Partney 

A brief history of the Red Lion, Partney from 1826 to 1919

The above photograph is believed to show the pub during the period Albert Johnson was the Innkeeper.

The first mention of the history of the Red Lion is in Whites Lincolnshire Gazetteer and Directory of 1856.  In talking about the mediaeval hospital and monastery it says “…many human bones have been dug up in the parish, especially in 1826, when the foundations of the Red Lion Inn were excavated.”  

Later, in 1871 several skulls were unearthed when sinking a well and in 1891, whilst laying a drain, twenty human skeletons were discovered. (History and Events of Spilsby, Partney and Langton by Freda Royle, published c.2004)

The History, Gazetteer & Directory of Lincolnshire of 1856 records Andrew Joseph as being a brewer and victualler at the premises.  At this time the village had one other public house, The White Hart, and 4 breweries and 2 malt kilns!

Records of the landlords of the pub have been extracted from a number of local directories and national Census records as follows:

Joseph Andrew was born in Partney in 1804.  He occupied the Inn in 1851 with his wife, Fanny and four of their daughters, Elizabeth Ann (9), Fanny (8), Mary Hellen (6) and Georgiana (3).  Also living with them was 15 year old William Brown described as ‘son-in-law’ and working as an ostler and brewer, their niece Mary Johnson a 24 year old barmaid,  a lodger George Thompson, a servant, Eliza Ann Bradshaw and Richard Bell, a Horse Man. By 1861 the family had moved to Leicester.

James Watson is shown occupying the Red Lion on the 1861 Census with his wife Ann.  He was born in Partney in 1811, she in Calceby the same year.  The only other occupant was their son, James, born in Partney in 1838.  James senior is shown on the 1841 and 1851 Censuses as working as a Farm Labourer, living in Partney.  Ann was widowed in 1863 and by 1871 lived as a housekeeper in Withern.

George Widall was born in Thorpe, Lincolnshire in 1831.  He occupied the Red Lion in 1871 with his wife Martha, born in Kirkby-on-Bain, his son George (aged 8, born in Partney) and a servant, Betsy Thompson.  Also living with them were two boarders, Smith Fowler a bricklayer and Alfred Goodwin, a farmer’s son.  He occupied the Red Lion in 1881 with his wife Martha, his daughter Annie (aged 16) and grandson Hedley, just 1 month old.  They also had a servant, Harriet Keal, living with them.  By 1891 The Widall’s had moved to another pub, The Malsters Arms Inn at Hundleby. Martha died in 1893 and George ended up in the Hundleby Workhouse by 1901, until his death in 1905.

Albert Johnson was born in Horsington, Lincolnshire in 1855.  In 1891 he was living in the pub with his wife Lucy Annie, and their five children, Lucy (12), Charlotte (11), Harry (9), Charles (7) and Elfrida (5).  Also living with them were his widowed father, John and a lodger, Ruben Ranshaw, a carpenter.  The Johnson family had lived in Partney in 1881, in the ‘centre of the village’.  Albert was a corn miller and presumably had just moved to the village as the eldest daughter, Lucy, was born in Sutterton in 1879 and the younger daughter, Charlotte was born in Partney in 1880.

Lucy Johnson was born in Spilsby in 1855.  Widowed in 1900, she occupied the pub with her 2 sons and 2 daughters in 1901.   Her eldest daughter, Lucy was a mother’s help whilst her eldest son, Harry was a painter’s apprentice.  The younger son, Charles was a groom whilst Elfrida was only 14 at the time of the Census and is not recorded as officially working.

Frederick Ash Holt was born in Denton, Lincolnshire on 9^th August 1851.  .  In 1871 he worked as a Postillion at Denton Hall and by 1881 he was working as a groom at The Hall, Ashby de la Laund, Lincoln.  By 1891 he had found work as a Coachman in Bloxham, Lincolnshire. He died in 1932.