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Six Bells, Bradford street, Bocking CM7

Bocking pub history index

It is thought that the Six Bells, Bradford Street originally was a Church Alehouse. Wills from 1515 and 1517 had money left for the reparation of St James. The church alehouse would have provided refreshments to pilgrims.

Robert Peirs of Bocking appeared at the Essex Assizes at Chelmsford 28 February 1676 for keeping a common tippling house without licence. From the 1699 Session Rolls: “Indictment of Robert Peirce of Bocking victualler, before and since 31 Aug. 1699, kept ill rule in his common alehouse there”.

In his will of 1702 Robert Peers gives the Six Bells to his son John. In 1736 Elizabeth Pierce bequeathed the Six Bells to grandson Edmund Peirce. 1748 Marriage Settlement between Robert Gainsborough of Sudbury, clothier and Ann Peirce of Sudbury, wife, concerning “Six Bells” inn in Bocking.

In 1769, Benjamin Clarke is licensee at the Six Bells, followed by Elizabeth Clarke.

In his will of 1785 John Stebbing sen. Of Bocking, farrier, proved 1789, gives to his son Charles Stebbing his public house known by the name of the Six Bells, occupied by William Casson. 1793 census Mrs. Caton (Cason?) Victualler Sign Six Bells. 1803 Nockold Survey Oliver Gosling, Six Bells.

Mike Bardell in Give them Ale enough writes “A Gardener House at the end of the 19th Century, Greene King supplied it from 1902 until closure. ”

The original Six Bells was demolished in 1932. The current building on the site was built in the 1930s when the road was widened. It ceased to operate as a public house in 1988. .

Residents at this address

The licensee in 1769 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Benjamin Clarke, at the Six Bells.

The licensee in 1772 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Elizabeth Clarke, at the Six Bells.

The licensee in 1792 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Elizabeth Caton Widow, at the Six Bells.

1793/Mrs. Caton/Victualler/../../Census

The licensee in 1806 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Joseph Hayward, at the Six Bells.

The licensee in 1816 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Joseph Hayward, at the Six Bells.

The licensee in 1825 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Richard Cook, at the Six Bells.

1828-9/Richard Cook/../../../Pigots

1832-3/Richard Cook/../../../Pigots

1839/Joseph Parmenter/../../../Pigots

1840/Joseph Parmenter/../../../Pigots*

1845/Charles Nunn/Cooper/../../Post Office

1848/E. Nunn/../../../Whites

1851/Henry Frost/../../../Post Office

1851/William Hodson/publican/41/Middlesex/Census **
1851/Ann Hodson/wife/35/Marden, Hertfordshire/Census
1851/Maria Rolls/step daughter/20/Bloomsbury, Middlesex/Census
1851/Thomas William Hodson/son, scholar/05/Hackney Road/Middlesex/Census
1851/Edward Hodson/son, scholar/03/Chelmsford, Essex/Census
1851/Alfred Hodson/son/11m/Cressing, Essex/Census
1851/John Parr/visitor, farm steward/45/Castle Hedingham, Essex/Census

1852/H. Frost/../../../Kellys*

1851/H Bearman/../../../Post Office

1861/Henry Bearman/Licenced Victualler/33/Bocking, Essex/Census
1861/Catherine Bearman/wife, Dress Maker/33/Horndon on the Hill, Essex/Census
1861/Frances Bearman/Daughter/7/Bocking, Essex/Census
1861/Alice Bearman/Daughter/5/Bocking, Essex/Census
1861/Harry Bearman/Son/3/Bocking, Essex/Census
1861/Robert Bearman/Son/1/Bocking, Essex/Census
1861/Clara Gentry/General Servant/12/Bocking, Essex/Census
1861/Archelaus Layzell/Lodger, Jobbing Man//Bocking, Essex/Census

1862/Henry Bearman/../../../Kellys

1867/John Gentry/../../../Post Office

1870/William Harvey/../../../Kellys

1871/William Harvey/../../../Post Office

[ My great great great grandparents Thomas Quilter and his wife Eliza are the Innkeeper and Innkeeper’s Wife for the Six Bells ]

1871/Thomas Quilter/Inn Keeper/51/Braintree, Essex/Census
1871/Eliza Quilter/Inn Keepers wife/63/Upton Lovel,Wiltshire/Census

1874/Thomas Pyman/../../../Kellys

1878/William Hill/../../../Kellys

1881/Edward P. Spicer/Innkeeper/45/Romford, Essex/Census
1881/Emily H. Spicer/Wife/46/Smarsden, Kent/Census
1881/Maria Jull/Visitor/31/Canterbury, Kent/Census
1881/Arthur Jull/Visitor/10m/Canterbury, Kent/Census

1882/Edward Philip Spicer/../../../Kellys

1886/Mrs. Ellen Bearman/../../../Kellys

1890/Mrs. Ellen Bearman/../../../Kellys

1891/Ellen Bearman/../47/Bocking, Essex/Census***

1895/Mrs. Ellen Bearman/../../../Kellys
1895/Charles Derisley/../../../Kellys

1898/Arthur Smith/../../../Kellys

1899/Arthur Smith/../../../Kellys

1902/Frederick W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1906/Frederick W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1908/Frederick Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1910/Frederick Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1912/Frederick W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1914/Frederick W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1917/Frederick W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1922/Frederick W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1925/Charles W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1929/Charles W. Pettitt/../../../Kellys

1933/Sidney Hedges/../../../Kellys

1937/Sidney Hedges/../../../Kellys


* Provided by the Pubs, Inns and Taverns Index for England, 1801-1900

** Provided by John mead

*** Provided by Ann Duncan

Provided by Karen Lewis


PUB HISTORY
And Last updated on: Friday, 08-Aug-2025 09:13:27 BST