The Kings Hussars Beerhouse Potton

The King's Hussars Beerhouse: [earlier the Pick & Shovel]: Westbury, Deepdale, Potton

The Old House August 2013

The beerhouse, known as the King’s Hussars, stood almost opposite the Locomotive which, considering the paucity of houses in the vicinity, seems excessive. The countywide licensing register of 1876 states that the beerhouse, then called the Pick and Shovel, was first licensed in 1864 and was owned by Ashwell [Hertfordshire] brewer Benjamin Christy.

By the time of the countywide licensing register of 1891 the Pick and Shovel was owned by Royston [Hertfordshire] brewer Joseph Phillips, whose company was still the owner in 1903. By now the property was called the King’s Hussars. One can only surmise that one of the landlords was an ex-trooper in the King’s Hussars and so changed the name. The property was described as being in good repair, forty yards from the nearest licensed premises (the Locomotive) and having one front and one back door. The beerhouse closed for the last time in 1917 and became a private house.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. Potton, like much of the county, was assessed in 1927. The valuer visiting the former King’s Hussars [DV1/C182/6] found it now owned by H. Hendry and occupied by Charles Duffin whose rent was £7/10/- per quarter, which included a wood and corrugated iron barn and 1.302 acres of land nearby. The property comprised three reception rooms, a scullery and a larder. There was a cellar beneath and above, on the first floor, four bedrooms. The valuer commented: “Was a pub”. The property is now [2013] known as The Old House.

References:

• HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
• HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
• HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
• HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
• HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900;
• HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessionsl Division: 1900-1914;
• PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licenses - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
• X704/275: photograph of postcard: 20th century.

List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:
1869-1872: Henry Cooper;
1872-1880: Charles Barford;
1880-1882: William Henry Earl;
1882: Frederick Hurdle;
1882-1884: John Bearley;
1884-1888: George Power;
1888-1889: Edwin Arnold Robbins;
1889: Ernest Hills;
1889-1892: George William Barber;
1892-1893: Edwin Kempson Mole;
1893-1894: Henry Kinch;
1894-1895: William Huckle;
1895-1896: George Davis;
1896-1897: Thomas Morgan;
1897-1899: George Ward;
1899-1900: Thomas Knights;
1900-1901: Harry Samuel Harrison;
1901-1902: Charles Thomas Clemence;
1902: Walter Hatton;
1902-1906: James Dolman;
1906-1913: Arthur Jeffs;
1913-1914: Emma Jeffs
Beerhouse closed 1917