The Clarendon Hotel Linslade

Clarendon House New Road June 2008

Clarendon Hotel: 41 New Road/Church Road, Linslade

The Clarendon Hotel was first licensed in 1867 and quickly became a popular venue for auction sales. Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service is not rich with information on Linslade licensed premises; owing to the fact that Linslade was in Buckinghamshire until 1965, no licensing records are held by the service.

The Clarendon Hotel, along with other properties, was sold at auction in 1922 (at the Corn Exchange in Leighton Buzzard) on the death of its owner, H.T.E.Birdsey [BML10/44/46]. The hotel is described in the sale particulars as: "The fully-licensed COMMERCIAL HOTEL known as "The Clarendon" Situate at the junction of New Road with Church Road, Linslade.

It is of modern construction, brick-built and slated roof, the accommodation being as follows: -

ON THE GROUND FLOOR:

• Vestibule Entrance and Hall with entrance to yard.
• Bar, about 16 feet by 14 feet, with entrance from street.
• Jug and Bottle Department, with separate entrance.
• Smoke Room, about 14 feet by 12 feet fitted with marble mantelpiece.
• Commercial Room about 14 feet by 15 feet similarly fitted and having separate entrance.
• Kitchen fitted with Range and Sink.

ON THE FIRST FLOOR:

• Billiard Room, measuring about 27 feet by 27 feet in widest parts.
• Sitting Room.
• Bedroom fitted with fireplace.
• W.C.

ON THE SECOND FLOOR

• Five Bedrooms.

Excellent Cellarage in the basement.

There is a small yard at the rear with entrance over the right of way from Church Road, having Wash-house, W.C. and Urinal opening thereon. The property is let on lease to the Northampton Brewery Company Limited for a term of 7 years from 25th March 1920 at a rental of £50 per annum. The tenant's fixtures, an inventory of which will be produced at the Sale, are not included in the purchase".

The hotel was sold to the Northampton Brewery Company for £1,200. The hotel continued for nearly another eighty years. It closed in 1989 and was redeveloped as flats.

References:

• BML10/44/12: auction sale held at Clarendon Hotel: 1868;
• BML10/44/22: auction sale held at Clarendon Hotel: 1885;
• BML10/44/89: valuation of property of T.Birdsey including Clarendon Hotel: 1896;
• BML10/44/31-322: auction sales held at Clarendon Hotel: 1896;
• BML10/44/88: auction sale held at Clarendon Hotel: 1896;
• BML10/44/94: auction sale held at Clarendon Hotel: 1897;
• BML10/44/104: tenancy agreement from H.Birdsey to J.Guest: 1902;
• BML10/44/46: auction sale particulars: 1922;
• UDLLP2/149: alterations: 1934;
• UDLLP2/219: alterations to basement: 1938;
• Z1105/1: Liquor Licence Traders Survey form: 1960  

List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list; entries in italics refer to licensees where either beginning or end, or both, dates are not known:

1869: T.Birdsey;
1871: Sarah Ann Fraser, licensed victualler;
1879: Frederick Mitchell
1883: Thomas Procter;
1891: Edward D.Blaxland, hotel keeper;
1895: George Buckle;
1899: George I.Groves;
1901: Hannah Kibblewhite, licensed victualler;
1902: J.Guest;
1903: Alfred Richard Bastick;
1907: John A.Foskett;
1911: Harry Thomas Birdsey;
1915: Henry James Scaldwell;
1920-1925: Frederick Hopkins;
1928-1931: Roger Charles Stimson;
1935-1939: Charles H.Bond;
1965: Reginald Cecil Davidson;
1970: Richard McLaughlin;
1972: Christopher William Stanley;
1982: Samuel O’Hara;
1986: Terence Edward Walsh
Hotel closed March 1989.