For redroger
The quest was a simple: To locate the Lincoln inn managed by my gt-gt-grandmother more than a century ago. It led me to a famous Steep Hill address, once upon a time named after a trophy winning racehorse, and a ghostly photographic image of a woman looking out of an upper floor window.
The building and that same bow window, which is still to be seen in the 21st century, is now Browns Pie Shop and Restaurant, recently visited by Josie Thurston, executive editor of this august magazine, who sampled its fare after the restaurant’s success in winning a cuisine award.
My visit to the premises almost two years ago was less successful from a culinary point of view, merely because I found the restaurant closed . I was with my wife and our 20-years-old American granddaughter, a history student who was on holiday with us in Ipswich. Our visit to Lincoln was part of a historical tour, so we were disappointed to find 33 Steep Hill in darkness.
We were about to leave the area when I noticed the shadow of someone moving around at the back of the premises. On impulse, I knocked on the door and a young woman came to see what I wanted. I explained that by great-grandmother, Mary Clayton, had been the publican for several years when the building was the Fox & Hounds Inn.
“We have a photograph of the Fox and Hounds,” she announced, “I will get it for you to look at.” She returned with a very large framed black and white photograph looking down Steep Hill from near the top of the road, propped it up on the counter and allowed me to take a digital snap of it.
It was not until I returned home and enlarged by photograph on the computer that I discovered the image of a woman looking out on to the street from the upper floor window - the same bow window to be seen in the 21st century.
Could the woman, who appeared to be wearing a large hat, be a guest at the inn, or perhaps my great grandmother? I wonder…I have no photograph of her to be sure.
Sorry, I have been told the photo cannot upload because of time
