Duke of Wellington, The Street, Hatfield Peverel, Chelmsford CM3 2EA

It was a Greene King public house in March 2026. Greene King has announced plans to sell off, or convert 150 pubs into tenanted or franchised locations, as the UK hospitality sector struggles with rising costs.

The Duke of Wellington was run by David & Mary (nee Steele) Mills from circa 1902 until 7th June 1914 when David died. Mary and their daughter, Winifred Mary, then ran the Wheatsheaf until circa 1922. It is believed that Mary Steele was cut off from her, wealthy, family for marrying "beneath her".

I lived at the Duke during the war, my father took the pub over on the 16th december 1941 at the cost of 250 pounds for fixtures fittings. the rent being 60 pound per year, the previous owner had[allegedly - Kevans note] recently been imprisoned for receiving stolen goods, his sentence was 12 months, notable events during my fathers tenure, apart from the war which raged until 1945,were a range of piggeries being puchased from MR K WRIGHT for the sum of 12 pounds in 1942. on 23.03.44 braintree R.D.C. requisitioned part of the 'draw-up' to site a water tank. This was taken over by the county council on 30.03.48. possibly by the fire service at a nominal rent of 1 pound per year .the tank was demolished in 1956. mains water was connected in 1934 mains electricity was connected in march 1932. My father Mr E.A.G C Cox. vacated the the duke on july 5th 1949 when we moved to Australia. MR L E WADE took over from my father he paid 688 pounds two shillings and 6 pence

The licensee in 1816 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Joseph Kirkham, at the Duke of Wellington, Hatfield Peverel.

The licensee in 1825 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as Elizabeth Kirkham, at the Duke of Wellington, Hatfield Peverel.

1827-8/Elizabeth Kirkham (nee Reeve)/../../../Pigots*

1828-9/Elizabeth Kirkham (nee Reeve)/../../../Pigots

1832-3/Elizabeth Kirkham (nee Reeve)/../../../Pigots

1839/Elizabeth Kirkham (nee Reeve)/../../Downham Market, Norfolk/Pigots**

1845/Joseph Kirkham/Builder/../../Post Office

1848/Joseph Kirkham/Builder & Victualler/../../Whites

1851/Joseph Kirkham/../../../Post Office

1851/Joseph Kirkham/Victualler/34/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census**
1851/Anne E. Kirkham/Wife/30/Blackmore, Essex/Census
1851/Henry Kirkham/Son/8/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1851/Ellen Sarah Kirkham/Daughter/6/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1851/Harriet Kirkham/Daughter/5/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1851/Joseph Kirkham/Son/2/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1851/Ann E. Kirkham/Daughter/1/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1851/Sarah Reeve/Visitor/50/Needham Market, Suffolk/Census
1851/Hannah Stewart/House Servant/23/Witham, Essex/Census
1851/James Cowell/Horseler/24/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1851/Sophia Prior/House Servant/13/Romford, Essex/Census

1852/J. Kirkham/../../../Kellys***

1855/J. Cripps/../../../Kellys***

In 1861 at the Wellingdon, Street, Hatfield Pevere
James Cripps, Inn keeper aged 46 and born in Southall, Middlesex
Elizabeth Cripps, Wife aged 39 and born in Marylebone, Middlesex
Edmond Cripps, Son aged 4 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
Elizabeth Cripps, Daughter aged 3 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
James Cripps, Son aged 1 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
Jane Everitt, House servant aged 23 and born in Ulting, Essex
Emma Mead, Nurse Girl aged 12 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
Henry Cowell, Ostler aged 16 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex

1862/James Cripps/Farmer/../../Kellys

1867/James Cripps/Farmer/../../Post Office

1870/James Cripps/Farmer/../../Kellys

1871/James Cripps/Farmer/../../Post Office

In 1871 at the Street, Hatfield Peverel, Witham,
James Cripps, Licensed victualer & farmer of 50 acres employing 4 men 1 boy aged 57 and born in London, Middlesex
Elizabeth Cripps, Wife aged 49 and born in London, Middlesex
Edmund Cripps, Son aged 14 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
James Cripps, Son aged 11 and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
William Quilter, Ostler aged 18 and born in Great Leighs, Essex
Ada Fairchild, General servant aged 13 and born in Roxwell, Essex

1874/James Cripps/Farmer/../../Kellys

1878/James Cripps/Farmer/../../Kellys

1881/James Cripps/Licensed Victualler/67/Southall, Middlesex/Census
1881/Sarah Wright/Wife/59/St. Pancras, Middlesex/Census
1881/John Currie/Son, Grocers Assistant/24/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1881/Eanoss Taylor/Son/21/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1881/Mabel Ellen Francis/General Servant/19/Hatfield Peverel, Essex/Census
1881/Charles Oliver Francis/Lodger, Foreman of Coal Yard/39/Edinburgh, Scotland/Census
1881/George Rust/Lodger, Drover/59/Boxted, Essex/Census

1882/James Cripps/../../../Kellys

1886/James Cripps/../../../Kellys

1891/John Ellis/Publican/45/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1891/Alice Ellis/Wife/33/../Census
1891/Edith Ellis/Daughter/10/Dublin, Ireland/Census
1891/Alice Ellis/Daughter/9/Watford, Herts/Census
1891/William John Ellis/Son/6/London/Census

1894/John Brown/../../../Kellys

1895/John Brown/../../../Kellys

1898/Robert Hills Jones/../../../Kellys

1899/Robert H. Jones/../../../Kellys

In 1901 at The Duke of Wellington, Hatfield Peverel, Braintree
Robert Jones, Publican aged 36 and and born in St Anne, London
Laura Jones, Wife aged 35 and and born in Terling, Essex
Mary Jones, Daughter aged 2 and and born in Hatfield Peverel, Essex
Florence Gall, Housemaid aged 15 and and born in Springfield, Essex

1902/David Mills/Farmer/../../Kellys

1908/David Mills/Farmer/../../Kellys

In 1911 at The Duke of Wellington Inn Hatfield Peverel Witham
David Mills, Licensed victualler aged 47 and born in Witham Essex
Francis David Mills, Son, Handy man aged 22 and born in London W
Winfred Mary Mills, Daughter, Help at home aged 21 and born in London W

1912/David Mills/../../../Kellys

1917/Mrs. Annie Wright/../../../Kellys

In 1921 at Hatfield Peverel
David Wright, Inn Keeper aged 44 years 4 months and and born in Thurlow, Suffolk
Kate Wright, Wife, Home Duties aged 41 years 11 months and and born in Withersfield, Suffolk
Kenneth Cyril Wright, Son, Assisting Father In Home Duties aged 15 years 2 months and and born in Wrington, Somerset
Joseph William Wright, Son aged 11 years 7 months and Wrington, Somerset
Sybil Wright, Daughter aged 16 years 2 months and Wrington, Somerset
Sarah Byer, Visitor, Widow aged 48 years 11 months and and born in Bethnal Green, London

1925/David Wright/../../../Kellys

1933/David Wright/../../../Kellys

2026 Greene King, Duke of Wellington, The Street, Hatfield Peverel, Chelmsford CM3 2EA

* Provided by Ken Harrison

** Provided by Noel Peters, the Great, Great Grandson of Joseph Kirkham

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

Provided by CG

* Provided by Sylvia Gromer

And Last updated on: Saturday, 04-Apr-2026 17:27:29 BST