The Greyhound Public House Woburn

 
The Greyhound (shaded in pink) in a deed of 1898 [R6/63/6/30]

Greyhound Public House: 3 Leighton Street, Woburn

The documents referring to the Greyhound in Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service are deeds running from 1742 to 1891, a list of money due from the people of Woburn to the Vicar (1709-1796) and a parish rating book of 1802-1828 and other rating valuations (most importantly that of 1927). Deeds reveal that the property was actually two tenements and in copyhold tenure, that is held from the Manor of Woburn Abbotts, rather than freehold. In 1742 a cottages in the West End of Woburn, together with an acre of land called Home Field, bordering Caswell Lane to the north and a malthouse was sold by Simon Taylor of Colworth, Sharnbrook to John Ireland of Woburn, horsecourser. Ireland's son, also John, inherited in 1758. John the younger died in 1770 and devised all his real estate to trustees to be sold and the money divided between his three sisters Catherine Durrant, Mary Coles and Susannah Timms. The property was sold to Stephen Hawkes of Abington [Northamptonshire], grazier. He then sold to a Francis Moore who was admitted to the property in 1786 and it is at this date in the deeds that it is first referred to as a public house| called the Greyhound. This is despite having included a malthouse for at least the last 44 years, and confirmation that the place was a public house much earlier comes from the list of vicarial dues which notes the inn by name in 1742, showing that this is the likely opening date. Moore soon sold the pub and land, in 1789, to William Osborn of Woburn, grocer.

William Osborn sold the public house, buildings and land in 1820 to Thomas Fowler of Toddington, baker for £1,300. Fowler then sold the property and land, which now also included a brewhouse as well as a malthouse, to Daniel Skinner of Woburn, innholder in 1825. Skinner's widow Elizabeth inherited the property in 1831 and, at her death in 1854 the Greyhound should have gone to her nephew Samuel Salisbury. However, he died out in Ballarat, Australia, eighteen days after his aunt and the property passed to his cousin Angelina Townsend of Snenton [Nottinghamshire] and her husband, Samuel. On Angelina's death in 1887 the Greyhound, adjoining cottage, now used as an office by William Henry Smith, solicitor, Home Field, malthouse and brewhouse passed to a relative Arthur Henry Woodford of Leicester, commercial clerk, who sold the premises and land to the Duke of Bedford in 1891 by which time it was reported that "the premises are old and dilapidated and the trade gone" - the price was £850. It should be noted that in a directory of 1839 the public house is listed as the Hare & Hounds, though by 1847 it had reverted to being the Greyhound

Today the building on the site of the Greyhound is 3 Leighton Street (interestingly the same address as that given in the early nineteenth century rating book). It is a very much smaller building, to judge by their respective sizes on Ordnance Survey maps suggesting either that the premises were substantially altered or demolished and a new property built on the site. The date stone on the building of 1897 suggests the latter. In 1927 the property was valued for rates under the 1925 Valuation Act. At that time William Henry Smith was still using it as an office and renting from the Duke of Bedford and it consisted of two rooms and a WC.

The modern photograph was taken in February 2006, the site of the Greyhound is the building with the dark green door immediately to the right of the white door and to the left of the Sapori sign.

List of Sources Held at Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service:

- P118/3/1: parochial dues: 1709-1796 [1785-1796];
- R6/63/6/1: admission of John Ireland to cottage on surrender to John Ireland: 1742;
- R6/63/6/2: admission of John Ireland to cottage on death of John Ireland: 1758;
- R6/63/6/5: admission of trustees for sale under will of John Ireland deceased to cottage, their immediate surrender and admission of Stephen Hawkes: 1770;
- R6/63/6/6: admission of Francis Moore to Greyhound: 1786;
- R6/63/6/7: admission of William Osborn to Greyhound on surrender of Francis Moore: 1789;
- P118/28/2: parochial assessment book: 1802-1833;
- R6/63/6/9: Greyhound conveyed by William and Jane Osborn to Thomas Fowler: 1820;
- R1/78: Thomas Evans' map accompanying R2/69: 1821;
- R2/69: Detailed survey of Woburn made by Thomas Evans for the Duke of Bedford: 1822;
- R6/63/6/13: admission of Daniel Skinner to Greyhound on surrender of Thomas Fowler: 1825;
- R6/63/6/17: admission of Ann Tye to Greyhound under will of Elizabeth Skinner, deceased: 1855;
- R6/63/6/22: admission of Angelina Townsend to Greyhound: 1862;
- R6/63/2/25-27: admission of Elizabeth Richardson to Greyhound on surrender of Angelina Townsend: 1879;
- R6/63/6/29: Inland revenue form regarding succession duty paid by Arthur Henry Woodford for succeeding to Greyhound on death of Angelina Townsend: 1888;
- R6/63/6/30: agreement by Arthur Henry Woodford to sell Greyhound to Francis, Duke of Bedford: 1891

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

1742-1758: John Ireland
1785-1796: Samuel Turvey;
1802: William Lawrence;
1806-1807: William Brandon [Brandom];
1808: Joseph Proctor;
1809-1816: Gregory Osborne;
1817: John Osborn;
1820: James Fowler;
1822-1825: Thomas Burt;
1847-1862: Mrs.Ann Burtt;
1864-1869: Thomas Chappell;
1876-1890: George Chappell
Public House closed about 1891 after purchase by the Duke of Bedford