The Windsor Castle Public House Albert Road Luton

The Windsor Castle c.1960 [WB/Flow4/5/Lu/Win2]

The Windsor Castle Public House: 12 Albert Road, Luton [formerly the Roebuck]

The Windsor Castle was originally known as the Roebuck, which was built by Luton brewer Frederick Burr on the corner of Albert Road and Langley Street. The site, formerly part of Bailey Field, had been purchased by brewers William and Jonathan Burr between 1800 and 1808 and it is likely that Frederick rebuilt existing premises. According to Stuart Smith in Pubs and Pints: the Story of Luton’s Public Houses and Breweries during the late 1850s “the inn had many problems with the conduct and reputation of its clientele, exacerbated by the violent conduct of the former landlord towards his estranged wife who had retained the tenancy”.

In 1864 the Roebuck was mentioned at the Bedford Quarter Sessions in the case of Matthew William Deverell, who was charged with obtaining bacon, butter and a penny by false pretences from grocer Joseph Keeling of 51 Albert Road. Deverell had claimed to Keeling that he worked for Edward Thompson, the keeper of the Fountain public house and that Thompson would pay the bill for the goods. DefinitionsThompson, however, said that while he knew Deverell, the man had never worked for him and he had not sent him to Keeling’s. Deverell claimed that another man, named Horn, had asked him to get the bacon and butter and had given him a slip of paper purportedly signed by Thompson to give to the grocer. After obtaining the goods he had taken them to Horn at the Roebuck. The jury apparently believed Deverell’s version of events as he was found not guilty.

After the Windsor Castle in Windsor Street closed in 1872 the Roebuck took over the name of the former public house. The Windsor Castle was bought along with Burr’s Brewery by Luton brewer Thomas Sworder in 1860. In 1897 the Thomas Sworder brewery was sold to J.W.Green Ltd. The sale catalogue describes The Windsor Castle as a fully licensed public house situate at the corner of Albert Road and Langley Street opposite the New Town Post Office. It was brick-built and slated and contained: Bar with entrances from both streets; tap room; sitting room; kitchen; scullery with sink and copper, w.c.; entrance to yard; cellar with cask entrance; and five bedrooms. Outside premises were: yard with entrance from Langley Street; two-stall stable; w.c.; yard with open shed and coach house, another two-stall stable with coach house at side; a coach house fronting Langley Street; and lofts over both buildings. The tenant was Mr. E. Kenney, and the rent was £30 per annum.

Site of the former Windsor Castle at the corner of Langley Street and Albert Road, 2010

The pub was held by J. W. Green Limited until 1954 when the company merged with Midlands brewers Flowers and took the Flowers name. Flowers was in turn taken over by Whitbread in 1962. In 1990 it was purchased by Charles Wells of Bedford. The Windsor Castle subsequently closed and the whole area has been redeveloped leaving no trace of the former public house.

References:

• X95/240: copy agreement between Thomas Sworder and his creditors William Anstee, John Cook and Benjamin Bennett: 1878;
• X95/270: copy mortgage from Thomas Sworder to William Anstee and Benjamin Bennett junior: 1878;
• Z660/D/1/6: conveyance from Edward Burr and Thomas Joseph Sworder to Thomas Sworder: 1878;
• WBGreen5/5/1: register of successive tenants to J.W.Green Limited licensed premises: 1887-1926;
• X95/322/21: Windsor Castle valued at £1,300: 1889
• X95/300: schedule of Thomas Sworder's licensed premises: 1889;
• X95/309: abstract of title of Thomas Sworder: 1889;
• X95/322/21: valuation of some of Thomas Sworder's licensed premises: 1889;
• X95/287: proposed arrangement of loans for Thomas Sworder & Company: 1889;
• X95/322/9: list of licensed premises mortgaged by Thomas Sworder: 1889;
• X95/322/18: draft mortgage of licensed premises from Thomas Sworder to Charles Elton Longmore: 1889;
• X95/322/27: draft release of licensed premises from Charles Elton Longmore to Thomas Sworder: 1897;
• X95/299: schedule of deeds of Thomas Sworder's licensed premises: 1897;
• X95/322/27: draft release of licensed premises from Charles Elton Longmore to Thomas Sworder: 1897;
• X95/301: schedule of deeds belonging to Thomas Sworder: c. 1897;
• X95/332a-b: abstracts of title of Thomas Sworder to licensed premises: 1897;
• X95/313-314, Z210/84 and WB/S4/1/1/5: sale catalogues of Thomas Sworder's brewery and licensed premises: 1897;
• X95/315 and WB/Green4/1/VP1: draft conveyances of licensed premises from Thomas Sworder to J. W. Green Limited: 1897;
• Z210/84: Particulars, plans and conditions of sale of Messrs T Sworder & Co's Brewery, Luton, 1867;
• WB/Green1/1/1: record of articles of association and licensed houses owned by J.W.Green Limited: 1897-1936;
• WB/Green4/2/4: certificate of title to licensed properties of J.W.Green Limited: 1936-1952;
• WB/Green6/4/1: trade analysis ledger of J.W.Green Limited licensed premises: 1936-1947;
• WB/Green4/2/5: list of licensed properties of J.W.Green Limited: c.1936;
• WB/Green4/2/10: schedule of deeds to J.W.Green Limited licensed premises: c.1949;
• WB/Green6/2/9: transfer book of alcohol to licensed premises: 1950-1951;
• WB/Green4/2/16: letter from J.W.Green to solicitors Lawrance, Messer & Company asking which licensed properties had been in continuous occupation: 24 Jul 1952;
• WB/Green4/2/17: Trust Deed of J.W.Green Limited with list of licensed premises: 1952-1972;
• WB/Green4/2/19: Various loose schedules of deeds and documents: c.1954;
• WB/Flow4/5/Lu/WC1-2: photographs: 1960s;

Licensees: Note that this is not a complete list; italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known

1861: Julia Hodge (as the Roebuck);
1864-1871: J. Binhma (as the Roebuck);
1872: James Day;
1872-1875: Michael Hart;
1875-1876: Charles Smith;
1876-1903: Edward Kenney;
1903: Louise Kenney;
1903-1904: Smith;
1904-1913: John Forknall;
1913-1951: Frank Locker Forknall;
1951: Jason King
1987: Doris Taaffe
1988:  L. Dalgarno
1991-1994: Nick Taylor

Public House closed c 1990