Category Archives: People
Samuel Birne – turf correspondent & publican
Samuel Birne (1870 – 1949) spent over 50 years as both a publican and a racing correspondent. The last 30 years of his life were spent in Cambridge – as landlord of the Golden Rose in Emmanuel Road. But before … Continue reading
Arthur Henry Foulger
Arthur Henry Foulger (1858-1943) was a publican and musician. At different times, he ran two Cambridge pubs: the Brewer’s Arms (Gwydir St) and the Bakers Arms (Shelly Row). At the same time, he ran a string band. Thomas Askham – … Continue reading
Hoop Performers 2
Frederick Lablache (1815 – 1887) and Fanny Wyndham (c.1821-1877) CONCERT at the HOOP Saturday 20 October 1838. A Combination of Talent: The celebrated Contralto of the Opera the Buffa Miss Fanny Wyndham and the celebrated Basso Cantante of the Opera … Continue reading
John Halsey (b.1945)
John Halsey (born 23 February 1945 in Highgate) has, since 1996, been the landlord of the Castle Inn public house (Castle Street). He is also a rock drummer, particularity well known for his appearance as Barrington Womble (“Barry Wom”) in … Continue reading
Reginald ‘Reg’ Cottage (1911-1992)
Reg Cottage was the landlord at the Old Spring (Ferry Path/Chesterton Road). He was also a pianist, piano-accordionist and organist. He was appointed musical director at the Dorothy Ballroom in 1949 taking over from Percy Cowell who had been there … Continue reading
Hoop Performers 1
The Hoop Inn, still standing, was built in 1729. In its glory days it was Cambridge’s principal coaching-house with many stage coaches arriving at and starting from it daily – including William Wordsworth’s in 1787. Some time prior to this … Continue reading
Bar-keeper of the Mitre (King’s Parade)
Within the central Cambridge parish of St Edward were formerly two famous taverns called the Mitre and the Tuns. The Mitre stood at the south end of the site now occupied by the screen of King’s. It “fell” through a … Continue reading
Sheriff Warrell (1819 -1896)
Publican, Gunmaker, Champion Sparrow Shot of England When I am researching the pubs of Cambridge and am looking at a data set of pub landlords from 1841 (for instance), my eye is always drawn to the interesting names. This is … Continue reading
John Beeton (1837-1890)
Publican, Naval Seaman, Custodian of the University Bathing Shed John Beeton (1837-1890), was, for the last 21 years of his life, the publican at the Zebra on Maid’s Causeway. Like so many other publicans of his generation, he also had … Continue reading