Mile End Pubs history
The Alfreds Head, is listed at Silver street in the 1849 license transfer and 1851 census and earlier. From around 1856 to about 1885, the address was given as William Street. Then the address changes, and is listed as 49/51 Gold Street, Stepney by 1886. ** If you are looking for the picture of the other Alfreds Head, try the Alfreds Head, Shandy street instead.
Historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels.
Alfreds Head, 49 Gold street, Mile End E1 - circa 1954
Kindly provided by Vivian Campbell
Residents at this address.
1816/Daniel Dewdney / Victualler /../../Sun Fire Office Records, held at Guildhall Library **
1825/Mr Cowing, King Alfreds Head, Silver street, Stepney/../../Licensed Victuallers Association
1826/Harriet Cowding / Public House Keeper /../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **
1829/James Webb / Public House Keeper /../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **
1829/Elizabeth Webb / Wife /../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
1829/Robert Hawkins / Pot Boy /../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
1829/Thomas Thwaites / Victualler /../../Sun Fire Office Records, held at Guildhall Library **
1830/Thomas Thwaites / Victualler /../../Sun Fire Office Records, held at Guildhall Library **
1833-34/Thomas Thwaites, Alfreds Head, Silver street, Stepney/../../Pigots Directory
1835/T Thwaites/../../../Robson’s Directory **
In 1825, Andrew Motion marries Margaret Leyshon by banns at St George Hanover square; therefore it is highly likely that William Leyshon is a relative. Andrew Motion is a shoemaker at the birth of his son, Richard, in 1832.
1840/Andrew Motion, Alfreds Head, Silver street, Stepney/../../Robson’s Directory **
1841/Andrew Motion/Licensed Victualler/40/../Census
1841/Margaret Motion/../35/../Census
1841/Ann Motion/../15/Middlesex/Census
1841/Magdalen Motion/../13/Middlesex/Census
1841/George Motion/../11/Middlesex/Census
1841/Richard Motion/../9/Middlesex/Census
1841/Margaret Motion/../4 months/Middlesex/Census
1841/William Leyshon/Independant/30/../Census
1842/Andrew Motion/../../../Robson’s Directory **
Andrew Motion is the licensee of the Suffolk Arms,, Boston street, Shoreditch by 1845.
1845/William Leyshon/../../../Post Office Directory
1846/William Leyshon/Alfreds Head, 75 Silver street/../../Post Office Directory
1848/William Leyshon/Alfreds Head, 75 Silver street/../../Post Office Directory
William Leyshon is the licensee of the Two Brewers, Vine street, Hatton wall by February 1848.
1848/Frederick Howe / Outgoing Licensee /../../The Era, Sunday 13 August 1848 **
1848/George Frederick Back / Incoming Licensee /../../The Era, Sunday 13 August 1848 **
July 1849/George Frederick Back/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era
July 1849/John Rankin/Incoming Licensee/../../Era
November 1849/John Rankin/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
November 1849/John Thomas Ingram/Incoming Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
1851/John Thomas Ingram/Alfreds Head, 75 Silver street/../../Kelly’s Directory **
1851/John T Ingram/Publican/45/Northfleet/Census
1851/Jane Ingram/Wife/34/St Sepulchre, City/Census
1851/John Jackson/Potman/36/Stepney/Census
1851/John Riches/Lodger, Dealer/53/Spitalfields/Census
1852/John Thomas Ingram/Public house, Silver street, Stepney/../../Electoral Register
1856/J T Ingram/Alfreds Head, William Street, Stepney Green/../../Post Office Directory
John Thomas Ingram is the licensee of the
Crown, 153 Whitecross street by
the 1861 census
Thomas Curme is baptised in February 1829 at Stratton, Dorset, when his father
Robert Curme is listed as a butcher.
18th November 1855/Thomas Curme, a batchelor of full age, a Butcher resident in South Hackney marries Elizabeth Norton, spinster of full age, also of south Hackney. Her father John Dorton is a Licensed Victualler at the Black Boy, Mile end, and his father is Robert Curme, Master of a Union.
1861/Thomas Curme/Victualler/32/Stratton, Dorset/Census
1861/Elizabeth Curme/Wife/25/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1861/Thomas Curme/Son/1/Stepney, Middlesex/Census
1861/John Dorton/Relative, Gentleman/23/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1861/Eliza Dorton/Relative, Lady/18/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1861/Elizabeth Hicks/General Servant/29/Cerne, Dorset/Census
1861/Edward Gifford/Potman/41/St Georges East, Middlesex/Census
1861/Harriet Gifford/Lodger/29/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1862/Thomas Curme/Alfreds Head, William street north, Stepney green/../../Post Office Directory
1869/Thomas Curme/../../../Post Office Directory
1871/Thomas Curme/Licensed Victualler/42/Stratton, Dorset/Census
1871/Elizabeth Curme/Wife/35/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1871/Mary Curme/Daughter/14/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1871/Mary Curme/Mother, Widow/66/Stratton, Dorset/Census
1871/Emma Endle/Barmaid/18/Bow, Middlesex/Census
1871/Ellen Fox/Domestic Servan/41/Dorset/Census
1871/George Fox/Potman/18/Dorset/Census
1873/Thomas Curme/Public House, William street/../../Electoral Register
1874/T Curme/../../../H.D. Miles London & Suburban Licensed Victuallers' Directory **
October 1875/Thomas Curme/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer
Thomas Curme is listed in the East London Observer as the outgoing licensee in October 1875; by August, 1879 he is again listed as the incoming licensee at the Royal Duke, Ratcliffe
Thomas Withers is likely to be the same person who is previously the licensee of the Bell, 157 Wapping High street, and also a relative of Phineas Withers of the Horn of
Plenty when a thirteen year old is visiting in 1851.
October 1875/Thomas Withers/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer
1877/Thomas Withers/Alfreds Head, William street, Stepney green/../../Post Office Directory
1880/John Johnson/../../../Post Office Directory
1881/John Johnson/Licensed Victualler, Widow/54/Oxford/Census
1881/William Johnson/Son/28/Limehouse/Census
1881/Frank Johnson/Son/13/Stepney/Census
1881/Walter Johnson/Son/10/Stepney/Census
1881/Caroline Johnson/Sister, House Keeper, Widow/43/Guildford, Surrey/Census
1881/Frederick Freeman/Potman/20/Thaxted, Essex/Census
1881/Emma Tigg/Domestic Servant/15/Stepney/Census
1881/Arthur Johnson/Son/15/Stepney/Census
1882/John Johnson/../../../Post Office Directory
1884/John Johnson/../../../Post Office Directory
1885/John Johnson/Alfreds Head, William street, Stepney green/../../Post Office Directory
1886/John Johnson/../../../Business Directory of London **
1886/John Johnson/Alfreds Head, 49 Gold street, Stepney green/../../Business Directory of London **
1889/John Johnson/Alfreds Head, 49 Gold street, Stepney green/../../Business Directory of London **
1891/William Oates/../../../Post Office Directory
1891/William Oates/Licensed Victualler/28/Mile End New Town, London/Census
1891/Clara H H Oates/Wife/30/Bow, London/Census
1891/William H E Oates/Son/9/Bow, London/Census
1891/Lilian M E Oates/Daughter/8/Bow, London/Census
1891/Frank A A Oates/Son/6/Bow, London/Census
1891/Emily A V Oates/Daughter/5/Bow, London/Census
1891/Walter W A Oates/Son/1/Mile End Old Town, London/Census
1891/Dorothy M Oates/Daughter/5 months/Mile End Old Town, London/Census
1891/Elizabeth Wilkens/Mother in Law, Widow/59/Hampstead, London/Census
1891/James W E Waller/Potman/21/Hoxton, London/Census
9th July 1892/William Oates/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
9th July 1892/Ernest William Valentine/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
6th December 1892/Ernest William Valentine, Licensed Victualler, aged 21
marries Minnie Millicent Chappell, a minor, in Stepney. His father, Edmund
Valentine is deceased, her father is Thomas Chappell, a clothing cutter.
1893/Ernest William Valentine/../../../Post Office Directory
1895/Frederick Henry Bowen/../../../Post Office Directory
1896/Frederick Henry Bowen/../../../Post Office Directory
1898/George Rolls/../../../Post Office Directory
1899/George Rolls/../../../P.O. Directory **
1901/Harry Faulkner/Publican (Bar Manager)/48/Oxford/Census
1901/Mary Faulkner/Wife/45/Oxford/Census
1901/Herbert C Faulkner/Son/10/Bow, London/Census
1901/Edith Faulkner/Daughter, Pupil Teacher/17/Islington, London/Census
1901/George Rolls/../../../P.O. Directory **
1904/Richard G Dillon/../../../Post Office Directory
1906/Richard G Dillon/../../../Morris’ Business Directory of London **
1910/Frederick Cull/../../../Post Office Directory
1911/Louise B O Cull/Licensed Victualler, Widow/46/Germany/Census
1911/Frederick J Cull/Son, Stockbrokers Clerk/21/Fordingbridge, Hampshire/Census
1911/Emeli L J A Cull/Daughter/19/Fordingbridge, Hampshire/Census
1911/Jane Hill/Servant/21/London/Census
1914/Mrs Louise Cull/../../../Post Office Directory
1921/Benjamin James Reid/../../../Post Office Directory
In 1921 census at 49 Gold Street, Mile End Old Town
Benjamin James Reid, Licensed Victualler, aged 58 years 4 months and born in Molesworth, Huntingdonshire, Own Account
Susannah Reid, Wife, aged 63 years 3 months and born in London, Middlesex
Beatrice Maud Reid, Daughter, aged 36 years 3 months and born in Leytonstone, Essex
Winifred Alice Reid, Daughter, Typist, John Gardener, Butcher, Leadenhall market, aged 29 years 8 months and born in Leytonstone, Essex
Ruby Mabel Reid, Daughter, Comptometer Operato, Debenham & Co Ltd Drapers, aged 28 years 1 month and born in Leytonstone, Essex
In 1927 electoral register are Benjamin James Reid, Susanna Reid, Florence Stapleton and Frank Stapleton at 49 Gold street.
Benjamin was born in 1863 and a spice miller for much of his life, and born in Huntingdonshire.
1929/Benjamin James Reid of The Alfreds House Public House Gold street Stepney Middlesex died 16 August 1929 at London Jewish Hospital 45-51 Stepney Green Middlesex Probate London 17 September to Susnnah Reid widow. Effects £487 9s 11d.
1938/Mrs Susannah Reid/../../../Post Office Directory
In 1939 at 49 Gold street, Tower hamlets is Susannah Reid, licensee, born 20th March 1859, Beatrice M Reid, barmaid, born 7 March 1885 Ruby M Reid, barmaid, born 9 May 1893 and Winifred Reid, clerk in Catering, born 23 October 1891.
1942/Mrs Ada D Gipson/../../../Post Office Directory
1944/Mrs Ada D Gipson/../../../Post Office Directory
My dads name was William Betts my mum was Violet, and they took over the Alfreds Head after the war. I am estimating it was about 1946-ish. My brother remembers growing up there, and we had to move out about 1957 as they were pulling the streets down. My dad always use to say 'he was the only publican to walk out, and not be carried out'. In those daŷs publicans did not move around. *
We moved to the Primrose, 229 Bishopsgate EC2; and they stayed there until 1974. In 1976 we moved to a pub in Southend. My dad died not long after we moved in, and with my husband, we took the pub over and stayed until 1985. We then moved to a pub in Kent for another 29 years. *
We retired 7 years ago, so from our roots in Stepney our family traded for almost 70 years.*
1957/W R Betts, Alfreds Head, 49 Gold Street E1 - STEpny Gn 3683/../../BT Telephone Directory *
+ Provided by Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
* Provided By Vivian Campbell
** Provided By Stephen Harris