Midland Pubs.
The Publican descendants of Samuel and Amy WHITEHOUSE
Letitia WHITEHOUSE [8494], Sarah WHITEHOUSE [8498] and Nancy WHITEHOUSE [1527] were sisters. Letitia married James LOWE and two of their sons became publicans. Sarah and Nancy both married SHAREs, Joseph and Samuel respectively, (but it is not yet known if these were brothers). Sarah married twice she and her husbands were publicans as were Nancy’s son Samuel SHARE [1535] and his son Joseph SHARE [1548]. The eldest sister Juliet married another Samuel SHARE but we have not found any connection with pubs.
The SHARE publicans
The King William IV was opened during the reign of that monarch. From directory entries it is known that Sarah SHARE nee WHITEHOUSE [8498] was the victualler of the pub at 8 Pensnett Road between 1850 - 1861 although at that time it was known as The King's Head. In 1841 her first husband Samuel [13911] is listed as a coal miner but it was not uncommon for a small family house to be run as a pub by the wife while the husband pursued a different occupation. The couple probably set a bar up in their home between 1830 and 1837. Samuel died in the first quarter of 1849 and Sarah continued to run the establishment alone. The Post Office Directory of Birmingham, Staffordshire & Worcestershire 1850 has “King's Head Mrs S. SHARE Holly Hall Dudley”. Similarly Slater's Directory for 1851 has “King's Head Sarah SHARE Holly Hall”. A Samuel SHARE is listed in the same PO Directory and Sarah SHARE in the Slater's directory as shopkeeper. These are thought to be Samuel [13950] and his wife Sarah nee WALL [13951] who lived next to the pub.
In 1851 Daniel BAKER [13957], a constable, was lodging at the pub. Sarah [8498] and Daniel married in 1853 and Daniel was listed as the publican at 6 Bug Hole on the 1861 census. Sarah died in 1867
After Sarah and Daniel the next record so far found is an entry in the PO Directory for 1876 which has “SHARE Samuel King's Head Holly Hall.” This is thought to be Sarah's nephew Samuel [1535], son of Joseph SHARE and Nancy. Sarah’s son Samuel [13950] had died in the first quarter of 1871, his wife Sarah nee WALL [3951] was still listed as a shop keeper in the Post Office Directory of 1876. Samuel [1535] moved to the Old Coach and Horses and his son Joseph SHARE [1548] was managing the King William in 1881 but in 1891 Joseph was a bar man in his father’s pub. In 1891 a Joshuah MANTLE was keeping the King William, 8 Pensnett Road, no family connection with him has been found.
The Old Coach and Horses was in Stourbridge Road, Woodside, the “ Old” in its title was added to distinguish it from another Coach and Horses, also located on the Stourbridge Road. Samuel SHARE [1535] was the publican from 1881. He is also listed there in both Kelly’s Directories for 1892 and 1896. The original pub was gutted by a fire and demolished. The existing pub was a replacement building which opened in 1965.
In Kelly's Directory of Worcestershire 1896 a Joseph SHARE is at the Seven Stars Public House, 20-21 Market Place. This may well be the same Joseph as no other has been found on the censuses for 1891 and 1901. Joseph died in 1898.
The LOWE Publicans
Oliver LOWE [14124] was the first of James LOWE and Letitia WHITEHOUSE’s four sons. In 1841 he was a journeyman Maltster living in Mill Lane, Kingswinford but by 1851 he was keeping his own pub on the census. He was described as a victualler and he was listed in both White’s and Slater’s Directories of 1851 under publicans “Lowe Oliver The Waterloo, Mill Street, Brierley Hill” He was also listed in 1865 in Jones Mercantile Directory of South Staffordshire in Brierley Hill. Oliver died in 1866.The Waterloo is still in business, a photograph can be seen at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1100362
The Midlands pubs Forum has found Oliver listed in the pub in 1845 and suggests that he was brewing his own beer at the Waterloo.
Benjamin LOWE [14126] was the third son of James and Letita. He was a publican in Kingswinford in 1841 his address being Bretall Lane. He is also listed in the History, Gazetteer & Directory of Staffordshire, 1834 under Inns and Tavens but the Inn was not named. On the 1871 census there is a Cross Keys in Bretall Lane so it is possibly the house in question. By 1851 Benjamin was living in Machin St, Pensnett and his occupation was given as a maltster.
Other family publicans in the Midlands
Reuben CARTER [3438] was a coal miner and beerhouse keeper at this address in 1861. In 1871 the address was 19 St John’s Street. This has since been renamed Shirley Road. The Midlands Pubs forum has a record of Reuben in the pub in 1879 but his widow was a greengracer in the next property in 1881.
Simeon CADMAN [12791] was a retail brewer on the 1851 census and was listed in Slater's Directory of Birmingham, Worcester & the Potteries, 1851 as a retail brewer and in White’s History, Gazetteer & Directory of Staffordshire 1851 under beer sellers. Simeon died in 1858 and his widow Rebecca CADMAN nee ARMSTRONG [12792] was the publican in 1861.
William HAKESLEY [12775] was a licensed victualler at the Scott Arms in 1911 and was listed in the Kelly Directory 1912.
Worcestershire
George COLLEY [2774] who was a cabinet maker was keeping this Inn in 1891. But in 1901 he was again listed as a cabinet maker.
In 1881 Henry Poynter WOODWARD [9061] was the publican at this house. He had left before 1887 when his son was born in Honebourne. The Hawford was demolished in the 1960s and very little else has been found about it.
This name usually indicates the pub was near a toll gate. Very little is known about this pub other than it was kept by James COSNETT [5397] in 1871. James was an ag lab on the censuses on either side.
This unusual name is thought to be representing the papal crown and an Anglican bishop’s mitre. Why such symbols have been used is a mystery but it is known that the original owner was a church warden.
The house is thought to date back to the late eighteenth century. It closed in 1977 and a modern house built near by took the old name.
Our ancestor Ann GILES [21751] was the landlady in 1836-1841.
See this link for an interesting history of the house http://www.kidcivicsoc.org.uk/Downloads/threecrownsandsugarloaf_hkp098.pdf
Warwickshire
The Bell in Warwick Lane, Coventry was kept by Mattew JEPHCOT [9575] in 1841 and his wife Elizabeth nee HESOM [9845] in 1851. The book “The Character of Coventry” a reflection of well-known characters and a history of the City's inns and taverns, by John Ashby does not mention a Bell in Warwick Lane. However, there is a Bell at 60 Greyfriars Lane which runs into Warwick Lane so perhaps this was the one. Its location will need to be investigated further. Ashby mentions at least six public houses in Warwick Lane. If the Bell in Greyfriars Lane was the correct inn it was referred to by Hewitt in 1756 as the Blue Bell but was known as the Cheylesmore between 1910 and its closure in 1939.
Elizabeth’s brother Thomas married Mary ELLARD who was a granddaughter of William ELLARD [5789] on our direct line. Mathew’s sister Elizabeth JEPHCOT married Joseph HESOM, Elizabeth’s brother.
George E PEARCE [4180] was keeping this pub in 1891-1901. He had previously been an accountant (1871) and a commission agent (1881).
We are grateful to Keiran of the Midland pubs Forum for his help with the Dudley pubs
More information on the above will be added as we find it. Any information would be appreciated.
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