THE GEORGE & DRAGON

High Street, Soham, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5

The picture on the left hand side shows 'The George and Dragon' as the second building on the left in this charming view of a very quiet High Street. If you compare it with the picture on the right, from about 1908, it clearly shows the new shop built for Mr Edward Leonard, in 1906, on the original site of the pub. The pub originally stood between the then Butcher's outfitter's shop and Henry Rouse's forge. 
Cassey's Dictionary of 1864 tells the reader that in that year there existed a public house known as 'The George & Dragon'. The licensee of that pub was Mr George Chamberlain. A Post Office dictionary, believed to have been printed at an earlier date, gives the name of the landlord as Mr Robert Sheldrick. Another landlord who supposedly kept 'The George & Dragon' at one time was a man named Mr Munnings, who was a descendant of the grand sportsman and painter of horses and sporting subjects - Sir Alfred Munnings. Apparently in Soham in those days it wasn't just pubs that sold ale for many licenses were granted to shopkeepers and the like.

However, some people will have heard the story regarding the pubs closure. It appears that after a day of "going the rounds" of the town's drinking houses a certain man eventually landed up at 'The George & Dragon', where in the company of some favourite cronies he proceeded to drink a bottle of whiskey. One can almost imagine the scene. A man surrounded by pals and onlookers alike empties a bottle and is cheered for his efforts!

It turned out that when the time came for leaving the premises the man in question was incapable of supporting himself and so two of his companions proceeded to take him to his home. It was quite a stretch from the pub and the man proved difficult to carry. The men apparently carried the man over their shoulders with his head hanging down their backs - probably the easiest way for them to manage him! When they arrived at last at the man's home - they discharged their load onto a settee/sofa and it was then it was discovered the man was dead!
The pub was closed down shortly after the incident, which must have occurred some years after the aforementioned date as it was purchased by Mr Edward Leonard, in about 1907, and converted into a butcher's shop. Today the butcher's shop is run by Mr Poul Constant. The cellars of the pub remain, the one reminder that 'The George & Dragon' ever existed there.