The Green Man Public House Stanford

 
Green Man September 2007

Green Man Public House, Southill Road, Stanford

The early history of the Green Man is not known but the Register of Licensed Premises of 1876 notes that it had been licensed for over a hundred years - certainly it is mentioned from 1793 [P69/12/1] in the parish rate book in annual lists of people paying rates on properties. Prior to 1834 the place had been owned by Biggleswade brewer Samuel Wells as it was conveyed, with all his other brewery property, by his executors in that year to Frederick Hogg and William Lindsell who were continuing the business which became known as Wells and Company.

In 1899 Wells and Company were bought by Kent businessman George Winch for his son Edward Bluett Winch and the name of the firm changed to Wells and Winch Limited. In 1927 Stanford was valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting the Green Man [DV1/C124/68] noted that the tenant, Mrs.Clara Sharpe had been there since 20th January 1926, paying £17 per annum rent. The property comprised a tap room ("fair"), living room ("good"), scullery and two bedrooms. Outside was a barn. Trade consisted of one 36 gallon barrel of beer, one 4½ gallon barrel of porter and one 4½ gallon barrel of bitter per week and two gallons of spirits per month. Takings were £480 for the year. The valuer commented: "Poor old thatched place".

In 1961 Wells and Winch were taken over by Suffolk brewers Greene King. At the time of writing [2008] the Green Man is a free house with a restaurant and seventeen chalet style rooms forming a hotel.

Sources:

• P69/12/1 in parish rate book 1793-1803;
• CLP13: register of alehouse licences: 1822-1828;
• GK0/1: conveyance of brewery and licensed properties of Samuel Wells of Biggleswade, brewer, deceased to Frederick Hogg and William Lindsell: 1834;
• P69/11/2 in parish rate book 1835-1837;
• CLP13: Register of Alehouse Licenses: 1822-1828;
• 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;
• GK1/36: three sales catalogues bound together: Wells & Company of Biggleswade 1898; Henlow Brewery 1899; Baldock Brewery Limited 1903;
• GK1/23: statutory declaration about an acre of land held with Green Man: 1899;
• Z1039/34/1 and 2a: conveyance of licensed properties from Frederick Archdale, Charles Samuel Lindsell, Henry Martin Lindsell and Arthur Knox Lindsell to Wells & Winch: 1899;
• HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
• PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
• WW2/AR/CO/2/3: RAF Tempest crashed 400 yards north of Green Man: 1945;
• PSBW8/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1956-1972;
• PSBW8/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade and North Bedfordshire Petty Sessional Divisions: 1976-1980;
• PC Southill 9/22 Correspondence re noise and transfer of licence 1985-1986

List of Licensees:

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

18th century: John Mintle;
1793-1795: Thomas Taylor;
1795-1828: Thomas Dilley;
1841-1869: David Dilley;
1872-1893: John Crossley [convicted on 5 Nov 1873 for opening during   prohibited hours on 25 Oct 1873 - fined £1];
1893-1907: Sophia Crossley;
1907-1910: Grace Crossley;
1910-1914: Walter Faulkner;
1920-1924: Grace Faukner;
1926-1931: Clara Sharpe;
1936-1945: Alfred Faulkener;
1957-1982: William Leonard Radley;
1982-1986: Robert Vasey;
1986-1991: AnthonyDuncanLake;
1991-1995: Trevor John Morgan and Karen Chapman