THIS week’s nostalgic look at Southampton’s lost pubs takes us back to Millbrook in 1966.

That year was a tough one for regulars in that part of the city who enjoyed a drink at their local, with time being called permanently at The Royal Mail and The Oliver Cromwell, which stood in Millbrook Road, and were both earmarked for demolition as part of a road-widening scheme.

Last orders for these two pubs came at the end of December of that year before they were knocked down to make way for a dual carriageway.

Both houses were old, well-known and, at one time according to historical records, were favourite pull-ins for passing horse-drawn carriages.

While deeds of The Royal Mail may have only gone back to 1875, the building itself was known to have been an inn for 300 years, and The Oliver Cromwell was reputed to be more than 400-years-old.

The last call of “time” in the Mail was on New Year’s Eve and when it was pulled down the following year the two adjoining cottages which were part of the pub, which was then owned by Strong and Company of Romsey, went with it.

The Oliver Cromwell was so named as the Civil War leader was reputed to have stayed there once on his way through the city.

Little was known about the pub’s origin and history.

Mr H A Voysey came to the Oliver Cromwell two years earlier, knowing he would be the last landlord of the pub.

“I will hate to see it being pulled down,” Mr Voysey told the Daily Echo.

“My wife and I have loved it here.”

Charringtons, the brewers, took over the pub in 1961, when they bought up the People’s Refreshment House Association.

Three years later they were served with a compulsory purchase order and “Time, gentlemen please” was called on the house on Boxing Day 1966.

The westbound carriageway of Millbrook Road now crosses the site where these two lost pubs once stood.