What is your understanding of a "small inn", about 1820

[1716]

Around 1820 my ancestor had a "small inn at Yarrowford", he was also described as a publican.

Now, would this just be, say, a room in the cottage that would be used to serve ale and food, or is the term literally as is now, beer, food and lodging.

I take it these were also unregulated, so no "incorporation of innkeepers" and no way of finding out about this.

Was it also unusual for a taylor to take up this innkeeper role as a totally new occupation due to, I presume, failing health.

[philipsearching]

Unless there is a local map of the period showing the size of the building it would be largely guesswork to attempt an answer.

My instinct is to think of a "small inn" as one that served the local population as opposed to a "coaching inn" which would provide food and accommodation to travellers.

It is possible that as a tailor your ancestor could have suffered from deteriorating eyesight and would have looked for a trade which he could manage to carry out.

Hope this helps
Philip

[Forfarian]

I would expect any inn to provide some sort of lodging, but perhaps only a few rooms, plus food and drink. As for a tailor turning innkeeper, there could be lots of reasons for changing careers.

There is always the possibility that he carried on working as a tailor and the family ran the inn - a double source if income?

My great-grandfather was a tailor, and for a time he was employed by a tailor-turned-innkeeper-cum-farmer in rural Aberdeenshire. In 1851 this entrepreneur was described as an innkeeper clothier and grocer, and he was employing five time-served tailors and two apprentices, besides domestic staff. In 1881 he was described as hotel keeper and farmer, employing 5 men and 2 women. (He was also quite a lad - he seems to have had at least eight illegitimate children by eight different mothers.)

[philipsearching]

It may be worth looking on the early census returns to see if there is an inn identified in Yarrowford and, if so, how many people were recorded there.  This could give an idea of the size of the premises.

[terianne]

probably a small lodgering house/pub

But remember Yarrowford is a small hamlet/village in the Ettrick Valley, Selkirkshire  and it would service the surrounding area.

[1716]

Unfortunately by 1841 the inn had gone. The main inn in the area I expect would have been at The Gordon Arms. Looking at old maps of yarrowford there is nothing showing except 4 cottages. Later years show a few houses and a blacksmiths opposite the school iirc.

I know his wife died at Fastheugh in 1828. He died in 1824 and was called a taylor, no mention of being an innkeeper or constable, both of which professions I know he did do in later life.