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Bishopsgate index
Existed from at least 1809 as the City of Canterbury. It was named the City of Canterbury in 1809 and 1832. At 109 Bishopsgate Street without in 1856 and up to 1915; This pub was rebuilt in 1912 in the form shown in the photograph; it closed and was demolished in the late 1980s. **
Historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels.
Primrose, 229 Bishopsgate EC2 - in 1986
Permission from the archives of East London & City CAMRA **
Residents at this address.
1809/R Locke, City of Canterbury, 109 Bishopsgate street without/../../Holdens Directory
1811/Rich Lock, publican, 109 Bishopsgate/../../Holdens Directory
1832/D Fulcher, City of Canterbury, 109 Bishopsgate Street/../../Robsons Directory
1833-34/Charles Kemshead, Primrose Tap, 1 Primrose street, Bishopsgate/../../Pigot's
Directory
1839/William Medcalf/../../../Pigots Directory
1841/William Medcalf/../../../P.O. Directory **
1841/Thomas Metcalf/Publican/40/../Census
1841/Mary Metcalf/../40/../Census
1841/Martha Metcalf/Independant/65/../Census
1841/William Metcalf/../13/Middlesex/Census
1841/Alfred Metcalf/../5/Middlesex/Census
1841/Margaret Scott/Female Servant/20/../Census
1841/Ann Barrett/Female Servant/25/../Census
1841/Thomas Butler/Female Servant/15/Middlesex/Census
1842/William Medcalf, Primrose, 109 Bishopsgate Street/../../Robsons Directory
1851/Mrs Mary Ann Medcalf/../../../Kellys Directory
1856/Mrs Mary Ann Medcalf/../../../Post Office Directory
1861/William Medcalf/Licensed Victualler/33/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1861/Alfred Medcalf/Brother, Licensed Victualler/25/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1861/Mary Ann Medcalf/Sister/30/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1861/Mary Ann Burgess/Barmaid/26/Croydon, Surrey/Census
1861/John Willis/Waiter/24/Peopleton, Worcestershire/Census
1861/Louis Corrale/Waiter/17/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1871/William Medcalfe/Licensed Victualler/44/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Alfred Medcalfe/Brother, Licensed Victualler/35/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Edward Haggar/Barman/34/West Malling, Kent/Census
1871/Mary Herbert/House Keeper/35/Barking, Essex/Census
1871/Eliza Knight/Domestic Servant/19/Islington, Middlesex/Census
1874/William and Alfred,Medcalf, Primrose, 109 Bishopsgate street, EC/../../London 1874 Licensed Victuallers and Hotel Keepers Directory
1881/William Metcalf/Licensed Victualler/53/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Alfred Metcalf/Brother, Licensed Victualler/45/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Edwin Haggar/Barman/44/Maidstone, Kent/Census
1881/Ward C Whitehead/Barman/19/Hereford/Census
1881/William Jaggar/Barman/19/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Ann Wilmott/Domestic Servant/54/Sacomb, Hertford/Census
1882/William & Alf Metcalf/../../../Post Office Directory
1884/William & Alf Metcalf/../../../Post Office Directory
1891/W & A Medcalf/../../../Post Office Directory
1893/William & Alf Metcalf/../../../P.O. Directory **
1895/W & A Medcalf/../../../Post Office Directory
1899/Ernest Peter Braun/../../../Post Office Directory
1902/Ellis Bros./../../../P.O. Directory **
1908/Thomas Ellis/../../../P.O. Directory **
1910/Thomas Ellis/../../../Post Office Directory
1915/Thomas Ellis/../../../Post Office Directory
1917/Mrs Caroline Ellis/../../../P.O. Directory **
1921/Mrs Caroline Elliss/../../../Post Office Directory
In 1921 census at 229, Bishopsgate,
Michael Evans, Manager, Caroline Ellis, Licensed Victualler, aged 46 years 2 months, and born in Henfield, Sussex
Lily Simpson, Cook, aged 54 years 1 month, and born in Highbridge, Somerset
1934/Moss Goldstein/../../../Kellys
1938/Philip Eisler/../../../Post Office Directory
1944/Jn Wm C Lynch/../../../Post Office Directory
My dads name was William Betts my mum was Violet, and they took over the Alfreds Head, 49 Gold street, Stepney after the war. I am estimating it was about 1946-ish. My brother remembers growing up there, and we had to move out about 1957 as they were pulling the streets down. My dad always use to say 'he was the only publican to walk out, and not be carried out'. In those daŷs publicans did not move around. *
My father took over the tenancy of the Primrose in about 1957 and this is were we stayed until the brewery would not renew the tenancy, as it was their policy to change the house to a managed house. We moved out on the 1st April 1974.
My father and mother were very upset about having to move, as this had been a very good business for him and a wonderful place for me and my brother to be brought up in. ***
1958/William Robert Betts/../../../Post Office Directory ***
1958/Violet Ada Betts/../../../Post Office Directory
1958/Michael George Betts/../../../Post Office Directory
1958/Vivian Ann Betts/../../../Post Office Directory
1958 - 1967/W R Betts, Primrose, 229 Bishopsgate EC2 - BIShpgt 3005/../../BT Telephone Directory *
1971/W R Betts, Primrose, 229 Bishopsgate EC2 - 01-247 3005/../../BT Telephone Directory *
1983/PRIMROSE: 229 Bishopsgate EC2. Trumans./../../Pub Directory
1991/Primrose: 229 Bishopsgate EC2. Grand Met-Trumans. Pub demolished./../../Pub Directory
* Provided By Vivian Campbell
** Provided By Stephen Harris
*** Provided By ? - Let me know.
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