The
Pub Pages
BEER & SK ITTLE S P. A. BAXTER Northants table: Heavier use of leather padding and diamond-edged pin-pit. Netting. Larger pins and cheeses.
I HAVE YET TO visit The Turk's Head, Twickenham. Well, it's a bit of a trip to take in a game of shove ha'penny, table skittles (‘Devils’) and darts, but on 10th March 1964, one Ringo Starr, took in all three for comedic effect in a scene for the first Beatles film ‘A Hard Day's Night’. Having seen the film innumerable times I felt it was time to find out more about that particular section, not least of which is to see if the pub is still
there. Well I'm delighted to report that it is, although I don't know if there is any nicely polished brass plaque marking the occasion. In the film, Ringo had wandered off, causing panic amongst the production team for the evenings' approaching concert, and Ringo (still genuinely hung-over from the previous night, so we're told) heads off on some mildly comic adventures. At the pub he was given a dodgy looking sandwhich
Leicestershire table: Padded leather sides, cloth backing and square-edged pin-pit. Smaller pins and cheeses. 30 THE VISITOR November 2020
(‘That was fresh this morning!’) and his efforts to retrieve money to pay (‘That'll be two and nine!’) results in the contents of his pockets spilling onto the shove ha'penny board – much to the annoyance of those participating in a game. His half-pint of beer is placed on the devils board where the ball on chain neatly smashes the glass (don't you just hate it when that happens to you?) then a badly aimed dart skewers the sandwhich of a fellow patron, and the next dart very nearly does the same to the pub parrot. Needless to say Ringo is sent on his way! The pub may still be there – a Fuller's house – although it is now a gastro-pub, so I suspect that pub games are no longer amongst the list of activities one can enjoy there. Like so many of us West Country people I am continually frustrated and bewildered by the confusing and sometimes contradictory advice given by Government over the present crisis. To have our whole way of life destroyed is having a very
negative effect on many people, and whilst I am one of the lucky ones who no longer have to do my bit for Queen and Country, one of the many pastimes I am now free to indulge in is more than a few pub visits to play the beautiful game! It's not just about the game though, but the whole experience of going out for the evening, meeting up with ones pub friends and with those whom one would not normally meet, enjoying the beer and banter etc. I guess I am fortunate that I can enjoy some skittles at home. Not just the occasional game of ‘devils’, but the version they play in Leicestershire where one hurls wooden 'cheeses' at the pins on a specially made table. I can probably claim to own the only Leicester table for many miles around! This table was actually purchased from a chap in Ottery St Mary (best not ask) and resides in our garage where it provides hours of fun. We publish a photo herewith for your delectation; it's the one with the cloth backing. The other table is the
