What does this mean?

[PaulStaffs]

Maggie, I've known a couple of pubs with that name in the Midlands. Co-incidentally, I belive the William IV is also on or near the canal.

[stanmapstone]

The name the Old House at Home comes from an early Victorian song popular with soldiers far from home.

http://www.youngs.co.uk/pub-detail.asp?PubID=306


Stan

[Maggie.]

Hi Stan & Paul,

Yes - I knew that the name was from a Victorian song and that it was not the only pub/beerhouse by that name.  Mine was in Church, Accrington, Lancs.  It is no longer there but I have a picture of it published in a book on Accrington, and I know there is another pub by that name still existing in Rawtenstall, Lancs.

I still have items of brassware from that beerhouse, passed on to me via my grandmother.  They are a pain to keep polished but I would never part with them.

Maggie

[behindthefrogs]

It was also fairly common for a blacksmith to be associated with a beerhouse or inn.  I have blacksmiths in my family who worked from the yard of a pub and publicans who had blacksmiths in their yard.

I think it was to do with customers who were waiting for a horse to be shod or a piece of machinery to be repaired having a beer while they waited.  Running a beerhouse was also something a blacksmith's wife could do if she was unable to help with the smithing although the licence would be in  .
his name.

David