The Pink and Lily

Research by Joan West, Miles Marshall, Charles Ede and Doug Tilbury

THE PINK AND LILY PUBLIC HOUSE was built at Scrubwood, better known as Parslows Hillock. See Public House. The Pink & Lily

There was no property on this site when in 1823 The Enclosures of Princes Risborough took place.

1841 census.   Richard Lilley 48, gardener and his wife, nee Sophia Pink, 38 (The pub became known as the 'Pink and Lily' and the road 'Pink Road')

1851 census,   Richard Lilley, 58, gardener and Sophia, 48

1861 census    Sophia Lilley, Widow, 58

1871 census    Sophia Lilley, 69, Licensed Victualler.

1881 census    Mr and Mrs Rutland, sold Wellers’ Beers. Left 1899.  Mr Rutland worked at Gomme’s Forge.   Click Harry Rutland & Leanda Edmunds for details of their nine children of which Albert James is listed under Families with Fallen WW1.

From 1899 the Pink and Lily was kept by Tom and Kate Wheatley.

Research by Miles Marshall

THE WHEATLEYS AT THE PINK & LILY

Tom Wheatley and his wife, assisted by his brother Jim, kept the Pink and Lily from 1899.  The water was from the roof in an underground tank, lighting by oil lamps, no plumbing and there had always been a real side of bacon from a home-killed pig, on the rack in the taproom.

RUPERT BROOKE, POET

It must have been in their time, just before the 1st World War, that “The Pink” was patronised by the famous young poet Rupert Brooke whose photograph, and spontaneous doggerel verse about the pub, still hangs in the taproom over the mantle-shelf.

MRS.WHEATLEY’S ‘HELP YOURSELF SYSTEM’

After the brothers died, Mrs. Wheatley used to preside over the pub from a large Windsor chair in front of her kitchen range.  It seems she was a very large lady, who could then no longer get up and down the steps to the cellar, so a helpful local would fetch a supply of beer in a large enamel jug which he left on the flags in the passage.   Customers would help themselves to the beer and pay Mrs. Wheatley where she sat.   She gave up the Pink in 1938.

Report by Charles Ede from his autobiography

THE WHEATLEYS AT THE PINK & LILY     Click 1908 Charles Ede taken from his autobiography.

The Ede family moved to Lacey Green when the father of Charles took a position as chauffeur for a Mr Anderson of Parslows Hillock.   As the cottage was not ready they were put up at the Pink and Lily pub, for about ten days, then moved to a cottage a little way down the road.

LANDLORDS

“The landlady appeared the boss.   She was fat and happy and had previously been a cook in some posh place.   It seemed to please my mother, as she was likewise.  The landlord was a retired butler from the same house.   He appeared very obedient.”

SPITTOONS

“When the tap room was cleaned up ready for business the tables were scrubbed very clean, sawdust on the floor, not forgetting the spittoons on the floor.   These were cleaned with grate polish.   It seemed to me most men in the country smoked clay pipes and spitting was part of the act.   An expert could shoot across the room and get a ‘bullseye’;   but beer being better than it is today caused plenty of misses,  so it was the landlords’ job to clean them up.”

Report by Doug Tilbury

CAPTAIN FAIRBROTHER

In 1938 Captain Fairbrother became the landlord of the Pink and Lily with his wife.   During WW2 he was also OC for the Home Guard. They retired in 1955.

1955 to 1981.   Landlords Ken and Ciss Fletcher. For more click Ken Fletcher and 2003 Ciss Fletcher obituary

Report by Miles Marshall

1981 Ken & Cis Leave the Pink & Lily

PINK & LILY FUTURE IN THE BALANCE

As will be widely known, Ken and Cis Fletcher, the genial and popular hosts of “The Pink and Lily” for nearly 26 years, retired in mid-July and have moved to a bungalow in the village.  The future of the old pub however was very much in the balance for some time, until a change in the brewers’ area management brought its reprieve – to the delight of many locals who have long harboured a warm regard for the house which, remarkably, has remained virtually unaltered since it was built as an inn.

THIS IS THE PINK & LILY

The house is substantially built and although its 18 inch thick walls have been painted and the north east end has been stuccoed, at least since the beginning of this century, as can be seen from an old photograph in the taproom, they appear to be of local brick; traditional Chiltern flint panels clearly visible in the walls of its barrel-roofed cellar, which is reached down a flight of twelve hard, but well worn, boulder-stone steps.   There were originally four bedrooms, though one is now a bathroom, and one or two rooms have been let to guests from time to time, depending on the size of the reigning landlord’s family.    No one knows when it was built.                  A REPLACED FIREBACK

In 1955 Ken had to have a new fireback cast for the taproom grate.   The old one had been cast by a former landlord Mr Rutland.   He had himself worked as a foundry man for Gommes of Loosley Row, while his wife did most of the work running the inn.    Fortunately Fred Baker at the Foundry, was able to find the original pattern to make the replacement. For more about Fred Baker click Fred Baker & Con Gomme

JOHN & MARGARET BRADBURY

Then John and Margaret Bradbury.   Allied Breweries Group under Ind Cooper flag area management of Benskins of Watford, beer brewed at Burton on Trent.

The Pink and Lily
Construction Era	1824-1899
Type of Property	House
Use of Property	Business
Locations	Parslows Hillock