The Smiths Arms is located on Lea Lane in Lea Town, Preston. The public house dates back to the early 1800’s and is still open today. This page concentrates on the ‘Snailham’ family, who occupied the inn from at least 1845-1848. Thomas and Elizabeth are my 3x great grandparents, descending from their youngest daughter Rebecca.
Prior to the Snailhams, Mr. Hugh Caunce was recorded as landlord of the Smiths Arms.
It is not known precisely how long Thomas and Elizabeth were at the ‘Smiths Arms’ but looking at census and baptism records we can get a good idea. The 1841 census confirms that Thomas resided in Whitestake and that his occupation was a farmer. That same year, his future wife Elizabeth was a farmer’s daughter who was living at Sod Hall in the township of Longton.
The Smiths Arms was put up for let in October 1844.
Thomas Snailham and Elizabeth married in January of 1845 at St Mary’s in Penwortham. Thomas was then a farmer of Longton. Their first son William was born in August of that year and Thomas is described as innkeeper of Lea on the parish baptism record. In December of 1847 the couples second son James was born. James’s baptism record also lists Thomas as the publican of Lea town.
So, we can be certain that this Snailham family were certainly present at the Smiths Arms from 1845-1847/1848.
Queen Victoria’s Coronation
Lea, 1838
Through the generosity of John Smith, Esq of Preston, and Mr. James Threlfall, of Lea, the inhabitants of this hamlet celebrated the festivity of the coronation at the Smiths’ Arms. All the labouring men and their wives, about forty in number, sat down to an excellent dinner of beef and plum pudding, and an allowance of a pint of ale each. At the conclusion the women were treated with a crown bowl of punch. Among the guests was an old man, of the name of Richard Singleton, in his hundredth year, who favoured the company with a song. Another old veteran, “who had defended our land,” stated that he had fought with the Duke of Wellington at the first battle at Saragossa, and had been a soldier under him until the battle of Waterloo. Miss Smith prepared coffee and buns for about eighty children, and Mrs. Threlfall presented each of them with a medal, except the Free School children, who had each previously received one. Mr. Harrison, of Warrington, also liberally treated a number of his tenants residing in the same hamlet.
To be let
October 1847
The next recorded landlord that I could find, was a Mr. Pickles and his family present at the inn in 1852.
What happened next?
When the family left the Smiths Arms, they moved to Grimsargh where they lived at ‘Tun Brook head’ located just up the road from Grimsargh Village Hall. Thomas farmed land of 34 acres and employed one labourer. Thomas and Elizabeth had six more children, Ellen, John, Thomas, Thomas, Edward, James and Rebecca.
By 1861 the family had moved again to New Longton where they settled.
Thomas Snailham passed away 8th March 1882.
Elizabeth Snailham (nee Dobson) died six years later on the 16th of March 1888.
To read more about the rest of the family click on to Page 2.