St Albans pub history index
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Hertfordshire .
Residents at this address
In tracing my family history, I’ve discovered a couple of family members who
ran the St Christopher’s Tavern, St Albans. One Saunders Smith was there in
the 1841 census and his nephew – Neptune Smith – was there in 1851 and 1861.
1841/Saunders Smith/Publican/48/Hertfordshire/Census ***
1841/Susan Smith/../35/../Census
1841/Louisa Russell/../16/../Census
1841/John Hill Russell/Ag Labourer/25/Hertfordshire/Census
1841/Sarah Russell/../30/Hertfordshire/Census
1861/Neptune Smith/Licensed Victualler/44/Barnet, Herts/Census ***
1861/Susannah Smith/Wife/55/Sible Heddingham, Essex/Census
1861/William Griffin/Barman/16/St Albans, Herts/Census
1861/John Dowsett/Visitor, Farmers Son/6/Foulness Isle, Essex/Census
1861/Alice Gardener/Daughter, Brazulian Hat Maker/20/St Albans, Herts/Census
1861/Mary Ann Hoton/Daughter, Straw Plaiter/23/Hemel Hempstead, Herts/Census
Following Neptune’s death in 1867, his widow Susannah Smith was granted a
special licence for the St Christopher, according to a report in the
Hertford Mercury and Reformer, 18 April 1868. She was also the landlady
there in February 1869 when she was charged with allowing "persons of
notoriously bad character to assemble in her house", according to the Luton
Times and Advertiser of 27 February 1869.
1871/Sarah Smith/Publican, widow/63/Sible Hedingham, Essex/Census
1871/Susanah Domsett/Boareder/12/Foulness Isle, Essex/Census
1871/Sarah Grub/Lodger, Hat Maker, Widow/49/St Albans, Hertfordshire/Census
1871/Fanny Mares/Lodger, Hat Maker, Widow/33/St Albans, Hertfordshire/Census
Susannah left a will on her death on 8 February 1876, where she is described
in the Probate Index as "late of ‘Acorn’ Tavern,
St Albans. She apparently died in the Tavern. I note from your site that the
pub is still there. One of the executors of her will was an Ephraim
Dowsett. He himself died in 1879 and left a will where he is described as
"late of ‘Robin Hood’, St Albans". ***
** Provided By Stephen Harris
*** Provided By Sharon Heppell
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