The Albion Public House, Ampthill

The Albion Public House: 36 Dunstable Street, Ampthill

This large public house public house was one of many in Ampthill owned by the Ampthill brewers Morris & Company, who were taken over by J.W.Green in 1926. Greens merged in 1954 with Flowers and, though the major partner adopted the Flowers name. Flowers were taken over by Whitbread in 1962, then in 2001 Whitbread sold off all its breweries and licensed houses. The Albion remains a public house. 

The earliest reference to the Albion is in a directory of 1869 when it is listed as in Dunstable Street and run by Thomas Kempson. The first surviving Ampthill Petty Sessional Licensing Register lists a change of licence at the Albion Inn (owned by Morris & Company) from Thomas Kempson to Mary Ann Wildman on 2 Sep 1886. It therefore seems safe to assume that the present public house has been in existence since at least 1869.

Interestingly Thomas Kempson is listed in Directories of 1864 and 1861 as a beer seller in Dunstable Street, so it is possible that the Albion was in existence as a beerhouse from at least 1861 before becoming fully licensed - beerhouses are never named in 19th century directories and are simply listed as beer sellers so it is impossible to be sure.

List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:

• 1869-1886: Thomas Kempson
• 1886-1887: Mary Ann Wildman
• 1887-1889: Alfred Fielder
• 1889-1909: William John Warner
• 1909-1918: William Hugh King
• 1918-1927: Frank Charles Heal
• 1927-1938: George Goodge
• 1938-1951: Ellen Goodge
• 1951-1959: Cyril George Stapleton
• 1959: Thomas Henry Morgan

List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives: 

• WB/M/4/1/VP8: Abstract of title - Morris & Co (Ampthill) Limited: 1900 - 1928
• CCE5304/1: Conveyed to Morris & Co (Ampthill) Limited: 1907
• Z591/56: Lease of adjoining shop: 1922
• WB/M/4/2/1: List of Morris & Co (Ampthill) Limited properties: c.1926
• WB/M/4/2/2: List of Morris & Co (Ampthill) Limited properties: 1926
• WB/Green4/2/4: Certificate of title of J.W.Green Limited: 1935 - 1952
• WB/Green4/2/5: List of houses of J.W.Green Limited: c.1936
• WB/Green6/4/1: J.W.Green trade analysis: 1936 - 1947
• UDA14/32S: Proposed alterations: 1945
• WB/Green4/2/9: Schedule of deeds: c.1949
• WB/Green4/2/12: Schedule of deeds of J.W.Green Limited properties: c.1949
• WB/Green4/5/Am/Albi1-2: Photographs: 1950s
• WB/Green4/2/16: Letter as to title of J.W.Green Limited: 1952
• WB/Green4/2/17: Trust deed of J.W.Green Limited: 1952 - 1972
• WB/Green4/2/19: List of properties of J.W.Green Limited: 1954
• Z1105/1: Liquor Licence Traders Survey Form: 1960
• X777/8 no.7: Photograph: c.1988