Chequers Public House

Chequers Public House: 8 Brook End, Potton 

Horses & carts belonging to Walter Kitchener outside the Chequers c.1903 [Ref.X758/1/8/120]

This public house| seems to have been built in 1783 by John Pedley on the site of a number of cottages burned down in the Great Fire of Potton of 14 August that year (which ties in with Department of Environment's 18th century date when the property was listed). At some point the public house must have been sold to Biggleswade brewers Wells & Company as in 1836 Robert Lindsell and William Hogg who, since 1831 had taken over the running of the company, conveyed it to their successors. Wells & Company became Wells & Winch in 1899 when purchased by Kent businessman George Winch for his son Edward Bluett Winch. This firm, in turn, merged with Suffolk brewers Greene King in 1961, taking that name as Greene King (Biggleswade) in 1963. The Chequers was closed in 1979, becoming a private house.

The premises was valued in 1927 under the 1925 Rating Valuation Act, the licensee had been there about a year and was "very honest" and the valuer discovered that weekly trade consisted of 3 barrels and 4 or 5 dozen bottles of beer along with 20 gallons of spirits and the same amount of wine per year. All this amounted to takings of £20 per week on average.The buildings consisted of two attics with two bedrooms and a box room below and, below that, a club room, tap room, bar, kitchen and scullery and, below that, a cellar. Outside were a cart shed, a three stall stable and a barn.

the former Chequers in March 2007

References:
- HF40/2/14/17: recital of erection by John Pedley the elder on site of cottages burned down: 1783;
- LS111: Certificate for redemption of Land Tax by Stephen Raymond on farm and Chequers: 1803;
- CLP13: Register of Alehouse Licenses: 1822-1828;
- HF40/2/14/17: recited conveyance from Robert Lindsell and William Hogg to Frederick Hogg and William Lindsell: 1836;
- Z1039/34/1: epitome of J.Rosher and others to Henry Brickend: 1838;
- Z1039/34/1: epitome of conveyance from Henry Brickend to Hogg & Lindsell: 1843;
- 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;
- GK50/1: admission of C.S.Lindsell: 1898;
- GK1/36: three sales catalogues bound together: Wells & Company of Biggleswade 1898; Henlow;
- HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
- PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
- Z1039/34/2a: conveyance of licensed properties from Frederick Archdale, Charles Samuel Lindsell, Henry Martin Lindsell and Arthur Knox Lindsell to Wells & Winch: 1899; - GK50/2: enfranchisement: 1899;
- X758/1/8/120-121: photographs of horse and carts outside public house: c.1903;
- Z1039/34/1: epitome of conveyance of adjoining land to Lindsell and Winch: 1919;
- DV1/C12: rating valuation: 1927;
- WW2/AR/C/2/234: garaging for ambulance and converted rescue car at Chequers: 1944;
- PSBW8/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1956-1972;
- PSBW8/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade and North Bedfordshire Petty Sessional Divisions: 1976-1980.

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

1822-1824: James Mead;
1828-1836: Elizabeth Mead;
1850: John Miles;
1853-1864: William Lunniss;
1872-1882: William Kitchin;
1891-1893: Isaac Emery;
1893-1895: Fanny Emery;
1895-1905: John Baker;
1905-1910: Thomas Hills;
1910-1924: Horace Montague;
1926-1927: Edwin H.Lewin;
1931: Ezra Carter;
1936: Thomas Gordon;
1940: Timothy Lucy;
1957: Leonard Snell;
1957-1959: Harry James Dobson;
1959-1960: Frederick George Sutton;
1960-1965: Robert Young;
1965-1966: Thomas Fish Hay;
1966-1978: Keith Desmond Bilton;
1978: Herbert Sansom
Public House closed 1979