The Crown Beerhouse Woburn

The Crown Beerhouse: Woburn

This establishment was owned by Luton brewer Thomas Sworder in the mid 19th century. In 1853 [Z1211/2/2] Sworder wrote to the London and County Banking Company depositing the deeds of several properties, including the Crown, as security for a £2,000 overdraft. In 1862 [X95/234] Sworder made an agreement with his uncle, also Thomas Sworder, to mortgage properties to him because he was supporting the business financially.

The property is not listed in any directory of the period. This may show that it was a beerhouse rather than a public house as directories name the latter but not the former, which are simply described by the name of the licensee and tyhe description "beer retailer". There were a number of such people in Woburn at the time, particularly in Bedford Street.

Alternatively this house could be synonymous with the Rose and Crown. This public house lay in Park Street and was also owned by Thomas Sworder. It was in existence by 1765 and was sold to the Duke of Bedford in 1872 and so was contemporary making this a very reasonable hypothesis.

Sources:

• Z1211/2/2: mortgage: 1853;
• X95/234: agreement: 1862.