Erith pub history index
At 20 High street in the 1901 census
Directory of Pubs in the UK, London historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Erith, Kent . The Erith, Kent listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Residents at this address
1832-34/John Milton/../../../Pigots Directory
1840/Elizabeth Milton/../../../Pigots Directory
May 1848/Elizabeth Mitton/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era
May 1848/Thomas Dean/Incoming Licensee/../../Era
1858/Thomas Deane/../../../Melvilles Directory
1862/J Hilliar/../../../Post Office Directory
1874/George Pay/../../../Post Office Directory
1882/Mrs Maria Elizabeth Daniels Kesterton/../../../Post Office Directory
1891/Mrs Mary Ann Jones/../../../Post Office Directory
1891/Herbert Hind/Licensed Victualler/32/Erith, Kent/Census
1891/Mary H Hind/Wife/35/Erith, Kent/Census
1891/Daisy Jones/Daughter/11/Southwark, Middlesex/Census
1891/Ernest Jones/Son/10/Camberwell, Surrey/Census
1891/Samuel Jones/Son/6/Erith, Kent/Census
1891/Jessie Jones/Daughter/8/Camberwell, Surrey/Census
1891/Mary A Crabb/General Servant/22/Littleport, Cambridgeshire/Census
1901/Adam Hall/Licensed Victualler/46/Scotland/Census
1901/Elizabeth Hall/Wife/44/Bristol/Census
1901/James E Hall/Son, Carpenter/17/Hoxton, London/Census
1901/Adam S Hall/Son, Clerk Commercial/14/Hoxton, London/Census
1901/Richard D Hall/Son/12/South Lambeth, London/Census
1901/Edith Hall/Adopted Daughter/7/Hoxton, London/Census
1901/Ethel Evans/Barmaid/20/Erith, Kent/Census
1901/Elizabeth Poynter/Barmaid/18/Erith, Kent/Census
1901/Kate Baker/General Servant/24/Beckenham, Kent/Census
1901/Margaret Knox/General Servant/15/Newcastle on Tyne/Census
1901/Charles Crosby/Potman/38/Ixworth, Suffolk/Census
1901/David Warner/Stableman, Widow/53/Chelmsford, Essex/Census
+ Boarders
1903/Mrs Elizabeth Hall/../../../Post Office Directory
1913/Arthur Harry Miller/../../../Post Office Directory
1922/Charles C Baumber/../../../Post Office Directory
1930/Joseph Addison/../../../Post Office Directory
1938/Joseph L Addison/../../../Post Office Directory
My Grandfather, Thomas Arthur House (b. 12/11/1896, Westminster) was killed at The Running Horses at 19:30 hrs on 29/11/1940 during a bombing raid. He was an ARP Ambulance Driver, aged 44 yrs. He was killed with a Henry George Frederick Parry, aged 19 years, an ARP Stretcher Bearer and an Albert Sydney Humphreys, aged 50 years, a Fireman, AFS. They are commemorated in perpetuity by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The licensee of the pub, William Zachariah Coles, aged 49 years, was also killed in the blast.
I have been told that The Crown public House,
which stood on the opposite corner to The
Running Horses, was so severely damaged it was never used again and
was later demolished. The landlord's wife, Mary Louisa Witherdon, aged
73 years was also killed along with a Joseph Lancelot Addison, aged 76
years. A local researcher remembers his father telling him "the
Crown had got it" when he returned home from
fire watching. Mr. Coles had been standing at the front door of the
newly completed Running Horses and was killed instantly. Apart from the
deaths of my Grandfather and his colleagues there were no less than
twenty people injured. One of the wardens, a Henry Sims was slightly
injured and reported that the victims in the pub were still seated at
the table and had no visible injuries, they were typical blast victims.
The landlord's wife, Annie Elizabeth Coles is understood to have
continued to serve drinks out of the back of the pub after her husband
was killed.
My Grandfather's widow, Flora McAlister Campbell House (McGregor) went
on to marry Leslie James Holloway (16/05/1916 Erith d. Jul 1989 Dartford)
Dec 1942. He became the landlord of the Kings
Head public house in Erith and lived there for 42 years having moved
there at the age of two. The pub used to belong to his uncle, Arthur
Hewett, who lived next door. He had a club foot and used a crutch to get
around the bar. Because of his uncle's disability, the pub was run by
his parents, James William Holloway (b. Dec 1885 Dartford) and Emma
Matilda Holloway (Hewett). Les remembered beer being 4d a pint and
tobacco fourpence ha'penny a packet. He was a popular figure in Erith
having run the Kings Head for over 10 years.
He was once described as Erith's answer to Fanny Waldren - the famous
Tottenham Hotspurs winger of the 1920's. ***
*** Provided By Graham R A Jansen