below Roger is Jim Seamer. Melvyn’s mother Joan is the lady in black who is standing between the Tingys with her arm on Harry’s shoulder. The lady to her right is Mrs Pell. The man in uniform is Natty Jeeves who was a part time fireman and also worked in the exchange at Sandy as a telephone operator. Harold Pell, farmer is seated with his arms crossed front right hand side of the photo and standing in the checked coat next to him is Mrs Simms who was the landlady of the Lord Nelson pub.