Man Loaded with Mischielf

Henry James Sweeting and family

All information kindly supplied by Jacqueline Roberts

A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in  London.

My great x 2 grandfather Henry James Sweeting, was licensee at The Ship and Pilot, Marigold Street, Bermondsey 1871-1873 (Directories).

He was at the Three Compasses, Little Marylebone Street, Westminster from 1873 - Jan 1875. (Westminster Licences).

He was at the Victoria, Pomeroy Street, Peckham, in 1876 (Directory) before he took the White Horse.

He also had the Rye Hotel, where his youngest son Frank Sweeting was licensee certainly from 1909 - 1911 but probably earlier and later (phone directories and census). Frank later took the Bell at Oxted where he died in 1921. I had a drink to him when I visited it 3 years ago.

His eldest son Henry James Sweeting junior had the Royal Oak, 126 High Street, Deptford in 1891 (census) and the Queens Arms, 157 Windmill Street Gravesend in 1901 (censuses).

My own grandfather Frank William Sweeting, his grandson had the Lifeguardsman, Hogarth Lane, Chiswick from 1930 - 1932 or 3. My mother lived there. This pub was bombed.

Henry James Sweeting married Elizabeth Donne, whose uncle Charles Donne had the Welsh Trooper 37 Bankside in 1848 and the Queens Head at 35 Fendell Street. Bermondsey in 1869.
Charles Donne's half brother, William Gibbs Donne, had the George at 12 Bankside in 1848. He may have had the Kings Head in Lambeth in 1830 and 1832 (his address was Kings Head Yard). William Gibbs Donne's daughter,  Emma Sophia Donne married John Plowman, he was licensee of the Three Compasses, Wandsworth Road from at least 1881-1884.
Charles Donne and William Gibbs Donne combined their watering hole activities with being licensed watermen.

My 91 year old mother has always told me that her great grandfather Henry James Sweeting's first pub was the Beehive at Deptford. It cost him every penny and he was unable to change the half sovereign that a customer proffered and he had to go next door to get it changed. I can find no evidence for his being at a pub called the Beehive, although I should like to, and even if the pub name is correct I am inclined to think it would have been nearer to the Donnes' pubs in Bermondsey and nearer to the Ship and Pilot.

If you can add anything more to my information here I should be delighted.  ***



*** Provided By Jacqueline Roberts


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