Finchley - Blacksmith Shop (~1851)

[Midnight_rambler]

Does anyone know anything about a blacksmith shop in Finchley mid 19th century? It's cited as one of my ancestor's residence in the 1851 census. The script is difficult to read, but it looks like it says "known as W. Bafe's Blacksmith Shop." A different member here wondered if it said W. Bass.

Also - does anyone know anything about the history of the Bald-faced Stag Pub? It started out as the Jolly Blacksmiths in the 1730s, and sold illicit beer, but there doesn't seem to be info between then and the name change (which I think happened in 1890.)

(I'm trying to determine whether there is a connection between "known as a blacksmith shop" and illicit beer sellers by that name.)

[robbo43]

This isn't going to be much help, but beer retailing quite often went with blacksmithing, people waiting for a horse to be shod were something of a captive market.  Common names for pubs associate with a blacksmith were Jolly Blacksmith, Blacksmith's Arms, Three Horseshoes ...

There was a Bald Faced Stag in North Road, Finchley, in 1874, licensee a Wm F Pickering.  Earlier than that, there might be some information in trade directories or Quarter Sessions records.  The name couldn't be Bates could it, just seems a bit more likely than Bafe.

Robert

[Midnight_rambler]

Hmm - that is helpful actually, thank you!
Never knew that about blacksmith shops.
And bates certainly does make more sense than bafe. It's a possibility. There's just a definitive tail, that I took to be a scripted f. But maybe it's a rather exaggerated t.
Thanks again for your reply. 

[Coffee Lover]

Does anyone know anything about a blacksmith shop in Finchley mid 19th century? It's cited as one of my ancestor's residence in the 1851 census. The script is difficult to read, but it looks like it says "known as W. Bafe's Blacksmith Shop." A different member here wondered if it said W. Bass.

Also - does anyone know anything about the history of the Bald-faced Stag Pub? It started out as the Jolly Blacksmiths in the 1730s, and sold illicit beer, but there doesn't seem to be info between then and the name change (which I think happened in 1890.)

(I'm trying to determine whether there is a connection between "known as a blacksmith shop" and illicit beer sellers by that name.)

I'm sure that there were others but The Bald Faced Stag was on the junction of East End Road and The High Road in East Finchley.  A school was built in I think 1847 (Holy Trinity Primary) next to the Bald Faced Stag but further along East End Road is another pub called The Five Bells and the blacksmith's shop was to the right of this.

Hope that this helps.

[jennifer c]

The 'f' could be an S. It was known as the long S, so could be Base?

Jennifer