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'The Crown ' - note the Sign, date unknown |
The Crown (Lhs) - 15, The Hill, in 2001 |
The Crown Beerhouse - was halfway down The Hill and opposite the village Post Office / general store, (as was c1920 / '30s) ran by John Norman, also a Butchers' Shop next door served by Mr & Mrs Benbridge. . Later, c1950 we see ' F.S. Charteress and Son' on the signage, - (Mr, Mrs Frank & Anne Charteress) , then around Nov 1980 his son David and Sandra continue the business, with his Father for a while, until Nov. 2012 when it finally closed.
Today the Crown 'site' is 15, The Hill, but it was 3 on the door from 1898 to - c1920's, - also called The Rose & Crown during 1854. This number change was due to newcomers to the village, infilling with new houses , but conversley, leading to old cottages being 'demolished' all down the road, - but Not being replaced, - It can be seen by the numbering of todays' homes, that - 21 to 71 / inclv. have just simply vanished, - 26 sites in all, around the area locally known as the Brickfields , opposite Park Lane . / . Now a sign shows today, 26 New Dwellings due to be built on the area during 2022/23. (@ 26/10/2022 )
We have a 'Brickhill Close' estate/site off The High Street, it's rear aspect looking onto the Brickfields area. (origin ? ? ) - Go to the bottom of The Hill and pick up the numbers to be seen today, 73 onwards All o/k . - . Refs to bricks are from Bedfords' history of brick making and the London Brick Co. south of Bedford- A Beerhouse, a Pub but no Bar, was given an Alehouse Lic. by the authorities. - for origins, see my ref 12 - via link to Misc & Mash
Perhaps this took place for more access to profitable Farming Land - but no records are around to support the changes, why . ? . For interest, see my link below for a Blunham 100yrs ago in the 1920's & 30's, through the eyes of a child during his visits. - Ref. The Crown and the Samway family, see Blunham Memories . * . by Jim Ellis : Copyright Protected : (Courtesy of - Colin Hinson) - and very interesting too, with refs. to the ill fated R101 Airship he watched from his bedroom window, which faces West up The Hill during his visits.
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Yesterdays' Blunham - c1900. - a view looking South down the High Street to the Church and The Horseshoes Pub, the Salutation Pub, in Wt. to our left. (Two of our 8 village Pubs) |
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RECORD OF LANDLORDS & TENANTS |
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Eliz. & Sara Reid , - Now selling Beer as an Alehouse | 1854-1869 |
James & Eliz. Mary Samway - They later, have a son, also called James | 1869-1895 |
1st. Licence granted - to the Rose & Crown - in - > |
1872 |
Brewers now - Ann Day of - Day & Co. St Neots |
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James Samway, the son, now marries a Scots girl - called Olivia |
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Eliz, Mary Samway - (now a Widow) | 1895-1898 |
Frank King | 1898-1900 |
Wm. West Norman | 1900-1912 |
- The Blunham population is now 603 - served by the Eight Pubs in - > | 1909 |
Eliz. Norman - (Widow) | 1912-1913 |
James Giggle - We still have James & Olivia Samway domicile |
1913-1914 |
This Beerhouse now closes and reverts to a 'Private Dwelling' - during - |
1919 |
James & Olivia Samway - c1921- (records scarce here) | 1919-1941 |
James Samway now sadly passes away , (ref, Jim Ellis, Grandson) in December of - | 1930 |
Olivia Samway, (b.1847) - now passes away , aged 94yrs on - | 30/04-1941 |
The War years - > |
1939 - 1945 |
Reginald and Phyllis Ashwell and son Graham | 1946-1969 |
Mrs Phyllis Ashwell (Widow) | 1975-1976 |
Mrs Violet Allen | 1976-1983 |
Alan & Teresa Williams | 1983- ? |
Edward, Eddie - Prior / Steam - Engine expert and skilled Engineer | c1990's |
See link above - Blunham Memories - written by Jim Ellis, at the age of 89yrs | June / 2021 |
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THE SAMWAY CHRONICLES
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James and Olivia Samway - c1890 - note The Butcher's Shop to the R.h.s. and the bedroom window to the L.h.s. - where a young Jim Ellis watched The R101 Airship, (1929 / 30) on trials over at Cardington. - (Sadly crashing in France - 5/10/30) |
A History : of the Samway Family / 1869 - 1941 : from new information kindly sent in by Julie Bennett, (courtesy of Colin Hinson, with above photo) , on 10/11/2011 . She is the Great Grand daughter of James & Olivia Samway (above) - and Daughter of Jim Ellis. - Author of Blunham Memories - a nice Nostalgic read..
Last Revision made by Bill Exley on - 3rd April - 2023
Return to my Index Page - and a path into Blunham Village 'Homepage' (link top L.H.S.) by Colin Hinson