Photo above: King George III clearly marked in Abbey St (no. 40). The Old Cheese listed as 42a (numbered east to north). For a town centre thoroughfare off Belgrave Gate, few pictures seem to be available.
Some directories show the name as King George the III.
First record shows Benjamin Gibson as licensee in 1843, followed by Edward and Robert Biggs 1846 &1849 respectively.
1854 saw Henry Simpkin, during which time he was fined £1 for allowing drunkenness and fighting on his premises
1861 John Gamble
1875 John Brown
1876 James Bowker
1878 Henry Bowker.
At this time the George was brewing its own ale, apparently selling the brewing plant in 1891. L.B.M. then supplied the pub before buying it outright in1898. By then George Wagstaff, had taken over in 1891 followed in 1892 by George Gask, and later the same year, James Muddimer.
1897 James Riddington for three months, followed by William Chamberlain
1901 Thomas Reece
1902 George Vesey
1905 Arthur Hill
1907 Samuel Sibson, the licence passing on his death to Charlotte Sibson in 1911 until 1926 when she too passed away. From then it was held by Ernest Sharp for twenty months.
1927 William Spence
1933 Edward Gutteridge, after which Walter Judkin until 1938.
The last licensee was William Tallis who lasted for only a year, The George was then closed, the licence transferred to the newly built Naseby.