The pub pre-dates the building of Commercial Road in 1870 - at 1 Robarts Place, Commercial Road in 1869. Prior to this date the address was Rose Lane **
Ratcliffe pub history index
A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Ratcliffe, London.
White Swan, 556 Commercial Road - in August 2006
Kindly Provided by Stephen Harris
Residents at this address
1830/Mr John Cooper, White Swan, Rose lane, Commercial road, Stepney make a Ten guineas Susbscription to the Licensed Victuallers Association
1832/John Cooper, White Swan, Rose lane, Ratcliff/../../../Robsons Directory
December 1848/Thomas Smith Watts/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
December 1848/Thomas Smith Watts and Paul Stevens Watts/Incoming Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
1856/T S & Mrs F Watts/../../../Post Office Directory
1861/Frances Watts/Victualler, widow/49/Lavenham, Suffolk/Census
1861/Rosina Watts/Daughter/20/Bermondsey, Surrey/Census
1861/George Batts/Barman/30/Hambledon, Hampshire/Census
1861/Alfred Allard/Barman/29/Hackney, Middlesex/Census
1861/Arthur Bourne/Barman/26/Haye, Hereford/Census
1861/William King/Barman/24/Frimley, Suffolk/Census
1861/Eliza Shewell/General Servant/47/Kingston, Surrey/Census
15th July 1867/Thomas Smith Watts/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London
Observer +
15th July 1867/Thomas Smith Watts and George Batts/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
1869/Watts & Batts/../../../Post Office Directory **
1871/George Batts/Licensed Victualler/51/Hambledon, Hampshire/Census
1871/Amelia Batts/Wife/26/Petersfield, Hampshire/Census
1871/Emma S Batts/Daughter/2/Ratcliff, Middlesex/Census
1871/Edward A Batts/Son/1 month/Ratcliff, Middlesex/Census
1871/William Gloyere/Brother in Law, Brewer/65/Havant, Hampshire/Census
1871/Emma Gloyere/Sister/50/Hambledon, Hampshire/Census
1871/Isabella Lowe/Nurse/50/Petershead, Scotland/Census
1871/Jane Martin/Housemaid/20/Liverpool/Census
1871/William Robinson/Assistant/24/Hackney, Middlesex/Census
1871/Elizabeth Duffield/Cook/25/Brixton, Surrey/Census
1871/John Hancocks/Assistant/22/Billericay, Essex/Census
1871/Edward Yardley/Assistant/24/Mile End, Middlesex/Census
1871/William Darbyshire/Assistant/18/Brighton, Sussex/Census
1871/Alexander McDonald/Waiter/23/St Georges East, Middlesex/Census
May 1873/executors of George Batts, late occupier/Outgoing
Licensee/../../East London Observer
May 1873/Thomas Smith Batts/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer
1881/Walter Osmond Watts/Son, Licensed Victuallers Manager/24/Tulse Hill,
Surrey/Census
1881/Maria P Winter/Niece, Housekeeper/27/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Ann M Lowe/Cook/51/Henley, Buckingham/Census
1881/Maria Firman/Housemaid/21/Bishop Wickham, Essex/Census
1881/Henry Fairn/Head Barman/27/Stepney, Middlesex/Census
1881/Alex McDonald/Barman/33/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/James Anderson/Barman/19/St Georges East, Middlesex/Census
1881/Ernest Moesley/Barman/18/Woolwich, Kent/Census
1881/Arthur Kirby/Barman/16/Bermondsey, Surrey/Census
1891/Walter Osmond Watts/Son, Licensed Victualler/34/Tulse Hill,
Surrey/Census
1891/Charles Robert Ward/Manager/43/St Botolphs, Aldgate/Census
1891/Albert Hewett/Barman/27/Maidstone, Kent/Census
1891/Isaac Bowyer/Barman/20/Landlatch, Cheshire/Census
1891/Charles Hunt?/Barman/19/Bury St Edmuns/Census
1891/Minnie Lowe/Domestic Servant/65/Wycombe/Census
1891/Harriett Chaplin?/Domestic Servant/28/Walthamstow, Essex/Census
1891/Alice Chaplin?/../20/Walthamstow, Essex/Census
1894/Walter O Watts/../../../Post Office Directory **
1895/Walter Osmond Watts/../../../Post Office Directory **
1899/Robert Thornton/../../../Post Office Directory
1903/William Higgins/../../../Post Office Directory
1910/William Higgins/../../../Post Office Directory **
1911/William Higgins/Licensed Victualler/50/Shoreditch/Census
1911/Lettie Onkin/Waitress/25/Liverpool Road/Census
1911/Lilian Snead/Barmaid/24/Arlington Square/Census
1911/Emma Smith/Barmaid/29/Rotherhithe/Census
1911/Lucy Sumpter/Housekeeper/45/Hackney/Census
1911/Eleanor Jordan/Manageress/37/Bromley/Census
1911/Thomas Baker/Barman/26/Poplar/Census
1911/Florence Miller/Niece/8/Walthamstow/Census
1915/William Higgins/../../../Post Office Directory **
1917/William Higgins/../../../Post Office Directory
In 1921 census at Swan Hotel, 556 Commercial Road, Ratcliff,
Edgar Hindry, Licensed Victualler, aged 32 years 1 month and born in Norwich, Norfolk, Own Account
Doris May Hindry, Wife, Assisting Husband, aged 24 years 10 months, and born in Rotherhithe, London
Ethel M Lambert, Sister-in-law, Bar Assistant, E T Hindry Licensed Victualler, aged 19 years 7 months, and born in Rotherhithe, London
Margaret J Hindry, Daughter, aged 1 year 1 month and born in Hove, Sussex
Georgina Johnson, Cook, E T Hindry Swan Hotel Stepney, aged 44 years 8 months, and born in Poplar, London
Katie O'shea, Barmaid, E T Hindry Swan Hotel Stepney, aged 29 years 9 months, and born in Tipperary, Ireland
Reggie F Young, Billiard Marker E T Hindry Swan Hotel Stepney, aged 18 years 7 months, and born in Forest Gate, London
Ethel Hood, Waitress, E T Hindry Swan Hotel Stepney, aged 19 years 1 months and born in Poplar, London
Sarah Polfrey, General Servant, E T Hindry Swan Hotel Stepney, aged 56 years 8 months, and born in Herefordshire
1934/Horace Harold Solomon/../../../Kellys Directory
1938/Horace Harold Solomon/../../../Post Office Directory
1944/Hy Jas Webb & Mrs Clarissa I Barnsley/../../../Post Office Directory
1988/Mr B Kirk & Mr J McFau/../../../Watney Truman List
1990/Mr B Kirk & Mr J McFau/../../../Watney Truman List
+ Provided by Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
** Provided by Stephen Harris