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Picture source: Gloria Rathbone

The Engine House Tavern was situated at 111 Boughton.

Source: Darkstar

My family used to run this pub from 1807 to 1890. It was originally a beerhouse and was known as 'Ruscoes' after my family. John Ruscoe, my great x 3 grandfather, was the first member of my family to run it and he also kept livestock - there was a large yard with outbuildings behind. After his death in 1843 his wife Ann took it over. When she died in 1860 her will states that the pub was to be sold and the proceeds of the sale to be divided amongst her children. However their eldest son, also John, ran the pub after Ann died until he too died in 1865. His widow Elizabeth Ruscoe continued to run the pub . She also had a Cab Hire business (horse drawn back then) which she ran from the yard behind the pub. Elizabeth bought the place back for £680 in 1873. Elizabeth gave up the licence in 1890 by which time the pub was known as The Engine Tavern. An ex-policeman called Thomas Reece took over the licence and that is the end of the Ruscoe connection with the pub. At some point the name was extended to The Engine House Tavern, the name by which it was known until 2004 when it became a restaurant called Restaurant Locus. It changed hands again in 2009 and became an Indian restaurant called Shillong, which is what it remains today.

Gloria Rathbone (January 2013)

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