Flyig Fox Public House (formerly Fox & Hounds), corner of Sheep Lane and Watling Street, Potsgrove
The land on which this building stands was sold by the Guardians of the Woburn Poor Law Union to John Phillips of Woburn, victualler in March 1838. Phillips moved to London at some point because in 1862 he mortgaged the premises he had built on the land and he was noted as formerly of Woburn, carpenter but now of 39 Goswell Road, Clerkenwell, baker. The house is simply noted as a messuage and other buildings formerly in occupation of Thomas Phillips, now George Belgrove. Two years later the premises was conveyed to William Odell of Sheep Lane, carpenter, for £270 and at this time it is referred to as a beerhouse| called the Fox & Hounds. In 1881 Phillips sold the, by then, public house| to Henry Mann Roberts and William Wilson, brewers of Ivinghoe [Buckinghamshire] for £510 and they, in 1895, sold it to the Duke of Bedford for £870.
The Fox & Hounds in the 1960s [PL/PH2/1]
In 1914 tenant David Giltrow went bankrupt and an inventory and valuation of the public house was made previous to sale of the tenancy, the valuation of the stock, furniture etc. coming to £64/4/8. In 1934 the tenant who succeeded Giltrow, Howard Fowler Stimpson gave up the tenancy and the Duke of Bedford leased the pub to Flittons Brewery Limited, who were taken over by Whitbread in 1948. Whitbread gave up its brewing and public house business in 2001. At the time of writing [2006] the public house is a Vintage Inns restaurant pub renamed the Flying Fox.
a modern version of PL/PH2/1 taken in February 2007
In 1927 the public house was valued for rates under the 1925 Valuation Act. At that time it consisted of a tap room ("fair"), bar parlour ("good") and kitchen downstairs and four bedrooms upstairs. Outside were an earth closet, coal shed, rough garage and workshop, trap house and stable for three horses. It sold, on average, a barrel of beer and a bottle of spirits per week. Rent was £16 per annum. The valuer noted its was a "Nice little corner house, smart looking" but drawbacks were "Right on main Road, no apartment accommodation & no pull up".
Further deeds to the Fox & Hounds (1949-1955) are held by Charles Wells Limited.
Licencees: note that this is not a complete list and that dates in italics are not necessarily beginning or end dates, merely the first/last date which can be confirmed from sources such as directories and deeds:
1876-1881: William Odell;
1881-1889: Charles Bowler;
1889-1914: David Giltrow (bankrupt early 1914);
1914-1934: Howard Fowler Stimpson;
1934-1936: William Cecil Robinson;
1936-1938: Albert Rogers;
1938-1939: Frederick Dudley Gerald Taylor;
1939-1953: Ethel Maud Taylor;
1991: Ronald Balfour McCartney;
1991: Stephen Barrie Swan
References of Documents held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service
- R6/44/1/1-9: deeds [first mention of a public house 1864]: 1838-1895
- HN10/373/Giltrow1: lists of 27 debts owed by David Giltrow, licensee: c.1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow2: letter from David Giltrow to L.P.Hall: unable to pay rent: 1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow3: rent due from David Giltrow's estate: 27 Feb 1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow4: bankruptcy proceedings against David Giltrow: 2 Mar 1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow5: inventory and sale catalogue of inn: 25 Mar 1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow6: inventory and valuation of inn: 26 Mar 1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow7: transfer of licence to Howard Fowler Stimson: 1914;
- HN10/373/Giltrow9: disclaimer on tenany of David Giltrow from 31 Dec 1896: 16 Apr 1914;
- WW1/AC/OP2/128: claim for compensation re Order to plough up pasture for arable: 1918-1920;
- Z50/90/12: photograph: c.1930;
- WB/Flitt4/1/Pots/FH1: Lease from Duke of Bedford to Flittons Brewery Limited of pub and 8a 1r 2p: 21 Nov 1934;
- WB/Flitt4/1/Pots/FH2: counterpart lease from Flittons Brewery Limited to S.O'Connor of Fox & Hounds and 8a 1r 2p: 14 Mar 1936;
- WB/Flitt4/1/Pots/FH3: counterpart lease from Flittons Brewery Limited to Frederick Dudley Gerald Taylor of Fox & Hounds and 8a 1r 2p: 21 Nov 1938;
- Z1105/1: Liquor Licence Traders Survey Form: 1939;
- WB/Flitt4/1/Pots/FH4: counterpart lease from Flittons Brewery Limited to Ethel Maud Taylor of Fox & Hounds and 0a 3r 5p: 17 Nov 1939;
- Guarantee of £100 for goods on credit supplied to Ethel Maud Taylor: 17 Nov 1939;
- WW2/AR/CO2/2: bomb dropped near Fox & Hounds: 16 Nov 1940;
- WB/Flitt4/2/1: schedule of deeds of Flittons Brewery Limited properties: 10 Jan 1949;
- Hi/PH2/1/27: photographs: 1959;
- PL/PH2/1-4: photographs: 1960s;
- Z50/90/9-11: photographs: Oct 1972;
- PCWoburn30/12: transfer of license: 1991