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The Retreat Inn, Holbeach 1965

A photo of The Retreat Inn, Holbeach. This photo is dated as 1965.

Can anyone help with more information on this, such as when it opened and finally closed etc?

Click on image to enlarge

AOS P 1761 The Retreat 1965, now holbeach heating

Vistor comments

14 Responses

  1. i lived in that pub with my family certainly in 62,i remember telstar had just come out by the tornadoes,we had a barn out back,a lad called eddie lived in it,the bar had a gold coloured rectangular shaped jukebox on the wall,i used to get given the old records from it,telstar was one,hello mary lou,rick nelson runaway del shannon johnny remember me,they were some,my dad finished a professional football career,having played for Arsenal,then millwall,at the end of his career,came up from london to run this pub and manage holbeach united football club,we were the Dove family i am the eldest of 2 sons stephen,and have lived in hemel hempstead since we left,in i would guess 64,i hope this gives some help regards steve

      1. your welcome geoff,anything else i can help with just ask,at that time there was was my dad henry,mum shirley,brother paul and myself stephen,we later had a sister she was born in hemel hempstead,i used to go out picking with mum in the fields sometimes,i would like to ask a question now,does anybody in the area remember us,we used to have an old boy known as skip used to come into the pub,wonder if that jars anyones memories,eddie who i mentioned prev,lived in the barn,he had a room upstairs,and was there when we took over the retreat,there was a girl in holbeach i was told by parents was very close to,be interesting if she is still in the area,and has any recollections,i have a photograph somewhere,of me my brother,and cousin lynn in front of the pub,i personally would love to of stayed in the area,and never found why we moved to hemel hempstead,certainly know where i would of stayed,remember lots of nice countryside
        im not town type really,but maybe it has all changed there too,what is actually on the retreat site now,someone i know who’s father lives in holbeach says a housing estate,but is it not a shop,be great to fill some gaps from my early years,and maybe someone knows how long we were there for,my guess we arrived 59-60.
        seems odd nothing much in connection with that pub,i remember the loud music quite a lively crowd there so lets see what gives,regards steve

        1. Hi Steve. Hope you don’t mind me commenting. Am I right in thinking this is 40 Fleet Street? If so I lived here in about 1982 ish. My parents had a car showroom here. I was about 8 years old at the time. We lived in the house too. Would love to know more about the building like when it was built and when it became a pub. I have a pic somewhere of it in the 80’s. Was a fun place to live. Remember playing hide and seek with my brother in the barn at the back.
          Michelle

          1. hello michelle nice having a reply to my post,you are maybe a bit young,re my time there,i think why i still feel connected is living at the pub made me be
            a guitar player,and that was due to the many records,i heard on the usually loud jukebox,in the bar beneath my bedroom,one in particular hello mary lou,by ricky nelson,you likely never heard of it,but the guitar on that tune,i can safely say changed my life,i used to go out in the fields picking with my mum,maybe daffs strawberries and such,was a long time ago,i wish we had stayed there,but i had no say,mum was worried about my dads late night sessions,as i understand,so we upped and moved south,to the town of hemel hempstead,was a nice place once,but now sadly not,if you know of anyone,who may of had a connection,or frequented the retreat in our time,do let me know,there is so little reference,to that little pub,maybe we have set .the ball rolling.all the very best michelle,steve x

  2. nothing since michelle replied,who had also lived at the retreat,i know it was a long time ago, but there just has to be others,that can add more to mine and michelle’s posts,i remember
    it being,quite a busy little pub,and i am quite sure,there must be some still around who frequented this little pub cheers folks steve

  3. Good afternoon Steve
    I’ve just been talking to my elderly mother and she lived there around 1929 with her aunt and uncle Stan and Violet Mace, who ran the pub at that time until about 1940 I think, when they moved to The Horse & Groom.
    If you have any information/photos going back that far I’d love to receive them.
    Many thanks

    1. Annette!Just saw this 2 plus years,after your post,i cant help unfortunately,finding anything about this pub,seems some challenge,I had a Girlfriend at school,i have not been able to remember her surname until now! she was Ena Pack,maybe this will jar things up,i’d still be there if i had a say,we moved to Hemel Hempstead,a new town in Hertfordshire,that was lovely for years,but unfortunately!! a somewhat ruined one now! Good luck with what you are chasing.x Steve!

    2. Annette!Just saw this 2 plus years,after your post,i cant help unfortunately,finding anything about this pub,seems some challenge,I had a Girlfriend at school,i have not been able to remember her surname until now! she was Ena Pack,maybe this will jar things up,i’d still be there if i had a say,we moved to,a new town in Hertfordshire,that was lovely for years,but unfortunately!! a somewhat ruined one now! Good luck with what you are chasing.x Steve!

  4. I have just come across this thread and hoping someone may remember Harry and Edith Jarvis running this Inn. Would have been after 1940. I’m thinking that it may have been only for a short time.
    Its quite difficult confirming stories as I am in Australia.
    Cheers Kathryn

  5. My mum and dad ran the Retreat Inn – about 1958 – 1961-ish. They were Harry and Edith Jarvis. I lived there with mum, dad, my sisters, Pam and Elaine and my brother Paul. We sang in the choir at Holbeach Church. Happy times. After dad died, we moved to Warwickshire.

  6. Hi Gilly, thank you for your information. I’m actually doing research (fact checking) for my son in law Christopher Jarvis. Your nephew in Australia. It was lovely to read of your happy times at the Inn and singing in the local church choir. Beautiful memories.

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