Bethnal Green pub history index
Existed from at least 1827. The address was at 166 Bethnal Green road prior to 1870. This pub was probably present by 1703 and certainly present by 1713. aka The George in 1891. Licensee William Austin Balls was the son of Henry James K Balls of the Kent Hotel, Gravesend, Kent. William Austin's brother Harry Balls became licensee of the Anchor, South Fambridge, Essex. ** The name is given as the George IV in the 1839 Directory *.
A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Bethnal Green, Middlesex - now in East London.
The 1928 advert for the Old George, naming Austin Balls as licensee
Kindly provided by Stephen Harris
The Old George (thumbnail)
16 September 2005. Kevan
Old George, 379 Bethnal Green road, Bethnal Green E2 - in June 2018
Residents at this address.
1827/William Wensley/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association
1832/William Wensley/../../../Robsons Directory
1839/William Morgan/../../../Pigots Directory **
1842/William Morgan/../../../Robsons Directory **
1844/William Morgan/../../../Thompsons Directory **
1847/Mrs Wogan Morgan / Outgoing Licensee /../../The Era, Sunday 17 January,
1847 **
1847/William Pratt / Incoming Licensee /../../The Era, Sunday 17 January,
1847 **
1850/William Pratt/../../../P.O. Directory **
166 Bethnal green Road
1851/William Pratt/Licensed Victualler/42/Hertfordshire/Census
1851/Mary Ann Pratt/Wife/40/Middlesex/Census
1851/Mary Ann Pratt/Daughter/2/Middlesex/Census
1851/Charles Combs/Servant/16/Middlesex/Census
1851/H Bowley/House Servant/19/Buckinghamshire/Census
1856/Henry Wardman/../../../Post Office Directory *
October 1859/Joseph Henry Harrap, executor of Henry Wardman, late
occupier/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era
October 1859/Jane Elizabeth Wardman/Incoming Licensee/../../Era
September 1860/Jane Elizabeth Wardman/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era
September 1860/Joseph Henry Harrap/Incoming Licensee/../../Era
1869/James William Clifford/../../../P.O. Directory **
1870/James William Clifford/../../../P.O. Directory **
1872/J W Clifford/../../../Brabners Hackney Directory **
1876/John William Clifford/../../../P.O. Directory **
12th May 1877/William James Clifford/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
12th May 1877/Richard John Coltman/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
10th January 1880/Robert Brooks and Henry Prockter/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
10th January 1880/Alfred Buckley/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
1881/Mary Marr/Licensed Victualler, Widow/60/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1881/Annie Marr/Daughter, Manageress/26/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1881/Mary Ann Marr/Daughter/24/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1881/Emma Marr/Daughter/20/v/Census
1881/Harriett Marr/Daughter, Milliner/16/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1881/Henry Newman/Barman/21/Monmouth/Census
1881/Thomas Booker/Barman/21/Stratford, Essex/Census
1881/Edward Davis/Potman/22/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1881/Agnes Marr/Visitor, Grand Daughter/6/Stratford, Essex/Census
1881/Eliza Lucas/Servant Domestic/22/Westminster, Middlesex/Census
1882/Charles Brien/../../../Post Office Directory *
Hackney and Kingsland Gazette 08 March 1882
Local Licensing News of the following transfers
George, Bethnal Green road, from Charles Brien to H K Balls
1884/Henry J Balls/../../../Post Office Directory
1888/Richard Dipple/../../../P.O. Directory **
1891/Thomas Leigh/../../../Post Office Directory
1895/Thomas Leigh/../../../Post Office Directory
William Austin Balls’ wife, Florence Balls (née Hills), is my great Aunt. Her father John Ebenezer Hills (who used to be the licensee of the Turks Head in Brick Lane) is my Great Grandfather. I have known that William Austin Balls had a connection with my family for many years, but it was only when I started researching my family tree a few years ago that I found the connection.
Terence George Cleland was the first licensee of Trumans. The maiden name of Florence Balls/Hills’ mother was Emily Maria Cleland! **+
1899/William Austin Balls/../../../Post Office Directory
1900/William Austin Balls/../../../P.O. Directory **
1901/William A Balls/Licensed Victualler/29/Gravesend, Kent/Census
1901/Florence Balls/Wife/30/Mile End, London/Census
1901/Hepzibah S Hills/Sister in Law/21/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1901/Thomas L Reece/Potman/27/Whitechapel, London/Census
1901/Sidney E Wheatley/Barman/18/Mile End, London/Census
1901/William J Ogilvie/Barman/22/Windsor, Berkshire/Census
1901/Eliza Penlington/Domestic Servant/19/Highgate, London/Census
1911/William Austin Balls/Licensed Victualler/39/Gravesend, Kent/Census
1911/Florence Balls/Wife/40/Bow, London/Census
1911/Violet Clarissa Harriet Balls/Daughter/8/London/Census
1911/Irene Caroline Hills/Wifes sister/28/London/Census
1911/Harry Baughan/Barman/29/Colchester, Essex/Census
1911/Edward Gater/Barman/20/Long Ditton, Surrey/Census
1911/William Perry/Barman/25/London/Census
1911/John Edward Pretter/Barman/20/Dartford, Kent/Census
1911/Arthur Brady/Barman/24/Barrow in Furness, Lancashire/Census
1911/Elizabeth Mary North/Cook, Widow/42/Whitechapel, London/Census
1915/William Austin Balls/wine dealer/../../Post Office Directory *
1917/William Austin Balls/../../../P.O. Directory **
1921/William Austin Balls/wine dealer/../../Post Office Directory *
1927/William Austin Balls/../../../London Gazette, 2 August 1927 **
1931/William Austin Balls/../../../London Gazette, 13 March 1931 **
The 1939 electoral register for 379 Bethnal green road lists :
William Alfred Kirby, Licensed Victuallers manager, born 28 Jan 1892
Patrick Ryan, barman, born 8 March 1916
Charles Beedell, Barman, born 11 April 1883
Kathleen Kennedy (Haporta), Housemaid, born 21 July 1916
Ciolet Adelaide Hale (Kirby, Thornton), Cashier, born 26 Jan 1912
Elijah Gardner, Porter, born 28 Oct 1878.
Florence Balls, wife of William Austin Balls, OBE, died in 1949. She was
aged 78 years - Black Eagle Journal ***
Trumans took over the old George from the Balls brothers in the mid 70's;
Terence George Cleland was their first licencee, and in the mid 1970s, prior to Tony Kemp, who at the time was a licencee in another pub in Bethnal green *+
1988/T C Kemp/Old George, 279 Bethnal Green Road/../../Truman Directory
+ Provided by Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
* Provided By Ewan
*+ Provided By Pat Cleland
**+ Provided By Ron Dullage
** Provided By Stephen Harris
*** Provided By Alex Wilkinson
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