The Ship Inn, Maulden

The Ship Inn was originally a tied house owned by Allfrey & Lovell, a Northampton brewery. It was licensed to sell beer only. In 1860 The Ship is described in the licensing returns as being “in poor condition with 2 offences of drunken behaviour for which it was fined 5 shillings”.

The last licensees of The Ship were members of the Kirkby family. The Kirby family began with William Kirby who for many years combined a baker’s business with that of innkeeper at the Ship and market gardening. The son Thomas Kirby sold market garden produce in Northampton, followed by sons Frederick, John. F.E. and Stanley Kirby who were both market gardeners. On 2nd June 1905 the local paper recorded the death of Thomas Kirby, who was noted as a “well known market gardener and councillor who had resided at the Ship for 23 years”. In Ship Inn closed in 1909.

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