The Greyhound Public House, Haynes

Information from 'A History of the Village of Haynes' by David J. Morris

The Greyhound Pub, November 2015

The Greyhound: 68 Northwood End Road, Haynes (also known as The Dog, The Dog and Butcher, The Hare and Hounds)

The Osborne family of Chicksands probably built The Greyhound in Northwood End during the 1780s. The property is not mentioned in the Land Tax Assessment of 1782 and occurs for the first time in 1787. Moses Freeman was the tenant, and after his death in 1818 the licence passed to his wife Catherine, By 1839 the tenant was William Waller and the pub was known as 'The Dog' Joseph Simms was the tenant in 1853 and had established a butchers shop there. It was then called 'The Dog and Butcher'. 

The pub remained in the Simms family with Joseph Simms in 1862 (The Hare and Hounds) and Samuel Simms in 1869 (The Dog and Butcher). The pub finally became The Greyhound Public House in 1876, still under tenancy of Samuel Simms. De Lacy Simms, son of Samuel, became tenant in 1908 and Thomas Green was the licensee in 1910. He was the landlord for more than 20 years and was succeeded by Alfred Brittain, then Clerk to the Haynes Parish Council. 

In 1936 it was sold to the Osborne family of Chicksands, who owned the house to the lessees, Winch and Company of Biggleswade. In 1960 Wells and Winch brewery were taken over by Greene King. Jack Seear and his wife Meg were tenants between 1959 and 1969, during which time it was much frequented by American Air Force personnel stationed at Chicksands. 

The pub remains open, as of writing (2025).

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

List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives: 

• HF40/1/3/19: Draft Assignment of Leasehold property, 1899
• Z1306/56/13: 'Northwood End, Haynes'. Facing south east, the view shows the Greyhound public house, 1917
• Z53/56/9: Photograph of Northwood End - The Greyhound Public House, 1961
• PCHaynes9/9: Applications and related correspondence regarding transfers of licence for the Post Office Stores, The Greyhound, Red Lion, White Horse, Village Hall, 1979-1985
• BTNegPostA10206: Greyhound Pub, Charity bottle [arthritis] - Haynes  - 4 views, 1987
• PCHaynes9/31: Applications and related correspondence regarding transfers of licences for the Village Hall, The Greyhound and The White Horse, 1989-1990
• PCMeppershall37/6/8: Meppershall Magazine, feat. The Greyhound