Who'd a Thought It, Nine Mile Ride, Wokingham, Berkshire
Wokingham pub history index
The unusual name, first recorded in 1861, is said to have
originated in a remark by the Duke of Wellington. The story goes that travelling
in the forest one day and feeling very thirsty he suddenly came across the pub.
His exclamation ’Who’d a thought it' became the name of the pub. It is an
unlikely story since the there are several other pubs by the same name in other
parts of the country and the pub wasn't open when Windsor Forest existed.
According to the historian Bryant Lily-White, the name is thought to have been
taken from the suggestion of a wag that the motto to the coat of arms of a
certain baronet-brewer should be:
Who'd a thought it?
Hops had bought it. *
The pub was closed and demolished in 2003. The area has been redeveloped as a small residential estate. The latest Barnett's street map of Wokingham still includes a public house in this area, showing it's former position. *
The Who'd a Thought It, Nine Mile Ride - in 2011
Both kindly provided by Chris French
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Berkshire. The Berkshire listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.
The following entries are in this format:
Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.
1863/Henry Grove/../../../Duttons Directory ***
1871/Henry Grove/Labourer/50/Wokingham, Berks/Census ***
1871/Harriet Grove/Wife/40/Farnham, Surrey/Census
1871/Henry John Grove/Son, Scholar/10/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1871/David Grove/Son, Scholar/7/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1877/James Miles/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1881/William Palmer/Publican/22/Twyford, Berks/Census ***
1881/Harriet Palmer/Wife/27/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1881/Harriet Kate Palmer/Daughter/2/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1881/William G Palmer/Son/7m/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1881/Henry John Grove/Brother in Law, Carpenter/20/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1881/David Grove/Brother in Law, Agricultural Labourer/17/Wokingham,
Berks/Census
1881/Mary Maria Grove/Sister in Law, Scholar/9/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1881/James Paris/Visitor, Gardener/63/Little Horsted, Sussex/Census
1881/Mary Ann Paris/Visitor, Cook/45/St Pancras, Middlesex/Census
1881/George Ide/Lodger, Agricultural Labourer/21/Aldwick, Sussex/Census
1883/William Palmer/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1884/Wm Palmer/../../../Stevens Directory ***
1887/George Edward Ide/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1891/Alfred Butler/Publican & Butcher/32/Wokingham, Berks/Census ***
1891/Alice Butler/Wife/31/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1891/Alice E Butler/Daughter, Scholar/10/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1891/Alfred W Butler/Son/9/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1891/Ada M Butler/Daughter/6/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1891/Amy R Butler/Daughter/1/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1891/Cecelia Dawson/Niece/15/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1891/George Burke/Lodger, General Labourer/19/Wokingham, Berks/Census
1893/Alfred Butler/../../../Stevens Directory ***
1895/Alfred Butler/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1899/Henry James Burns/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1903/Alfred Ward/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1907/Thos Townsend/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1911/Thos Townsend/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1915/Mrs Mary Ann Townsend/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1920/Mrs Mary Ann Townsend/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1924/William John Franks/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1928/Benj Sylvester/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1931/Benj Sylvester/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1935/Benj Sylvester/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1939/Louis Borra/../../../Kellys Directory ***
1956/J W Stapleton/../../../Times Directory ***
1957-8/J W Stapleton/../../../Times Directory ***
* Provided By Chris French
*** Provided By Colin Ager
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