The Black Horse

.ENCLOSURES

At the Enclosures of Princes Risborough 2 allotments were made to James Tilbury

1. was plot no 683, a Freehold piece of land, being the track to the later called Floyds Farm.   It had been allotted to Joshua Dell, and James Tilbury rented it from him.

2.   The other plot was no. 684, a piece of land, a new allotment, leasehold to the Manor.   It was the plot upon which The Black Horse public house was later built.

BLACK HORSE, LACEY GREEN.

JOHN GINGER Snr

In 1840 a child, Mary, was born to John Ginger, publican and Sarah his wife, nee Turner, lived at the Black Horse in Lacey Green in 1840 when Mary was born.  (baptism recorded in Princes Risborough Baptist Chapel Records)

John and Sarah had 2 sons, John baptised 1808, and William baptised 1813 both born in Loosley Row (P.R. Baptist Chapel Records)

John Ginger Jnr took over The Black Horse in Lacey Green.

1841 CENSUS

John Ginger 36 Publican, Celia 25, Mary 11, George 9, Ann 7, Caroline 5, Gains 3, Jane 1

THE BLACK HORSE

The Black Horse is a pub standing on the west side of Main Road, Lacey Green.

Note. It is thought to have been registered as a beer house when the 1830 Beer Act was introduced. It may have been a beer house prior to that, but no proof has so far come to light.

A COTTAGE ROOM It consisted of a bar with a small seating area near a fireplace, with a tiny window so rather dark. A typical local cottage with a room used as a pub. This was usual. It would be predominately used by men, although the wife would run it, while her husband, the landlord, was employed elsewhere. It was also usual to walk to the pub.

NEIGHBOURS

The Main Road was put through Lacey Green in 1823. A track beside it led to what was later known as Floyds Farm. Also on the left of that track, behind the pub, was a pair of semidetached cottages possibly older than the pub, known as "Rose Cottage" and "Ye Olde Cottage".

OWNERS

Discovery Inns of Weston- Super- Mare

Gibbs Mew, Brewers of Wiltshire

LANDLORDS

1841 Census. John Ginger with wife Celia. John continued landlord with Celia until his death in 1866. Celia continued as Landlady until her death in 1882. From 1882 John and Celia's daughter Ann carried on as landlady until her death 1910.

LANDLORD 1910 JOHN (Johnnie) WILLIAM SAUNDERS, nephew of Ann Ginger.

In her will Ann Ginger left the pub to John Saunders, son of George Saunders and her sister Elizabeth Daisy, known as 'Daisy'

CENSUS 1911 The Black Horse, public house with 8 rooms

John William Saunders 37 carpenter, Daisy 34, William 14 carpenter, Frederick 12, Cecil 6. Emily Ginger, 69 aunt.

1921-1931-Horace Adams

1939-1952 Frank and Florence (Flo) Gomme, (daughter Ruby born 1935). Frank was a wood machinist

1955 Harry and Molly Ridgley

1976  Bob and Mary Shaw

1977  Jackie and Jeremy Hunt

Graham and Janet Carter

Ray Musgrave

Lynne Comley was the Landlady. Her husband Tony was a builder

1960s - SOCIAL CHANGE

Pubs in the 1960's were effected by big social changes that were happening in the UK as peoples' lives improved.

The "Road Safety Act of 1967" introduced the Drink Driving Limit. Simple pubs for drinking were in trouble, as by now many people had cars. Serving food was an answer, but the Black Horse was slow off the mark

1983 - Hallmark report - Darts Marathon DARTS MARATHON

In February 1983 the Landlord Graham Carter and no doubt Janet, his wife, organised a Charity event, a 24 hour marathon for the darts team at The Black Horse, to raise money for "Merryfields", the Bucks County Council home for mentally handicapped children. On Friday evening the members and supporters arrived with blankets and lucky mascots. From 8 pm onwards two teams of six took it in turns, an hour on and an hour's rest to play non stop until 8 pm the next day. BREAKFAST

Refreshments were laid on and at 6 am breakfast was cooked and served by a couple of local volunteers.

RADIO INTERVIEW

On Saturday afternoon a telephone interview went out on Radio Oxford.

£50 WAGER

One member who had moved house on the Friday won a substantial bonus for the charity by winning a wager of £50, by staying on his feet until the end.

MONEY RAISED

8pm Saturday arrived, the raffle was drawn and Graham Carter, who had played throughout, thanked them all. £700 was raised and will go for a soft play area for the children at the home.

MORE EVENTS

During the 1980's The Carters staged more events. Further dart's marathons raised £1000 for Merryfields Home and another raised £1216 for the Natalie Fund at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Merryfields Home.

1995 - Hallmark report - New management November 1995. It was reported in Hallmark, the local magazine, that the owners, Discovery Inns of Weston-Super-Mare had put the pub under the new management of Kevin Wallace and Pauline Markham, with Dave Tyers as barman, on a 3 month trial to "improve its run down, loss making condition, with the possibility of an extension if it makes satisfactory progress".

PLANNING APPLICATION

A planning application was made by the Brewery Owners to convert the pub to a private dwelling.

FOOD BEING SERVED Meanwhile Kevin and Pauline were serving traditional pub food, putting on a menu comprising 9 different sandwiches, 12 grills, 7 salads, 5 children's dishes and 5 desserts, with a different menu on Sundays with a narrower choice of hot foods, but with a full roast beef dinner also. An "Opening Night" with free buffet was held on 16th December 1995.

1996 - Planning application declined April 1996. The following was published in Hallmark. "We understand that the planning application for The Black Horse premises to be converted to dwelling accommodation was turned down by a vote of 28 to nil.

CAMPAIGN SUCCESS

Mike and Joanne Cousins are the new landlords working for the existing licensees. Mike and Jo already have the Sunday roast back on the board and they have a full menu 7 days a week. The local campaign to save the pub had paid off.

NEW OWNERS

THE following article was written in "Swan Supping", a magazine of the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe:- THREATENED PUB SAVED. The Black Horse at Lacey Green, which has been under threat of closure has been sold to Wiltshire brewer, Gibbs Mew. Discovery Inns who owned the pub had applied for planning permission to convert the pub into a private residence and build a house on the car park. Permission was rejected by Wycombe Rural District Council. Discovery Inns appealed against the decision. Local campaigners wrote to the brewery explaining the situation fearing that their offer to buy might be withdrawn unless a decision is made quickly. More than 300 households opposed Discovery Inn's planning application. As well as the threat to the community pub, the village has lost its Post Office and the village shop, Hickman's Stores, is also closing. The current landlord and landlady will be continuing at the pub when Gibbs Mew take over on 9th May.

Lynne Comley IN 1996 Lynne Comley took over. Her husband ran his own building business. She proved herself to be a real village publican, maintaining the established traditions and introducing new ideas, keeping up with the times. Ian, the chef, producing a varied menu to suit all tastes including a children's menu. She started: - THE PENSIONERS' LUNCH

The Pensioners' Lunch, which soon became a regular very popular event.

MEALS DELIVERY

She delivered food to people who were confined to home.

BEER FESTIVALS

She laid on her first Beer Festival in 2013. Beer and music Fest. weekends became popular, with 10 plus real ales and say, 4 ciders with live music and Guest bands. Special menu for those of course, with a BBQ on the Sunday evening.

SPECIAL LUNCHES

Special lunches for Christmas, a "Survivors Party" on New Years Day, Burns Night and so on.

PUB GAMES TEAMS

A winter season for the Darts, Dominoes and Crib teams and a summer an "Aunt Sally" team.

CHARITY QUIZ

A yearly charity event a Quiz was established.

PLAYGROUND

A childrens' playground made it a welcoming place for families.

SKY TV

Also in 2013 Sky TV was put on in the little front area (originally the whole pub). Unless fully booked for dining, sport could be watched there.

SPORTS CLUB TEAS Lynne took to doing the cricket teas for the Sports Club and their members were loyal in return, often to be found there at other times, (their "unofficial watering hole", when their club bar was not open).

BREAKFASTS

She would do breakfasts for pre-booked parties.

In 2006/7 A Smoking Ban in enclosed public places became banned by law. Dining out became a much more pleasant experience for everyone. Smokers were designated somewhere outside in which they could smoke.

PARTY MARQUEE

Soon Lynne extended the dining area with a large sturdy permanent marquee type gazebo. Now they could cater for larger parties, weddings, christening, wakes, indeed any celebration.

ADMIRAL TAVERN'S TOP PUB from Bucks Free Press 18th April 2014

A village pub has been given a flawless score in a national pub excellence scheme - one of just three in the country to achieve the mark.

The Black Horse in Lacey Green emerged as the best from almost 1,000 pubs spread across England and Wales, which were assessed by Admiral Taverns, which own the pub.

Licensee Lynne Comley, who has run the pub for 19 years, said "We are just so delighted with the result of the scheme. It's great to have achieved this award, and its fantastic to know that our hard work at the pub is being recognised in this way".

HALLMARK entries Lynne always sent a report to hallmark, the village magazine, every three months.

2001 "It is now 5 years since I took over The Black Horse following a campaign and petition to "Save the Village Pub" which indicated that the people of Lacey Green seemed to want to keep the central village pub. However 5 years down the line, despite so many signatures on the petition, the number of our regulars is barely ten per cent of that number. We are under constant pressure from our brewers and owners. Unless we can increase our numbers another amenity will be lost to the village."

2013 "It was a sad loss of Rose Cato, who had lived round at Eastlands for many a year until she went to be looked after in a home. I can remember taking meals on wheels to Rose every Sunday for many years. At that time we used to do a little gang of people round at Eastlands and Rose, bless her, is the last of the bunch.

2016 " We did the yearly quiz for the Wycombe Lions charity; we raised a fair amount of money which was good and a Black Horse team got through to the final at Booker community centre. We are again in the Good Beer Guide and have a new web site www.blackhorse-pub.co.uk. Please keep your eyes out for new things on our notice boards. A reminder that we do not do breakfasts in December.

2019 "What a Beer Festival it was the best one ever. We had dancing, music, good food, beer and singing well into the night, what else could you need? The bands all did us proud and are booked for next year. Howe's fish and chip van covered for me for two days. Thanks to all my staff who worked their socks off and Sam for doing all the face painting once again."

The Black Horse
Construction Era	1824-1899
Type of Property	Cottage
Use of Property	Residential, Business, Charity
Locations	Lacey Green

RESEARCHER'S NOTE Writing now in 2019 The Black Horse still appears to be going strong, although Lynne keeps threatening to retire. She has been saying that for a long time but her customers seem to be turning a deaf ear.