Stratford Index
The pub was rebuilt in 1937, the former pub being demolished to accommodate road widening. **
Builders Arms, 302 High Street, Stratford, E15 - in May 2008
Kindly provided by Stephen Harris
History of Stratford & West Ham
Residents at this address
1867/Giles Frost/beer retailer/../../Post Office Directory *
1871/Charles Smart/Publican/49/Fiddleworth, Surrey/Census
1871/Sarah Smart/Wife/48/Houghton, Sussex/Census
1871/James Cooper/Wifes father, Retired Farmer/80/Houghton, Sussex/Census
1871/Richard Smart/Son/6/Amberley, Sussex/Census
13/9/1872/William Hales/../../../Petty Sessions
19/7/1873/William Lee/../../../Petty Sessions
1874/William Lee/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory
18/3/1876/John Lowe/../../../Petty Sessions
15/7/1876/William H G Woods/../../../Petty Sessions
1878/William Hallsgrove Woods/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory
1882/John Morley/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory
1882/William Woods/../../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **
1882/Caroline Woods / Wife/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
1882/William Adams / Employee/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
10/11/1883/Chas Albert Nicoll/../../../Petty Sessions
12/7/1884/Matthias Cammorer/../../../Petty Sessions
4/10/1884/Hy Jas Sl;ater/../../../Petty Sessions
1886/Henry John Slater/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory
08/1/1887/Ernest Jas Jonathan Ranger/../../../Petty Sessions
1889/Ernest Ranger / Public House Keeper/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
**
1889/Ellen Ranger / Public House Keeper/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
1896/Jn Andrew Hart/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory
1901/John Andrew Hart/Beer house Keeper/31/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1901/Mary Ann Hart/Wife/29/Bow, Middlesex/Census
1901/Jane Davis/Domestic Servant/23/Lambeth, Surrey/Census
1901/John Dunn/Bar Lad/15/Stratford, Essex/Census
1902/Jn Andrew Hart/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory
1906/John Andrew Hart/beer retailer/../../Kelly's Directory *
1911/John Andrew Hart/Beer Retailer, Widow/42/Shoreditch, London/Census
1911/Frances Ray Hart/Daughter/21/West Ham, Essex/Census
1911/Ernest Edward Woodman/Barman/24//MiddlesexCensus
1911/Minnie Linesell/Housemaid/22/West Ham, Essex/Census
1911/Nellie Williams/Nursemaid/19/Leyton, Essex/Census
1914/John Andrew Hart/beer retailer/../../Kelly's Directory *
1917/Henry C. Gwatkin/beer retailer/../../Kelly's Directory *
1922/H C Gwatkin/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory
1934/Robinson & Prance/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory
1938/Robinson & Archer/beer retailers/../../Post Office Directory *
1944/Hyman Freedman/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory
My grandparents, William and Margaret Kelly were the licensees of the
Builders Arms, Stratford High Street from shortly after the war until around
1969 when they retired. My Mum grew up in the pub. My Grandad was from
Tipperary and then Waterford, Ireland and my Nana from Kinsale, Ireland.
They sold the lease to another Irish couple who must be the Andy and Agnes
Flood referred to on your site. The pub used to have a large frontage which
was compulsorily purchased by the council during my grandparents' time.
The licensing trade was very strict in those days and my Grandad had to
apply to court every year to renew the licence which was in his individual
name rather than that of a brewery - the police would automatically object
and he would have to show there had been no problems during the previous
year. When my Mum was a little girl she used to look out of the window and
count the barrels of beer being delivered as my Grandad was taking delivery
of them in the basement. My Mum also remembered French onion sellers who
came over on the ferry. I have somewhere the original licence agreement
which shows the actual dates.
**+
1964/William J Kelly/302 High street/../../Electoral Register
1964/Margaret Kelly/302 High street/../../Electoral Register
1964/Patricia A Kelly/302 High street/../../Electoral Register
Prior to being licensees of the Builders Arms, my Grandparents ran the
Crown Hotel in
Charing Cross, at 43 Charing Cross road. I think it is now a Garfunkels
Restaurant. I have a letter from Levy & Franks brewery thanking my
Grandfather for his work during the war. He stayed on in London whilst my
Mum and Nana were sent to the country to live with contacts from the brewery
industry. He kept the Crown open, collected furniture from other
bomb-damaged pubs and buildings and looked after it and I think he was
authorised to distribute excess furniture to people who needed it. The
letter thanks him “for the loyal manner in which you have carried on your
duties in the times of danger through which we have passed in the arduous
War years” and states that “your devotion to your task has played an
important part in maintaining the morale of the Public generally”.
**+
G A (Andy) & Agnes Flood took over as tenants of the Builders Arms on 11 March 1967 until July 1989. *++
From around 1960 until July 1989 this pub was managed by Andy and Agnes
Flood, originally from Co Wicklow. *+
1988/Mr G A Flood/../../../Trumans Watney List ***
* Provided by Ewan
*+ Provided by Anthony Flood
*++ Provided by Gerry Flood
** Provided by Stephen Harris
**+ Provided by Fiona Ryan-Watson
*** Provided By Alex Wilkinson