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 John Bell & Co Brewery, 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.

1872 Oliver Grubb also listed as owner,

During 1875 Thomas Mayne (sometime recorded as Main) was victular. He was also listed as owner, 1887 John Frederick Collis, James Pears 1896, Thomas Beaumont Feb 1897, In April Beaumont was fined 20/- for allowing drunkenness, when the police came in they found a man named Cox asleep, so drunk was he that the police could not arouse him, so they eventually carted him off to the police station, Beaumont transferred his licence soon after.

. Job Doleman April 7th 1897, Frank Albert Arnold 20th April 1897, Frank Baxter 1898. Joe Bowles 1900, Edward Cunnington 1903, William Hartopp 1906, John Phipps 1907, Joseph Hogg June 1908, Samuel Bishop Popple Oct 1908, in 1909 Samuel was fined 20/- for driving his horse and cart in common danger. later in 1909 Alfred William Muggleton licensee, 1912 Charles Louis Smith. Ethel Smith May 1916, Charles Louis Smith again Sept 1916, Ethel Smith again 1917, Charles Louis Smith again 1919 (since deceased) Ethel Smith again 1921, William Smith 1821, (We can only assume that Charles and Ethel Smith had licence transferred to each other due to the War years) 1926 Wm Edwin Watkinson. S H Perkins 1930s

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.