It is possible that the WESTCOTTs were not the first family members to keep the Globe. At his marriage in 1868 William MARSHALL [11555] said his father John was an Inn keeper. John MARSHALL had died in 1840 and may have been the Inn keeper at the beginning of the 1800s before the Gunsmith’s opened putting him at the Globe.
William WESTCOTT [10927] was the publican of The Globe which is on the opposite side of Exeter Road to the Gunsmith’s Arms. It is a typical coaching inn. William’s licence applications can be seen at the Exeter Record Office for each year from 1822 to 1827 and he is mentioned in the White’s Devon History Gazetteer & Directory by William White in 1850 Westcott Wm. vict. Globe.
His son George [10960] was the inn keeper in 1861 and 71 and was mentioned in Harrod’s Royal County Directory of Devonshire 1878 as Inn keeper and maltster. He died at the end of 1878, his wife Fanny [10961] took over and is on the 1881 census as “Inn Keeper”. George’s sister Rebecca married Robert HEARD [2596] the brother of William [2600] who was the Inn keeper of the Gunsmith’s Arms. William Robert, son of George, was the Innkeeper in 1901.
William HEARD [2600] was a blacksmith until he joined the army. He had three sons born in Ireland, Cephalonica, Ionian Islands and Jamaica, West Indies but sadly he was widowed and married a second time. His new wife was Mary HEARD [6075] and they took over The Gunsmith’s Arms and William again was a blacksmith and publican. He is mentioned as publican at The Gunsmith’s Arms in Harrod’s Royal County Directory of Devonshire 1878. One of William and Mary’s sons Robert Arthur [10388] took over and was the inn keeper in 1901. In 1901 the Arms is shown next to the Post Office which was next to the School House which was next to the school. Robert Arthur is mentioned as the publican in Kelly’s Directory of Devonshire 1906. Robert Arthur died 20 March 1910 and the pub was taken over by his brother Herbert [10389] who was born in 1872. He is mentioned in Kelly’s Directory of Devonshire 1923.
The barn where horses were stabled behind the pub has now been converted into a bungalow. On our visit in 2008 we were told by the present owner that beer was made on the premises and some of the equipment still remains in the cellar below her bungalow.
There are several photographs in the Beaford collection showing the Gunsmith’s Arms and Post Office in the early 1900s
Henry COPP [18556] and his wife Elizabeth nee LYNE were in the Royal Oak in 1871 but in 1881 John FOLLAND [13597] with his wife Mary Grace nee LYNE (sister of Elizabeth COPP nee LYNE) and their young son John Lyne FOLLAND were at the inn. The entry read John FOLLAND Head Mar 39 Mason & Licensed Victuller. In 1891 their address was simply The Square, Dolton but the entry read John FOLLAND Head M 50 Builder & Innkeeper. Kelly’s Directory for both 1889 and 1893 mentions him as the Innkeeper of The Royal Oak. John was still there in 1901 described as Innkeeper and farmer. John Lyne FOLLAND, now married to Sarah GAY, was listed in the same household as a farmer’s son. John FOLLAND [13597] died in 1907.
The Royal Oak stands in the centre of the village not far from the Church as can be seen in the small photograph above. It has changed little since the photograph left taken in 1940 kindly supplied by Roots chat member Bill Kent. You can however see the addition of the Royal Oak sign above a new porch.
There is a long period of family interest in this inn. On the 1841,1851 and 1861 censuses Edward HEARD [18571] and Thomazine [18589] were at the Royal Oak. However, Eliz. Heard was listed as a Smith & vict. Royal Oak in the White’s History, Gazetteer & Directory of Devon, 1850. This appears to be a mistake. Edward was the brother of Robert HEARD [2626] the blacksmith landlord of the Union Inn.