Blunham Pubs : The Crown

By Bill Exley


'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.

The Airship era : The R101, was built at nearby Cardington under the worlds' largest single cell Hanger , but sadly during trials, it crashed into a hill, in Beauvais, France on the 5th October 1930, resulting in the loss of 48 lives. Also The Hindenburg Airship accident happened on the 6th May 1937, in New Jersey, U.S.A. while trying to conect to the docking mast, 35 people lost their lives. ( R101 as mentioned by Jim Ellis )

The R100 Airship : for interest, was also being built at Howden, Yorkshire in 1929 - , designed by our Sir Barnes Wallis of the 'Bouncing - Bomb' / ref 'The Dam Busters Raid' using his other idea, the Wellington Bomber aircraft on the night of 13/14 - May 1943, so all intended for military use against the Germans - (W.W. 2) - # - . It was photographed over St Peter Port, Guernsey, C.I. on the 26th July -1930 . / What a sight to comprehend for the locals, over 90 years ago - (ref. -a postcard/photo of old Guernsey) - # - If the Airships or Guernsey interest you, visit a Bygone - Guernsey , in the 1830's to 1960's

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)

Blunham Memories : by Jim Ellis, written at the age of 89 yrs. - (Nov. 2011) : He was born 1922 - d : Sept-2020 at 98yrs. - He was an atute Penman and a humorous man and employed as a Metallurgist for British Steel all his working life. He was the father of Julie Bennett and the grandson of James & Olivia Samway. - Sadly James passes away in the Dec. of 1930 & then Olivia at 94yrs - d.30/04/1941 - born in 1847. - / - . See Blunham Memories : Courtesy of Colin Hinson and his Blunham Home Page. / / Please not that full Copy Right rules apply @ 2011

o * . * o

RECORD OF LANDLORDS & TENANTS

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
James Samway, the son, now marries a Scots girl - called Olivia
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

o * . * o

THE SAMWAY CHRONICLES

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