Rising Sun Public House

Rising Sun Public House: 11 Everton Road, Potton

Rising Sun Mar 2007

This beerhouse|, as it then was, does not appear in the register of alehouse licences of 1822-1828. It is first mentioned in a directory of 1839, meaning it is likely to have opened between 1828 and 1839. It had a succession of owners: Eliza Peacock of Potton, Meyer Peacock of Bedford, Philip Meyers and then brewers Phillips & Company of Royston [Hertfordshire]. This firm was taken over by J.W.Green of Luton in 1949, which merged with Flowers Breweries in 1954, the new company adopting the latter name. The beerhouse received a full licence on 11 Mar 1959. Flowers was taken over by Whitbread in 1962 and the latter company sold off its public house business in 2001. The Rising Sun is now a Charles Wells house.

The 1925 Rating Valuation Act established the need for every property in the country to be valued. Potton was valued in 1927 and the valuer noted that the Rising Sun was owner by Royston [Hertfordshire] brewery J. & J.E.Phillips. It contained three bedrooms, a parlour, sitting room, tap room, kitchen and cellar, he noted that trade was "very small" detailing that the beerhouse sold one and a half to two barrels per week in summer and about two dozen bottles per week. He also noted: "Good position near housing scheme". This public house is still [Mar 2007] open for business.

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

1839-1850: Joseph Keeling;
1872-1878: Eliza Peacock;
1878-1880: Charles Peacock;
1880-1898: Thomas Arnold;
1898-1909: Susan Arnold [convicted 13 Jan 1909 of permitting drunkenness - fined £1 with 7/6 costs];
1909-1924: Frederick Arnold;
1927-1940: Eva Anna Arnold;
1957-1958: Albert Edward Newell;
1958-1959: Robert Carruthers Young;
1959-1961: Ronald George Tilley;
1961-1967: Wilfred Michael Burns;
1968: Kathleen Florence Burns (Kefford from 1970);
1976-1977: George Thomas Hurrell;
1977-1978: Mark Charles Barney Stevens;
1978: Leslie Gilbert and Ernest Edward Fairfield

References:
- P64/5/1-4: bill from: C19; 
 - HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
- HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
- HF147/3/695: summons against licensee for deficient pint and gill measures: 1875;
- 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/C11: rating valuation survey: 1927.
- 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;