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St Anns Blackfriars pub history index
This pub was built at some point between 1873 and 1875. **
A listing of historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in St Anns Blackfriars, City of London.
Black Friar, 174 Queen Victoria Street
Kindly provided by John Carnaby
Black Friar, 174 Queen Victoria Street - in June 2006
Residents at this address.
I am the great grandson of the listed first licensee of this pub in the 1881 census (my paternal grand mother Ethel Cox was the baby in your listing). The licensee John (aka Jehu) Cox was the middle brother of three, raised on a middling sized "Church Farm" in Corscombe Dorset. I don't think Jehu was intended to manage the family's latest venture, as he was training to be a violin maker - but his elder brother "George" died young of what was probably TB. *
The farm in poverty stricken Dorset had been reduced in size from "5 men and a boy" to "one boy", perhaps to free up capital for the London venture(s). Whilst the parents of Jehu were at another nearby pub, the Three Horse Shoes
; and his younger brother Edwin ended up running what was left of the Church Farm. *
Meanwhile in 1871 big brother George was guarding the site of the future Black Friar. It was part freehold and part leasehold, as it extended into the arches of the railway company. *
[I have no proof but family mythology says he was required to serve beer to thirsty Fleet Street workers at the end of their shift. from a lantern lit barrow in the early hours of the morning.] *
I am afraid I cannot give you more details of the legalities of the pub, as a mixture of time up on the lease and death duties to be paid, forced its sale out of the estates of Jehu Cox's two daughters. *
Perhaps the apprentice violin maker was more interested in creating things, than pulling pints, but it looks like necessity was the mother of invention: Fed up with bent money and drunken arguments about change (?) he set up a very profitable side line -
Jehu Cox. *
May 1875/Jehu Christopher Cox married Elizabeth Turner at Islington, London
1881/John C Cox/Licensed Victualler/27/Corscombe, Dorset/Census
1881/Elizabeth Cox/Wife/33/Halstock, Dorset/Census
1881/John C Cox/Son/5/Weymouth, Dorset/Census
1881/Ethel J Cox/Daughter/8 months/London City, Middlesex/Census
1881/George J Chipping/Barman/27/Stepney/Census
1881/William Read/Barman/21/Yarmouth, Norfolk/Census
1881/Samuel Stone/Potman/21/Manchester, Lancashire/Census
1881/Sarah J Rix/Cook/22/Chatham, Kent/Census
1881/Harriett A Jubb/Nurse/15/Basingstoke, Hants/Census
1882/George Cox/../../../Post Office Directory
1884/George Cox/../../../Post Office Directory
1886/George Cox/../../../Business Directory of London **
1891/George Cox/../../../Post Office Directory
1891/John C Cox/Publican/38/Corscombe, Dorset/Census *
1891/Elizabeth Cox/Wife/42/Halstock, Dorset/Census
1891/Ethel J Cox/Daughter/10/Blackfriars, London/Census
1891/Hellen M Cox/Daughter/6/Blackfriars, London/Census
1891/Emily S Laughlin/Barmaid/22/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1891/Emily S Chapman/Barmaid/24/Wetheringsett, Suffolk/Census
1891/Alice Chapman/Barmaid/17/Wetheringsett, Suffolk/Census
1891/James Wilkinson/Barmaid/16/Rotherhithe, Surrey/Census
1891/Allen Welch/Barman/25/Henley, Somerset/Census
1891/Mary Taylor/Cook/26/Cripplegate, London/Census
1891/Emma E Hawkins/Domestic Servant/21/Corscombe, Dorset/Census
1895/George Cox/../../../Post Office Directory
1895/John Christopher Cox/../../../Post Office Directory
1899/John Cristopher Cox/../../../P.O. Directory **
1901/John C Cox/Licensed Victualler/46/Corscombe, Dorset/Census
1901/Elizabeth Cox/Wife/52/Halstock, Dorset/Census
1901/John C Cox/Son, Clerk/25/Weymouth, Dorset/Census
1901/Ethel Jane Cox/Daughter/20/City of London/Census
1901/Helen Mary Cox/Daughter/16/City of London/Census
1901/Emily Chapman/Bar Manageress/33/Wetheringsett, Suffolk/Census
1901/Arthur J Gooding/Barman/20/Sidford, Devon/Census
1901/Henry J Turner/Barman/25/Donyatt, Somerset/Census
1901/Pamela H Eke/Barmaid/31/City of London/Census
1901/Ethel Gibson/Barmaid/22/Islington, London/Census
1901/Minnie Shelly/Barmaid/24/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1901/Emma D Whitelcock/Housemaid/22/Southsea, Hampshire/Census
As regards the probate in 1904, there is a Charles Stone at the
Blue Last, Blackfriars
1904/Jehu Christopher Cox of the "Blackfriar" tavern Queen Victoria street London died 15 March 1904 Probate London 12 April to Edward Day Boddington undertaker and Charles Stone licensed victualler Effects £45508 6s. Resworn £80115 12s 10d/Probate
1906/Alfred Pettitt/../../../Morris� Business Directory of London **
1910/Alfred Pettitt/../../../Post Office Directory
1911/Oswald Halliwell/Manager Licensed Victualler/40/Leighton Buzzard/Census
1911/Nellie Halliwell/Wife, Manageress/21/Stepney/Census
1911/John Elliston/Barman/22/Bethnal Green/Census
1911/Thomas Ward/Barman/18/Kentish Town/Census
1911/Edward Ballard/Barman/21/Newington Butts/Census
1911/Elizabeth McDonald/Barmaid/26/Cork, Ireland/Census
1911/Constance Ward/Barmaid/20/Kentish Town/Census
1911/Rose Sketon/Barmaid/21/Kennington/Census
1911/Maud Boldon/Housemaid/23/Epping, Essex/Census
1911/Annie Innocent/Barmaid/17/Stepney/Census
1915/Alfred Pettitt/../../../Post Office Directory
1934/Alfred Pettitt/../../../Kellys Directory
1938/Alfred Pettitt/../../../Post Office Directory
1983/BLACK FRIAR: 174 Queen Victoria Street EC4. Allied Breweries. An extraordinary pub built in 1903 on the site of a chapel formerly used by an order of monks from which association the pub takes its name. Restored in 1983 by new owers, Allied Breweries. Rich and elaborate marble alabaster and mosaic wall and ceiling designs, in art nouveau./../../Pub List
1991/BLACK FRIAR: 174 Queen Victoria Street EC4. Ind Coope Nicholsons Free House. Built in 1875, this house was remodelled by H. Fuller Clark in 1905. Rich and elaborate marble alabaster and mosaic wall and ceiling designs, in art nouveau. It was restored by Larkin, May & Co. in 1983. Look for nursery rhymes in the Grotto bar./../../Pub Listing
2018, The Blackfriar, 174 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4EG City of London
* Provided By Peter Hartnell
** Provided By Stephen Harris
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