The Black Lion Public House, Stotfold

Information taken from Stotfold Pubs and Publicans by Bert Hyde.

The Black Lion Public House, c.1915 [ref: Z50/115/32]

The Black Lion was located at 83 High Street and opened before 1776. By 1876 the pub had been acquired by the Hitchin brewers William Lucas. It was later owned by J.W Green, Flowers and Whitbread. The Bigg family ran the pub for over 100 years, they also ran one of the biggest butcher’s shops in Stotfold. It closed in 1994 and is now a private house.

Licensees: note that this is not a complete list and that dates in italics are not necessarily beginning or end dates, merely the first/last date which can be confirmed from sources such as directories and deeds.

Licensees:

• 1783 – Thomas Miles
• 1822 – William Hyde
• 1847 - 1851 – Charles Cooper
• 1853 - 1854 – Mary Cooper
• 1861 - 1891 – John Bigg
• 1901 - 1936 – William Thomas Bigg
• 1940 – Albert W. Bigg
• 1961 – Nan Bigg
• 1975 - 1983 – J L Wood 

List of sources from Bedfordshire Archives: 

• WB/Green4/2/5: List of licenced houses of J.W Green – includes The Black Lion, c.1952
• WB/Green5/5/1: Register of successive tenants including The Black Lion, 1887-1926
• WB/Green6/4/1: Trade Analysis ledger including The Black Lion, 1936-1947
• WB/L4/1/VP1: Photocopy conveyance inc. The Black Lion, 1898
• Z50/115/32: Photo of The Black Lion public house. High St., c.1920s
• Z1255/2/43: Digital image of the former Black Lion public house, 2006