Bushel and Strike Beerhouse

Bushel and Strike Beerhouse: 8 Biggleswade Road, Potton

The description of the Bushel and Strike from the 1927 valuer's notebook [DV/1/C9]

This beerhouse| is mentioned in records held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service only in directories, licensing registers and the valuer's remarks when assessing for rates under the 1925 Rating Valuation Act. He visited just before the beerhouse closed - he noted "Tenant has purchased house for private residence". He found it had 3 rooms and a kitchen downstairs and 3 bedrooms above and a cellar below. He found trade was, not surprisingly, slack - about 1½ barrels and 10 dozen bottles of beer per week. Interestingly he noted "Only house in Potton where men can go out back way" - perhaps this was if their wives went in at the front!

The beerhouse had a small farm attached, also owned and occupied by Albert Charter and this contained a chaff house and small barn, a large two cart hovel, two stalls now used as a barn and two looseboxes and store.

The beerhouse seems to have closed around 1927 as Albert Charter is listed as a market gardener in the Kelly's Directory for 1928. The former beerhouse was demolished during the building of The Ridgeway estate.

References:
- HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
- HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
- HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
- HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
- HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900;
- HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
- PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
- DV1/C/9: 1925 Rating valuation Survey: 1927-1928

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

1872-1883: George Inskip;
1883-1887: David Manning;
1887-1888: Cornelius Foley;
1888-1890: Henry Harris;
1890: Arthur Westerman;
1891-1896: James Simpson;
1896: Thomas Stephenson;
1896-1897: William Norgate;
1897-1899: William Lake;
1899-1900: Henry Brinklow;
1900-1924: Frederick Charter;
1927: Albert Charter
Beerhouse closed 1927?