DUKE OF CUMBERLAND – DUKE WILLIAM – QUEEN VICTORIA, 130 CHURCH GATE

Photo above: Around the time of this photograph the landlord, Thomas Beaumont, was fined £1 or fourteen days imprisonment for allowing drunkenness on his premises. A home brew pub until this time also, after 1900 it was supplied by the Thomas Salt Brewery. Later Bass. The pub closed in January 1941, and compensation paid to the owner.

Listed as Duke of Cumberland in 1815-30 directories, and Duke William between 1822-37.

The name probably refers to William, the youngest son of George II and the victor of the Battle of Culloden in 1746. that year Abraham Brown is listed as victular of the Duke of Cumberland, by 1815 William Stevenson is in charge and by c 1820 John Skelton.

1827 a meeting was held at the Duke of Cumberland by the freeman of the city as to the distribution of their Wood Money (Charitable fuel money given to the poor & widowed freeman) Apparently the wood money had been refused to those who opposed the Corporation at the last election, up for discussion was what if any action could be taken.

A decade later a meet of the ‘working classes’ was held here at the now Duke William to form an association to repeal the corn laws and to extend suffrage.

In  November 1836, landlady Mrs. Skelton turned out a man for breaking a table in the Duke William, but decided not to charge him if he went home.

The pub was sometime referred confusingly to as William 1V and as late as 1837 listed still as Duke of Cumberland.

The pub was to become the Queen Victoria when she assumed the throne in 1837.

John Skelton was to die aged 70 in 1846, son George took on the mantle until 1848 when the licence passed to Sam Smith. The Skeltons seemed well known and respected, George interested in politics was to become a freeman.

Thomas Hunt became victular passing it on to a Mr Kendrick April 1850, Mrs Kendrick tried to have the licence transferred April 1852 as her husband had absconded due to his alleged involvement in a hosiery warehouse robbery, the bench initially refused, later relented transferring to Cornelius Stone.

During the 1870’s Thomas Mayne (sometime recorded as Main) was victular. 1888 Frederick Collis, c1910 Alfred Muggleton, 1916 Charles Louis Smith. 1920’s Wm Watkinson.

THE owners were John Bell & Sons Brewery acquired by Salts of Burton 1902, then in turn Bass in 1927.

Queen Victoria finally had its licence refused under the compensation act in Jan 1941 the owners Bass received £1805.00 and the tenant Mrs S Perkins £600.