The General Havelock


The General Havelock then (picture from SWOP website)	The General Havelock today

This pub, a place to get real ale
Holds quite a mystery in its tale,
For why this General as its name?
He has no bearing down this lane.

And was this house a pub back then
When Havelock led his fighting men
To kill all opposition met
And win his prize of Baronet?

For this was just three cottage homes,
As early history books have shown
A roof for workers on the farm
Their warm retreat in rural calm.

His Baptists links may be a clue
For we had Baptists down here too,
Had marriage made him see the light?
- It doesn't always pay to fight.

General Havelock won fame and fortune through his involvement in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He married into a Baptist missionary family and distributed the bible amongst his troops. He died in the siege of Lucknow from dysentry. It is not clear why the pub is named after him. There were a good number of pubs and coaching inns in this area because the London Road, Kingsmead and Boundary Road were popular routes for mill workers and travellers.

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