The former Boot Inn, where Andy's great grandmother, Mira Andrews, née Hobbis, was born and lived until her marriage, is not far from the Cross. Her mother, Mary Hobbis, kept the Inn for some years and the earliest known date for her running The Boot was 1847/8^[1]. However, there is an earlier reference to the "Boot Inn, cf, boot Piece, 1841 TA"^[2] on that year's tithe award. Mary passed away when Mira was nine, leaving her estate in the trust of the brothers Joseph and John Napper for her care^[3]. History has shown Joseph to have been Mira's father^[4]. He was to marry Sarah Higgs later the same year.

Mira's step-mother Sarah was widowed in 1876 but continued to run The Boot until she transferred the licence to her son Charles in 1885^[5], although she remained tenant for life^[6]. Charles was Mira's half brother; he was listed in Kelly's Directory of 1887 as being at the Boot^[7] but he passed away in June 1891. His widow, Elizabeth (nee Bull), then married James William Berry. She died in 1894, leaving an infant son (James Ethelbert Berry).

Sarah Napper continued to live in East Hagbourne, and was at Bay Cottage for many years. The property was put up for sale very soon after her death in late 1907^[8]. Her Will does not mention the Boot Inn but one of the beneficiaries was Martha Andrews, daughter of Mira and her husband Thomas George Andrews, who had lived with Sarah for a number of years. All other beneficiaries were Sarah's own relatives^[9]. Shortly afterwards Mr. Berry applied to the courts for his late wife's estate to be settled on the "infant" heir^[6]. This was granted and the Boot passed out of the hands of the Hobbis and Napper families.

It appeared to be the custom for Hagbourne's pubs and alehouses to serve seasonal workers through a small window, rather than letting them in to drink inside the premises and interrupt the regulars. This helped to avoid having large numbers with very muddy boots trudging through their homes.

The photograph above shows two women, one of whom was Nora Warwick, the daughter of the then publican George Warwick who was also a local milkman. Nora was born in the house in 1916 and passed away in 1981.

The Boot closed in 1959^[10] and is now a private home and the name of the property has since changed. The picture above shows what the Boot Inn looked like during the 1950's and was kindly provided by Max Beran, the present owner.

There is more onsite information:
Our Genealogy

Or visit the GENUKI site:
What's in a name - The Surname Andrews (opens in a new window)

References and notes on the text:

^[1] "Kelly's Berkshire Directory " (1848), Kelly and Co., London, p1988 .

^[2] Gelling, Margaret, "The Place Names of Berkshire, Part II" (1974) English Place Names Society, p.519. These were taken from unprinted Tithe Awards, chiefly in the Ministry of Agriculture. They are now held by TNA, Ref IR 29/2/65 Tithe apportionment of Hagbourne [East Hagbourne, West Hagbourne] (parish), Berkshire. Dated 1841 June 15.

^[3] 1859. The will of Mary Hobbis of East Hagbourne in the County of Berks Spinster deceased who died 26 June 1859 at East Hagbourne.

^[4] Mira was recorded as his daughter on 1861 and 1871 census returns and in his 1876 Will (proved 4 Aug 1876). Her mother's name was recorded on her marriage certificate under "Father".

^[5] "Berkshire Chronicle", 31 January 1885. County Petty Sessions, Friday, Jan. 23.

^[6] "Berks and Oxon Advertiser", 23 October 1908. The "infant heir" was James E[thelbert] Berry, who lived with his Bull grandparents in North Hagbourne (see 1901 census) but later moved to Reading (1911 census) to work for the railway company. He enlisted, as a Private in the Berkshire Yeomanry in WW1, and was killed in action at Gallipoli on 21 Aug 1915 and subsequently buried at sea. There is no memorial for him, other than on the Helles Memorial. He was survived by his father and stepmother, who had moved to Wales a few months before his death.

^[7] "Kelly's Directory of Berkshire", (1887), Kelly's Directories Limited, London - High Holborn, WC, pp71-2

^[8] "Berks and Oxon Advertiser", 29 Nov 1907.

^[9] Will of Sarah Napper, proved 12 February, 1908.

^[10] Lingham, Brian (1990) "Around Didcot & The Hagbournes", Budding Books.