Picture credit: John Zienteck, circa 1948.
So far the earliest report of the George & Dragon is c1843, when the licence was transferred from John Davis to James Yates in c1848. From Yates to Thomas Herbert 1874, to Millicent Herbert 1877. The pub was owned by Mrs Coleman.
As with many beerhouses and inns, inquests were often and the George & Dragon seemed to have more than its fair share.
Many tragic inquest accidents were held here, as in 1871 when a loader on the railways fell between two carriages which crushed his chest.
A year earlier, another railway worker, Thomas Ashton, – a ‘shunter’ – was struck by a passenger train. According to the press, his left arm and side were ‘crushed almost to jelly’.
Again in 1871, Samuel Atkins, whilst working on a steam powered plane, was caught in one of the belt drives, fatally injuring him.
In June 1868, an inquest was held in view of the body. John Gilham was out netting fish with four-five other men when he was approached by the master of Crow Mills George Keene, who shouted ‘If any one moves I’ll blow their brains out. Gilham, who was kneeling by the water, stood up, at which Keene shot him in the head. The post mortem showed 30-40 shot wounds in his head, some penetrating his brain. Keene was found guilty of manslaughter.
1881 Henry Bodytcote was licensee, Richard Clarke 1886, Thomas Bell 1887, George Bleasdale 1888, George Morgan 1889, John Smith 1890, Samuel Smith 1891, Ellis Mawby 1892, Andrew Birtles 1894, Jane Birtles 1900, Andrew Birtles 1910, Georgina Beatrice Birtles 1929, James Hubbard Veasey 1932, William Sidney Gibbins 1933. The pub was altered 1937, Albert Pell 1941, Arthur Driver 1959, Norman Day 1961, William Ellis 1962.
1967 and purports to show 3-9 Kent St. If so, the partly demolished building on right is what’s left of the George & Dragon, which is unusual as the pub was usually one of the last buildings to be demolished. Nevertheless, it is worth including for what remains of the Chicane Club (see left) entrance.
The George & Dragon originally brewed its own beer, before being owned by Woodcock, Neeham & Crick and in 1891 LBM.
