The Forester’s Arms, Horsehay.

The Forester’s Arms, situated at Horsehay, was originally called the Craven Arms but was listed in the 1856 Post Office Directory as the Forester’s Arms. A large part of Lord Craven’s estate, who was Lord of the Manor of Little Dawley, was sold in 1854, and so it looks as if it was at this time that Lord Forester bought it and renamed it after himself. We cannot be certain that we have got the right pub in the first two censuses because they are not named. But in 1841 and 1851, Mary Owen occupied a public house on Wellington Road at Horsehay that appeared to be in the same place and following the enumerator’s route, appears to be the Craven Arms, which was at number 5 Wellington Road, Horsehay. If the 1841 and 1851 entries had referred to the All Labour in Vain or the Peacock, then they would have been in Little Wenlock.

From the 1901 Return of Licensed Houses, it is claimed the pub was first licensed before 1815 and in 1901 the owner was Lord Forrester of Willey Park and the occupier was Thomas Machin.
By Malcolm Peel.

The first time I have found the pub called the Craven Arms is in a newspaper column in the Shrewsbury Chronicle dated Friday 30 July 1841, Mary Owen was a witness in a case of highway robbery at Jiggers Bank.

Shrewsbury Chronicle - Friday 30 July 1841

Mrs. Owen, landlady of the Craven Arms, at Horsehay, deposed that the prisoner and another man were drinking in her house that night, and that soon after ten o’clock she ordered them to leave, and they did so. The other man had a black dog tied to his wrist. The Jigger Bank is not a quarter of a mile from the house.

Mary whose maiden name was Fletcher marriage Robert Owen in 1829, at that time they were both living at Dawley Pava, Robert was a shoe maker and Inn Keeper, most lightly the Craven Arms? Robert died in the October of 1840 and was buried at Dawley on the 21st October 1840, in the 1841 census Mary Owen is living at Horsehay occupation publican.

1841 June 6th | Dawley District 07 | Page 22 | Address Horsehay

Pigot and co 1842, Page 10, Taverns & Public Houses, Craven Arms, Owen Ann, Horsehay.
I can’t find a reference to an Ann Owen, and as Mary Owen was the Publican in the 1841
census it may be a misprint or maybe a sister-in-law or mother-in-law?

Samuel Bagshaw 1851, Page 378, Owen Mary, victualler, Craven Arms, Horsehay

1851 March 30th | Dawley District 2I | Page 34 | Schedule 131 | Address Horsehay

In 1854 Mary Owen’s house was put up for sale by Auction, I think at this time the pub was one of a row of three houses, over time the other two were bought and made into one long pub.

Eddowes's Journal, and General Advertiser for Shropshire, and the Principality of Wales.
Wednesday 02 August 1854

FREEHOLD PROPERTY, AT HORSEHAY,
Between Coalbrookdale and Wellington
————
To Be Sold By Auction.
BY MR. BARBER,

At the Labour-in-Vain Inn, Horsehay, on Friday, the 4th day of August, 1854, at Six o’clock in the evening, in one lot, and subject to conditions to be then produced, All those three brick and tile-built MESSUAGES or Dwelling-houses, situate adjoining the Woodhouse Lane, Horsehay, in the parish of Dawley, together with the Brewhouse, small Gardens, and Appurtenances thereto belonging, in the respective occupations of Mary Owen, William Preen, and Benjamin Owen.
The above property is in good repair (two of the houses being recently erected, of a substantial character) and are situate immediately adjoining the extensive iron works at Horsehay.
The tenants will show the premises, and any further information may be obtained at the office of the Auctioneer, or Mr. Knowles, Solicitor, both of Church Street, Wellington.

By 1856 the pub had been renamed, in the Wellington Journal on Saturday 26 July 1856 there was a report of an inquest being held at the Foresters’ Arms, Horsehay.

Slater's directory 1859, Page 12, Taverns & Public Houses, John Machin, Foresters' Arms, Horsehay.

In 1861 the Foresters Arms was named and the occupier was John Machin. The Machin family remained at the Foresters for more than sixty years; John Machin’s son, Thomas was there in 1901, and his grandson, Cecil H Machin was the landlord in 1911 and in Kelly’s 1913 trade directory. Cecil was also there in 1920 and at this time he also ran the Midland Red Parcel Agency. By Malcolm Peel.

1861 April 7th | Dawley District 11 | Page 20 | Schedule: 109 | Address: Foresters Arms

1871 April 2nd | Dawley District 11 | Page 27 | Schedule 122 | Address Coalbrookdale Road, Horsehay

By 1881 John's wife Eliza Machin had died, but I can’t find a burial for her.

1881 April 3rd | Dawley District 11 | Page 17 | Schedule 85 | Address Foresters Arms, Horsehay

Mary Kate Corfield (The domestic servant for many years at the pub) married John Machin on the 19th Jun 1883 at St Lukes, Doseley.

1891 April 5th | Dawley District 11 | Page 16 | Schedule 95| Address Horsehay.

1901 31st March | Dawley District 11 | Page 01 | Schedule 6 | Address: Foresters Arms Horsehay.

In the 1911 census Cecil H Machin is the Brewer & Licensed Victualler, but he is using his middle name Harry.

1911 April 2nd | Dawley District 06 | Schedule: 090 | Address: 5 Foresters Arms, Wellington Rd, Horsehay, R S O

1939 Register 29th September | Dawley OIDI | Pages 9 & 10 | Schedule 120 | Address 5 Wellington Rd Horsehay