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Old Holly Bush, High Street, Elstree, Hertfordshire

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Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Hertfordshire .

Print by Gilby in 1862 of the Holly Bush, Elstree

Print by Gilby in 1862 of the Holly Bush, Elstree

Kindly provided by Patti Razey

Old Holly Bush, Elstree Hill

Old Holly Bush, Elstree Hill

Kindly provided by Colleen

Residents at this address

1861/Mary Ellingham/Victualler, Widow/60/South Minns, Middlesex/Census
1861/Esther Baill/General Servant/16/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census

1871/Mary Ellingham/Publican, Widow/70/South Mimms, Middlesex/Census
1871/Henry Hill/Son in Law, Bricklayer/40/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Sarah Ann Hill/Wife/38/South Mimms, Middlesex/Census
1871/Henry Joseph Hill/Son, Bricklayer/18/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Eliza Ann Hill/Daughter, Domestic Servant/16/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Hannah Mary Hill/Daughter/14/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Arthur Robert Hill/Son/11/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Emily E Hill/Daughter/9/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Elizabeth H Hill/Daughter/7/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Walter J Hill/Son/5/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Charles Ch Hill/Son/1/Aldenham, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/James Probert/Lodger, Labourer/50/Bampton, Oxfordshire/Census
1871/John White/Lodger, Labourer/32/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Chas Green/Lodger, Labourer/22/Bushey, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/John King/Lodger, painter/40/Luton, Bedfordshire/Census

1881/James Johnson/Beer House Keeper/58/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census ***
1881/Mary Ann Johnson/Wife/56/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census

1882/Mrs Elizabeth Sanson/../../../Post Office Directory

Thomas Easman was my Great Great Grandfather. His name appears in the census returns,  However his brother in law (by his first wife Jane Isabella Jones) also my Great Great Grandfather was William Jones whose name appears as the licensee in 1895. I wasn't aware he was a licensee and would have been about 68 in 1895. I have a photo of William who had been in the Royal Navy and became a coastguard officer in Suffolk before retiring and moving to Aldenham Herts where he appears in the 1891 census as a retired naval pensioner aged 65, and then Elstree in the 1901 census. **

1886/Thomas Easman/../../../Post Office Directory

1890/Thomas Easman/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/Thomas Easman/Publican/55/Putney, Surrey/Census
1891/Harriett Easman/Wife/55/Cheltenham, Surrey/Census
1891/George Harrington/Lodger, General Labourer/48/../Census
1891/Thomas Osborne/Lodger, General Labourer/40/../Census

William Jones in his coastguard uniform. I am not sure but think his medals may be Royal Navy long service/good conduct and the Baltic Medal for service in the Baltic theatre of operations during the Crimean War.

William Jones in his coastguard uniform. I believe his medals may be Royal Navy long service/good conduct and the Baltic Medal for service in the Baltic theatre of operations during the Crimean War.

Kindly provided by Dave Chapman

1895/William Jones/../../../Post Office Directory

My great grandfather, Arthur Robert Emmerton, was the landlord here from the early 1900s to 1928.There were hidden secret tunnels and priest holes that look as though they have been boarded up; in a video I viewed today. There are some original features from the 1920s that remain. He lived in a large house in Elstree called Tredinock with his wife, Kate Ball, a widow, her children and their children including my grandmother Violet, which is now converted into flats, but the name remains affixed above the front door. He was buried in Elstree church yard and was accorded a not insignificant funeral which was attended by many local residents and extended family. My uncle, who recently passed away, visited the pub on many occasions when he was a boy in the 1920s. *

In 1899 at Southwark St Mary Newington are married Arthur Robert Emmerton, painter aged 26 and Elizabeth Kate Ball, Widow, aged 30, both of 67 Iliffe street. Her father is Charles Holden, deceased. Caleb Emmerton is a watchmaker and his father.


1901/Arthur R Emmerton/Publican/29/SAlford, Bedfordshire/Census
1901/Elizabeth K Emmerton/Wife/34/Notting Hill, London/Census
1901/Joy K Ball/Step Daughter/7/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1901/William A Ball/Stepson/5/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1901/Violet M Emmerton/Daughter/1/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census

1902/Arthur Robert Emmerton/../../../Post Office Directory

1911/Arthur Robert Emmerton/Licensed Victualler/39/Bedford/Census
1911/Elizabeth Kate Emmerton/Wife/44/London/Census
1911/William Arthur Ball/Stepson, Clerk/15/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1911/Violet May Emmerton/Daughter/11/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1911/Percy Arthur Emmerton/Son/8/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1911/Harold Herbert Emmerton/Son/6/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1911/Mildred Olive Emmerton/Daughter/5/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census
1911/Donald Stanley Emmerton/Son/3/Elstree, Hertfordshire/Census

1912/Arthur Robert Emmerton/../../../Post Office Directory

1922/A R Emmerton/../../../Post Office Directory

1926/A R Emmerton/../../../Post Office Directory

1929/A R Emmerton/../../../Post Office Directory

1933/William Cornhill/../../../Post Office Directory

1937/Herbert Chas Johnson/../../../Post Office Directory


* Provided By Derek Ralph

** Provided By David Chapman

And Last updated on: Wednesday, 02-Oct-2024 11:10:52 BST