Inn the old ways

When the Victorian pub was demolished in 1968, it was still lit by gaslight - and, famously, a gas mantle hung above the darts board, which dried out the double top.

Although the opening date of the pub is unclear, York historian Hugh Murray finds a reference to the Slip from 1843 and records that it closed on July 31, 1968.

Andrew and Kathleen Smith were the last landlords at the Slip, and darts players recalled how Mrs Smith put on a great supper of pork pies and mushy peas on match nights.

They kept with the old ways, running the pub, which was also their home, by gas light, and serving beer straight from the barrel, which was kept in a cool room next to the tiny bar.

Their son, Maurice, 71, of Park Grove, York, recalled how his parents would draw a pint straight from the barrel and serve everybody at their tables.

It was a tradition that stretched way back at the Slip, as revealed by Kathleen Bennett, whose family - the Graingers - reigned at the pub from the 1920s, if not earlier, through to 1955.

Kathleen, 62, of Terry Street, York, and sister Maureen Marwood, 59, of Pear Tree Farm, Stockton-on-the-Forest, lived at the Slip until the family moved to Stockton-on-the-Forest in the mid-Fifties.

The sisters have brought us in some great photographs of the Grainger family at the Slip over the years, including pictures of their grandparents Nellie and James.

There is a picture of Nellie, probably from the Forties, in the doorway of the Slip, carrying a tray of beers, photos of James with his dog, Patch, in the pub garden, as well as a photo of Kathleen and James on the bench at the front of the pub, probably from 1948.

At that time, James's son and the girls' dad, Cyril, was at the helm of the Slip, with his wife, Mary. As ever, the family lived on site.

The sisters have happy memories of their childhood at the pub.

"It was our home and a nice place to be," said Kathleen.

"We had our own garden and we kept hens. There were six bedrooms and a kitchen downstairs with a black-range fire, but no bathroom. We'd heat the water on the range and put a tin bath in the kitchen. There was a scullery attached to the kitchen, and the toilets were outside.

"The men from the corporation used to come and empty the loo into a little lorry, which couldn't have been a very nice job."

Kate Houghton, 80, of York, did her courting at the Slip Inn in the late 1940s. Her late husband Bill used to live in Acomb and would cycle over to her home off Malton Road and they would both ride up to the Slip Inn for a drink.

"I have great memories of the place," said Kate. "The old bloke who used to run it always gave me cooking sherry and Bill would have a pint. It was really old fashioned, but we really enjoyed going there. It was very sad when they pulled it down."

Mike Kirkbride also wrote to us about the old pub.

He emailed: "I am researching my family tree and I saw some evidence that my granddad and his brother were born at an address (which was difficult to read). I read it as The Ship Inn, Malton Road, Huntington, but having read the York Press over the past two weekends I now think is more likely to be The Slip Inn.

"My paternal grandad was Mark Alfred Smith, born January 21 1895 and his brother was Arthur Smith, born 1899.

"They had three older sisters who were Hannah Smith, born 1889 in Fangfoss; Jane (Ginny) Smith, born 1890 at Stockton-on-the-Forest and Frances Smith, born 1893 at Stockton-on-the-Forest.

"They also had two younger brothers, Tom Smith and Norris Smith; I am not sure where they were born."

Mike says he would love to find out if any readers know if his grandfather's parents were landlords at the Slip Inn in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

He added: "I can't help but wonder if my grandad's parents, Joseph and Mary Smith, are related to Andrew Smith who was the landlord in the 1960s."

If you can help Mike, contact Maxine Gordon, Features, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN; telephone: 01904 653051; email: maxine.gordon@ycp.co.uk