Joyford is a small hamlet to the immediate north-east of Berry Hill. The Albert Inn was situated near the road junction at bottom of the steep hill on the unclassified road towards English Bicknor.
The Harrison family were owners of the Albert Inn at the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th Century. The premises had beer house status with an annual rateable value of £12.0s.0d. Charlotte Harrison was the owner and occupier in 1891 when the Albert Inn was trading free of brewery tie. Twelve years later the lease had been acquired by John Arnold & Sons of the High Street, Wickwar, with John Harrison listed as owner. In 1903 closing time was at 10 pm.
In 1905 the local newspaper, the Forest of Dean Guardian, reported the death of a Mrs Smith, who had died at the Albert Inn. She had lived there for some time, being a relative of the licensee. Grantley Kear was the tenant in 1909, and he was charged with supplying beer in an improperly sealed bottle to a child under the age of fourteen. Part of the licensing laws passed in 1902 covered this misdemeanour, known as the Child Messenger Act. Grantley Kear was fived five shillings and costs.
Grantley Kear was replaced by Martin Howell, who was affected by conscription in the First World War. His wife, as were all publican’s wives, was given a protection order until their husbands returned. So Emily Howell ran the pub until Martin returned in 1922. He took up the licence and retained it until 1936, when his widow took up the licence once more.
The Albert Inn closed c.1952.
The whitewashed property is now residential and is called Albertin. The property was up for sale in May 1985 with an asking price of £82,500. The sales particulars described it as a character house standing in 7 ¼ acres of land with a stream running into a large pond. ‘Once an inn (though not for 40 years now), Albertin is the result of the merger of three cottages dating back to the 18th century. Accordingly there is a wealth of character and period features. The gardens are an absolute delight and there is an orchard. The old character houses centre around a 14 feet hall.’
The building was put up for sale in June 2001 for a guide price of £325,000. The particulars of sale mentioned that the old pub still retained many attractive features such as exposed beams and a spiral stone staircase. ‘It stands in its own formal gardens and grounds of approximately six acres together with a range of useful outbuildings which include a double garage, stone barn, three stables and a feed store. The property itself comprises a large reception hall, dining room, living room, study, kitchen, laundry room, cloakroom, breakfast room, four bedrooms and two bathrooms.’
Landlords of the Albert Inn include:
1891 Charlotte Harrison
1900,1903 Thomas Howell
1908 Grantley Kear
1909 Martin W. Howell
1917 Emily Howell
1922 Martin Howell
1936 Emily Howell