King William IV Public House

The former Three Fishes Beerhouse and King William IV Public House about 1920 [Z209/95/82]

King William IV Public House: 36 High Street, Kempston

This building is one of the older in Kempston, having been Grade II listed by Department of Environment as a building of historic interest, when their surveyor considered it to be of about 1600. There is no evidence for it being used as a public house before 1829 when Thomas Lambert was recorded as licensee. This would not quite tie-in with the name being the King William IV as he did not ascend the throne until the following year [his brother George IV died on 26 Jun 1830] although early in his reign he was a popular monarch as he was perceived to be a down-to-earth character and an improvement over his unpopular predecessor.

Thomas Lambert died in 1834 and in his will left all his property to his wife Elizabeth then to their daughter Rebecca. In 1852 the following report of a case at the Bedford petty sessions of 9 Mar appeared in the Bedfordshire Times:‘A PUBLIC HOUSE BRAWL. – John Tew, a labourer of Kempston, was charged by Samuel Maynard, landlord of the King William, with giving him a bloody nose &c., on the 9^th ult. It appeared from the statement of the complainant that, about ten o’clock on the night in question, a number of the native rustics dropped in to his hostelrie, where they became very noisy, and remained boozing til 11, when the ponderous form of police-constable Cheney walked in and gave a hint to ‘mine-host’ that it was time to close business. The complainant immediately went into the tap-room and politely told the company to ‘misle’. Amongst those who felt indignant at being ordered off so unceremoniously, after fooling away their hard earned tin, was the gallant Tew, who sat half muzzy on the end of the table. He said he would not stir til he pleased. A row ensued, during which the candles were put out. The complainant was about to lay hold of Tew, for the purpose of putting him out, when the latter put himself in fighting attitude, and, after cutting sundry extraordinary capers, threw out his left which caught Boniface slightly on the bread-basket; this he followed up immediately after with a tremendous right hander on his smeller, which uncorked his bottle and the claret flowed very copiously. The defendant called two witnesses to prove that the complainant began the row, and struck the former several times before he retaliated on his unfortunate proboscis. The Bench considered that there were faults on both sides and dismissed the case – each party to his own costs.’

Another fight occurred nearly 40 years later, the Bedfordshire Standard for 1893 reporting, more prosaically and almost in note form: "Fredk. W.Cotton and Henry Darlow, labourers, Kempston, were charged with being disorderly and refusing to quit Isaac nelson's licensed premises, on Nov. 18th. Darlow pleaded not guilty, and as Cotton did not appear his case was taken afterwards. Mr.Webb appeared for the prosecution, and asked the Bench to make an example of the defendants. Isaac Nelson, landlord of King William the Fourth publichouse [sic], Kempston, said defendant came into his house at 8 p.m. with several others. They were very quiet at first, but after a time Cotton and Darlow got very noisy and annoyed the other customers by treading on their toes. He requested them to leave, but they refused, and as he found they were too much for him he went to fetch a policeman; he had not proceeded far when his daughter called him back, and on returning to the house he found defendants fighting. Witness subsequently put the men out himself. Fredk. Smith, fitter, Kempston, said he saw defendant at the publichouse, and he was making a great noise with Cotton and treading on people's feet and throwing beer about. In the other case, P.S.Tatman proved the service of summons on Cotton, and evidence similar to the above having been given, both defendants were fined 10s. and 8s. 6d. costs, in default, seven days.

William Henry Page, labourer, Kempston, was charged with assaulting Fredk. Smith of that place on Nov. 18th. This case arose out of the last, and Mr.Webb appeared for Smith. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor said he was in the King William the Fourth on Nov. 18, when he was knocked down and kicked by defendant on the side of the head, blood flowing freely from the wound. The landlord and Tatman saw his condition. Cross-examined: I did not ask you whether you kicked me but I accused you of doing it. Isaac Newton said he saw Smith's head bleeding and it had evidently been kicked; his lip was also bleeding. Defendant said he did not attempt to strike Smith, and called James Tysoe, who said he had come there to say Page did not beat Smith. Page was trying to stop the row; he saw Smith underneath others on the floor. Fined 10s. and costs £1, in default seven days".

At this point the public house was still in private ownership but was sold in 1900, whilst Isaac Nelson was still licensee, by James Adams of Highworth in Wiltshire to Bedford brewer Charles Wells. In 1927 Bedfordshire was valued under the terms of the Rating Valuation Act 1925, every piece of land and building was valued to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting the King William IV found accommodation comprised a tap room, bar, cellar, smoke room, kitchen, scullery, washhouse and wc downstairs with 4 bedrooms, box room, & wc above; outside was stabling for 5 horses, 3 being used as pig sties, there was also a corrugated iron hut used as a club room with a billiard table. Weekly trade was steady at 2½ barrels, 3 dozen bottles and 4 dozen half bottles of beer, 2 dozen bottles of minerals, and about half a gallon of spirits. He noted: "Takings not revealed". He concluded by noting: "Nice old fashioned place. Low Bars, Buses stop here (terminus)". Following alterations in the 1930s the valuer noted: "Ground floor of old cottage converted to licensed room. Lost Billiard Room in fire. Say quits, no increase".

 
King William IV in October 2007

References:

- PSB1/1 p.3: licensee Thomas Lambert: 1829;
- ABP/W 1834/9 Thomas Lambert, victualler: 1834;
- PSB1/1 p.317: licensee George Walker: 1834;
- Bedfordshire Times: report of brawl at public house: 1850;
- Bedfordshire Times: license transfer at Petty Sessions: 1852;
- GK130/7: auction sale at public house: 1860;
- Bedfordshire Mercury: report of fight at public house: 1893;
- POE119/1: abstracted conveyance of King William IV from James Adams to Charles Wells: 1900;
- DV1/R/25: rating valuation: 1927;
- DV1/X/173: rating valuation: 1930s;
- UDKP683: plans of new lavatories & farm buildings 1935
- Z53/67/1: photograph of public house: 1961;
- WL722/2: article on public house in Charles Wells in-house magazine Pint Pot: 1966;
- WL722/27 restoration of public house in Charles Wells in-house magazine Pint Pot: 1980;
- DCN/Pub1/3: NBBC official guide with photograph of public house: c.1981;
- TC Kempston18/9: plans correspondence regarding adventure playground: 1985;
- WL722/96: mentioned in Charles Wells in-house magazine Pint Pot: 1998;
- WL722/98: article about family features at public house in Charles Wells in-house magazine Pint Pot: 1999;
- WL722/102: restoration described in Charles Wells in-house magazine Pint Pot: 2000 

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

1829-1834: Thomas Lambert;
1834-1839: George Walker;
1840-1844: Ann Walker, widow [licence suspended for 2 months in 1844 on the complaint of Superintendent Tebbutt for improperly conducting the house];
1845-1852: Samuel Maynard;
1852 -1885: Thomas Dewberry;
1890: Arthur Mallows;
1891: Francis Noble;
1893 -1905: Isaac Nelson;
1905-1906: Jack Evans;
1906-1909: Albert Plater;
1909-1910: Walter Edward Green;
1910-1914: Walter Owen Williams;
1914-1917: Henry Kirk;
1917: Herbert Henry Palmer;
1940-1947 Walter William Haynes;
1951-1955 Harry Edmund Rogers;
1961: Derek P Rogers;
1974: Harry Edmund Rogers;
1974-1976: Hubert Crowsley and Eric Clegg;
1976-1978: Richard Rawson Wolstenholme Hancock and Eric Clegg;
1978-1979: Richard Rawson Wolstenholme Hancock and Rodney Keith Barton;
1979-1981: Richard Rawson Wolstenholme Hancock and Jack Edwin Clifton;
1981-1985: Kenneth Pepperell;
1985-1988: Stephen Charles Borley;
1988-1989: Anthony Ivor Hugh Thomas and Brian John Constance;
1989-1991: Raymond Greenwood and Stephen Edward Ashley-Clarke;
1991-1993: Raymond John Greenwood and Malcolm Doig Starling;
1993: Ray John Greenwood and Susan Keen;
1993-1995: Ray John Greenwood and Michael Alfred Porter