Bedford Arms: Station Road, Husborne Crawley

Although at Ridgmont Station both the station and the public house were, in fact, in the parish of Husborne Crawley. Although it was suggested that the Duke of Bedford build a public house near the station no document in Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service states when it was built. It was leased by the Bedford brewers Higgins & Sons until they were taken over by Biggleswade brewers Wells & Winch in 1927, they, in their turn merged with Suffolk brewers Greene King in 1961 and took the Greene King name in 1963. The public house closed at the end of the twentieth century and the building was demolished around 2000. 

References:

- R3/5114: suggestion that Duke of Bedford build a public house near Ridgmont Station: 1846;
- GK4/4: agreement by Laurence Read Colbourne Higgins and Cecil Charles Norman Colbourne Higgins to convey, with others, to Higgins & Sons: 27 Jan 1902;
- WL722/32: article in "Pint Pot" on refurbishing of public house: 1981;
- WL722/44: article in "Pint Pot" on public house: 1984 

List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:

1854: Charles Wills, coal merchant
1877-1889: George Taylor;
1890-1903[?]: William Carley;
1904[?]-1930: Henry Francis;
1931-1937: Charles Francis;
1937-1939: Betty Matilda Francis [5 Sep 1939 Fined 31 costs 11/6 in each of 6 cases. Selling Intoxicating Liquor during non permitted hours];
1939-1941: George Powell;
1941-1950: John Ralph Gilbert;
1950-1964: Basil George Martin;
1964-1974: George Henry Clare;
1974-1978: Michael John Hughes;
1978: William Thomson;
1978-1979: Dennis Henry Mason;
1979-1983: Michael John Robinson;
1983-1989: Anthon Philip Board;
1989-1991: Keith Andrew Parker
1991-1995: Leonard Robert Wheeler;
1995: Paul Elyston White Archer