The Sun Public House Woburn

The Sun used to stand on the site of this garden at the junction of George Street, Duck Lane and London Road - February 2007

Sun Public House: (also known as Rising Sun): corner of Duck Lane, George Street and London Road, Woburn

The only early references to this public house| in documents held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service are in a schedule of title deeds. Unfortunately this does not described exactly what each deed in the process means. What they do show is that the inn was copyhold|, that is, held from the Manor of Woburn Abbotts, rather than being freehold. In 1733 the tenant seems to have been Brook Sheffard, who, became tenant of the George in 1738. In 1777 Abigail Sheffard was admitted tenant on the surrender of Catherine Reddal. Abigail died in 1790 and in 1796 Katherine/Catherine Reddal succeeded was admitted as tenant. Richard Ambrose Reddall was admitted tenant in 1824 after the death of his mother Catherine and he was in turn succeeded by his widow Ann, who was admitted tenant in 1843, she being succeeded by Colonel John Land.

What this indicates is that the Reddalls and their relatives held three Woburn inns at the same time - the Sun, Royal Oak |and Bell|. The Reddalls clearly sublet the inn to the licensees listed below. John Land sublet the premises to George Higgins, the Bedford brewer in 1868 and sold it to him in 1879, the inn remaining in the hands of Higgins & Company until sold to the Duke of Bedford in 1929 after closure in 1923. Shortly after closure the building was demolished and became garden ground. The inn stood in London Road, on the west side, immediately south of the junction with Duck Lane.

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

- GA306: schedule of deeds: 1739-1879;
- P118/28/2: parochial assessment book: 1802-1833;
- 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;
- GK89/5-13: 1842-1879;
- GA308: license to John Land to demise: 1868;
- GA309: lease from John Land to George Higgins: 23 May 1868;
- GA313-314: lease from John Land to George Higgins: 10 Oct 1872;
- GK4/4: part of agreement to raise shares in Higgins & Sons Limited: 27 Jan 1902;
- GK4/6: included in schedule of deeds of Higgins & Sons Limited: 1927;
- GK4/7: agreement for lease of water and sewerage rights: 1927

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

1802-1812: Robert Pilkington;
1813: empty;
1814-1818: John Chamberlain;
1820-1842: Thomas Rosson;
1847: William Bodsworth;
1853-1854: George Kemp;
1861 (listed as George Street): George Kemp;
1862 (listed as London Road); George Kemp;
1864: George Kemp;
1869: William Lee;
1876: Robert Evans;
1877: William Jeffs;
1878: Robert Evans;
1879-1893: William Jeffs and Henry Charles Jeffs;
1893-1894: Ann Jeffs;
1898-1903: William Henry Sear;
1903-1906: William Gazeley;
1906: John Lenton;
1906-1912: Charles Drage;
1912-1915: Arthur James Pettit;
1915-1923: Moses Wickson;
Public House closed 3 Aug 1923