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Jolly Tanners, 3 Rothsay street, Tower Bridge road, Bermondsey SE1 4UD

Bermondsey pub history index

Existed from at least 1851, when the address is Alice Street, and prior to street renaming. The address is Queen Street in the 1871 census, only. By 1921 it is at 3 Rothsay Street. *

Historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels.

Residents at this address

On the 8th August 1846, Thomas Lewis Green, a fishmonger, widowed of full age marries Rebecca Workman at Southwark St Saviours.

1851/Thomas L Green/Licensed Victualler/29/Deptford, Kent/Census
1851/Rebecca Green/Wife/33/Woodford, Gloucestershire/Census
1851/Edward Green/Son/1/Bermondsey, Surrey/Census
1851/Rebecca Green/Daughter/2 months/Bermondsey, Surrey/Census
1851/Fanny Sale/House Servant/13/Newington, Surrey/Census

1861/Thomas L Green/Licensed Victualler/39/Deptford, Kent/Census
1861/Rebecca Green/Wife/44/Woodford, Gloucestershire/Census
1861/George Ellison/Potman/20/Broadish, Norfolk/Census

1864/Thomas Lewis Green/../../../Post Office Directory

1867/Thomas Lewis Green/../../../Post Office Directory

1869/Thomas Lewis Green/../../../Post Office Directory *

March 1869/Thomas Lewis Green, deceased/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era

March 1869/James Joseph Green and William Henry, executors of Thomas Lewis Green, late occupier/Incoming Licensee/../../Era

In the 1871 Census, the landlady, Amelia STACEY, was born Amelia FLATTELY in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, in early 1841 and was baptised at the parish church there on 16 May 1841. Also in the 1871 household was Letitia FLATTELY, her sister. Amelia married John STACEY on 14 June 1865 at Waltham Abbey, Essex.
Their father, Patrick Flattely, was an Excise Officer and, I suppose, would have spent a lot of his time in pubs, hence establishing the family connection.
On 07 November 1878, Letitia Flattely married Johann Ludwig REHM, a naturalised British citizen born in Pfullingen, Württemberg, Germany around 1830. He was also a licensed victualler, and landlord of the Horseshoe , Tower Bridge road, Bermondsey in 1881.
Another of the FLATTELY sisters, Mary, married William Frederick HIGTON, another Excise Officer, on 16 December 1856 at Newington St Mary's. **
I suspect there is a line of research on the interplay between excise officers and licensed victuallers, and another on how and why excise officers were moved around the country quite frequently. I suspect it was to stop them getting too cosy with the licensees! **

1871/John Stacey/Licensed Victualler/30/Tooting Surrey/Census  ***
1871/Amelia Stacey/Wife/36/Birthplace unknown/Census
1871/John F Stacey/Son/3/Bermondsey Surrey/Census
1871/Amelia Stacey/Daughter/5 months/Birthplace unknown/Census
1871/Letitia Flatteley/Sister/37/Scotland/Census
1871/Mary A Kelly/Servant Gen/43/Hoxton London/Census
1871/George Richard/Servant to Lic Vict/19/Norfolk/Census

1874/John Stacey/../../../Post Office Directory

1875/John Stacey/../../../Post Office Directory

1877/John Stacey, Jolly Tanners, Queen street, Bermondsey New road/../../Post Office Directory

1881/Henry Robert Cole/Manager to Licensed Victualler/36/Peckham, Surrey/Census
1881/Lizzie Cordelia Cole/Wife/21/Camberwell, Surrey/Census
1881/Eliza Smith/Housekeeper, Widow/70/Wapping, Middlesex/Census

1882/William Thomas Clarke/../../../Post Office Directory *

1884/William T Clarke/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/James Piper/../../../Post Office Directory

1895/George William Hunter/../../../Post Office Directory

1899/Sydney Tilbury/../../../Post Office Directory

Joseph Whitelam is at the Alliance, 260 Sumner road, Peckham in 1901, and the Prince of Wales, 196 Prince Regents lane, Canning Town E16 in 1911.

1915/Joseph Whitelam/../../../Post Office Directory

3 Rothsay street :
1921/R. O. Stephenson/../../../Post Office Directory *

In 1921 census at 1 Alice Street, Bermondsey
Ralph Oscar Stephenson, Licensed Victualler aged 31 years 6 months and born in Dalston, London
Mary Georgina Stephenson, Wife, Barmaid Ralph Oscar Stepenson aged 33 years 7 months and born in St Pancras, London
Gerald John Stephenson, Nephew, Engine Cleaner L B S C Railway aged 19 years 2 months and born in DWestminster, London
Ronald Fitzgerald, Nephew, Bar Boy to Ralph Oscar Stephenson aged 15 years 6 months and born in DWestminster, London

1923/Arthur James Camp/Jolly Tanners/../../Electoral Register
1923/Harry Sydney Camp/../../../Electoral Register

The Jolly Tanners, on the corner of Rothsay Street and Alice Street, we think mid to late twenties.

The Jolly Tanners, on the corner of Rothsay Street and Alice Street, we think mid to late twenties.

My wife's mother and grandmother are in the assembly. Grannie Miller lived in the Meakin Estate across the road (handy!)

Kindly provided by Roy Parker

The Jolly Tanners again, on the corner of Rothsay Street and Alice Street, we think mid to late twenties.

The Jolly Tanners again, on the corner of Rothsay Street and Alice Street, we think mid to late twenties.

Kindly provided by Roy Parker

I have a picture, likely from a newspaper or magazine, of some boxers (of which one was my grandfather) late 1920’s which had been taken at The Jolly Tanners gymnasium. *+
The other people in picture are Young Curley, Johnny Sharpe, Archie Sexton, George Carney, Kid Pattenden, Alf Gudge, Billy Kid Brookes, Joe Baker (my grandfather) and Mr Brookes.

The Jolly Tanners Gymnasium. Left to Right, Young Curley, Johnny Sharpe,Archie Sexton, George Carney, Kid Pattenden, Alf Gudge, Billy Kid Brookes, Joe Baker (my grandfather) and Mr Brookes.

The Jolly Tanners Gymnasium. Left to Right, Young Curley, Johnny Sharpe,Archie Sexton, George Carney, Kid Pattenden, Alf Gudge, Billy Kid Brookes, Joe Baker (my grandfather) and Mr Brookes.

Kindly provided by Kirsty Manson

Southwark and Bermondsey Recorder. 19 February 1932
Brewster Sessions and Trouble over a Gymnasium.
With regard to the Jolly Tanner, 3 Rothsay street, Tower Bridge Road Bermondsey, objection was taken by the justices on the general ground that the premises were structurally unsuitable, the objection referring more particularly to the fact that the club-room at the rear of the premises had been used for some time as a gymnasium without either their knowledge or consent.
The licensee (Mr Arthur J Camp) stated that in 1924, after he had been there for two years, during which time the club-room remained empty, he received a proposition that a gymnasium could be fitted up there. The premises were subsequently visited by an inspector of police who informed him that it was quite legal for this to be done, as long as no contests were staged there. The gymnasium had therefore been established, and it had been continued since. He did not relise that he should have informed the Bench.
The Chairman said the Bench did not wish to ke "Killjoys" in any way, and facilities for training for young people were desirable, but in this instance there was an entrance from the back part of the licensed premises into the gymnasium, and the bath used by the licensee was there. It could not, therefore, ever be completely shut off from the premises. He thought the brewers, who must have known that the gymnasium had been established, should have taken some steps to inform the bench.
On behalf of the Cannon Brewery Co, the owners, it was stated that the member of the firm whose task it had been to supervise this house in 1924 was no longer with the company, and therefore, it was impoossible to tell what had transpired.
Plans had been drawn up for various alterations and improvement at the house.

Southwark and Bermondsey Recorder. 04 March 1932
In 1922, when Mr Camp had entered into the occupation, the club-room was used by a club of about 40 members.
AS there was no possibility of adequate supervision of the room, however, Mr Camp did not desire the continuance of these meetings, and as soom as they ceased, the small service hatch in the room was locked and had been kept locked ever since.
At a later date, Mr Camp was approached by a man for permission for the use of the club-room as a place for sparring and training. The room was intermittently used by persons in training who wished to indulge in sparring or shadow boxing, but was never used by the public, and no drinks had been served there since 1924, the door to the other part of the house being kept locked. The Chairman said that the Bench ought to have been told when the club-room was used as a gymnasium and the alterations made.
He then announced that the licence would be renewed and the plans approved.

1938/Albert Jn Gwinnell/../../../Post Office Directory

In the 1939 electoral register at 3 Rothsay street are : Albert J Gwinnell, Publican, born 08 Mar 1882
Florence M Gwinnell, Domestic Duties, born 24 May 1890
George Gwinnell, Railway Goods Porter Trained Collier, born 03 Mar 1917
Douglas Winnell, Electric Signs & Motor Driver, born 30 Oct 1918
Ruby E Caddick (Gwinnell), Mother's Help, born 30 Jun 1920
Norman Gwinnell, Engineers Driller Light, born 29 Nov 1921
Grace FHanna (Gwinnell), Dress Makers Leaner, born 04 Feb 1925

1944/Albert Jn Gwinnell/../../../Post Office Directory

I lived at this pub in the 1950’s. My parents Jimmy and Mary Wheeler ran the pub for approximately five years. My dad was a professional Bermondsey boxer (feather weight) in the 1930’s.

1961/Jolly Tanners, 3 Rothsay street SE1/../../Pub Directory

1971/Jolly Tanners, 3 Rothsay street SE1/../../Pub Directory

1981/Jolly Tanners, 3 Rothsay street, SE1 4UD/../../Pub Directory


* Provided By Ewan

*+ Provided By Kirsty (Australia)

** Provided By Nick Higton - one name study

*** Provided By Bev Howlett

Provided By Mary Madden (nee Wheeler)


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  • And Last updated on: Friday, 14-Jun-2024 11:57:17 BST