When the railway was under construction, a temporary halt was created near to the pub. A hoot on the train’s whistle warned the landlady of the Three Horseshoes that they were coming and the doors were opened in readiness for the railway navvies to rush in to have their meal and beer. Early in the 20th century the Friendly Club, had its headquarters in the Three Horseshoes. The members paid one shilling and three pence a fortnight. One shilling was their ‘sub’ and three pence they had to spend in the pub. This club enabled members who were off work because of sickness to draw ten shillings a week after a certificate from a doctor was produced.
Designed (if you can call it that then) the signs for the three horseshoes in 1979… interesting comments above seems like the hard fought for rights are about to disappear with a wimper today.
A timely story, regarding the ‘navvies’. A period when the working classes strove together in order to create life-lines for themselves, from their own pockets, against the consequences of sickness or unemployment suddenly impacting an individual and their dependants livelihood. Many families who were not part of such schemes were often condemned to grinding poverty or forced to lose what dignity they had, by applying for ‘Parish Relief’ via a means test. This often meant the sale of family possessions and items of furniture, before any monies were paid. Post WWII the ‘Welfare State’, meant that this age-old worry was removed from working people, in the form of benefit payments and free healthcare, funded by obligatory contributions thru’ our wage-packets, giving us a ‘cradle to grave’ security. Regrettably, I don’t suppose the innovators of that scheme (in the 1940’s) could ever have predicted the subsequent abuse it would suffer. Abuse that has now culminated in the growth of the ‘chav’ society. These persons, possibly the very descendants of those ‘navvies’ who contributed their hard-earned shillings each fortnight in the Three Horseshoes pub. How easily we forget our forefathers struggle, it seems.
I remember when I worked at KP Crisps rushing down here on a Friday after 2-10 shift with a bunch of other supervisors to unwind after the week. It was a regular occurence and very welcome.
I have driven passed this pub many times over the years but never had the pleasure of entering the premises.