The Railway Inn Potton
The Railway Beerhouse: 11 Sandy Road, Potton
11 Sandy Road March 2007
The railway came to Potton in the shape of a three mile stretch from Sandy in 1857, becoming part of the Bedford to Cambridge Railway in 1862. The countywide licensing register of 1876 states that this beerhouse, conveniently placed to serve Potton Station, was first licensed in 1865. It was owned by Ashwell [Hertfordshire] brewer Edward K. Fordham.
By the time of the countywide licensing register of 1891 the owner was W. A. Fordham and the register of 1903 gives Fordham and Company. This latter register states that the property required repairing, it was 140 yards from the nearest licensed premises (the Red Lion) and had one front and one back door. The Railway beerhouse closed its doors for the last time in 1917 becoming 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. The valuer visiting the former beerhouse [DV1/C9/50] found it was now owned and occupied by Ernest Theobalds. The valuer remarked that the building was in “fair condition”. It contained two reception rooms, a kitchen, a scullery and four bedrooms. Another hand commented: “Detached. Double fronted old part”.
References:
-
HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
-
HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
-
HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
-
HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
-
HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900;
-
HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
-
PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915
List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:
1872-1896: Daniel Brown;
1896-1898: Catherine Brown;
1898-191: John Duffin;
1911-1913: Charles Odell;
1913-1914: William Watson;
1914: Ernest Whitfield.
Beerhouse closed 1917