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St George Bloomsbury pub index
The Kings Head, 142 High Holborn is at, or near to, the junction with Plummers Court which probably later becomes Oxford street
A listing of historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in St George Bloomsbury parish, London.
J Cundell, Wine & Spirit Merchant, 142 High Holborn - circa 1833
Kindly provided by Paul Cooper
The following entries are in this format:
Residents at this address
In 1736, we have the Lodge of Brotherly Love, at the Kings Head Tavern, Holborn, a Masonic Lodge
In 1765, we have the Tuscan Lodge, at the Kings Head, Holborn, a Masonic Lodge
October 1792/Richard Simons, the Kings Head, 142 High Holborn,
victualler/../../Sun Fire Insurance records held at the LMA
1805/Christopher Sanders, the Kings Head, 142 High Holborn/../../Holdens
Directory
8 November 1809/Joseph Cooke, the Kings Head, 142 High Holborn,
victualler/../../Sun Fire Insurance records held at the LMA
1811/Joseph Cook, Kings Head, 142 High Holborn/../../Holdens Directory s
August 1813/Samuel Tunnicliff, 142 High Holborn, victualler/../../Sun Fire
Insurance records held at the LMA
My 4th great-grandfather John Cundell appears in a few documents as being
either a wine and spirit merchant or a victualler in London between the
1820’s and his death in 1833 at the age of 35. *
1825 – Marriage at St. Margarets Westminster to Jane Bamford of Hull. John
described as a Wine and Spirit Merchant of London.
Witness Charles Bamford. *
August 1826/John Temple 142 High Holborn, victualler and spirit
merchant/../../Sun Fire Insurance records held at the LMA
1826 – Baptism of daughter Sarah Jane in Hull. John listed as Spirit
Merchant, London *
1827 – Baptism of son William. John is listed as a victualler living in
George Yard, Whitechapel *
1827 – London Tax Record. John paying tax in George Yard for 5 houses and 2
tents in yard *
1829/John Temple, Kings Head, 142 High Holborn/../../Robsons Directory
1832/John Callaghan, Kings Head, 142 High Holborn/../../Robsons Directory
May 1832/James Law 142 High Holborn victualler/../../Sun Fire Insurance
records held at the LMA
1833-34/John Callaghan, Kings Head, 142 High Holborn/../../Pigots Directory
1833 – Sun Fire Office - Contents: Insured: John Cundell, 142 High Holborn,
victualler *
May 1833/John Cundell, 142 High Holborn, victualler/../../Sun Fire Insurance
records held at the LMA
1833 - J. Cundell Wine and Spirit Establishment 142 High Holborn (see
above photo of flask) *
1833 – Death St Giles in the Field. John Cundell High Holborn age 35 *
1833 – Court case after John’s death (see below) referencing The
King’s Head, High Holborn *
The widow of a publican employed an undertaker to conduct the funeral of the
deceased, and deposited with him the beer and spirit licences of the house
as a security for the payment of his bill. A., one of the firm of the
distillers who supplied the house with spirits, by arrangement with the
widow, took out administration; B., the other partner in the firm, promised
the undertaker, that, if he would give up the licences to him, he would pay
his bill for the funeral:- Held, that the undertaker, having given up the
licences to B., might recover his bill against B., although the widow was
his original employer, and although he had made out his account, charging
the administrator as his debtor.
The declaration stated, in substance, that one Mrs. Cundell was indebted to
the plaintiff, and that the plaintiff had a lien on certain documents, and,
in consideration that he would give up his lien and the documents, the
defendant promised the plaintiff that he would pay his claim on Mrs. Cundell.
It then averred that the plaintiff give up his lien and the documents, but
the defendant did not pay, &c. Pleas, - first, non-assumsit; secondly, that
Mrs. Cundell was not indebted to the plaintiff; and, thirdly, that the
plaintiff had not any lien.
It was proved, on the part of the plaintiff, that a person named Cundell
kept the King’s Head, in Holborn, and died September, 1833; that his widow
employed the plaintiff to conduct the funeral; that the defendant, Alfred
Taylor, in conjunction with his brother and partner David Taylor, had
supplied the house with spirits as distillers, and were creditors of the
publican at the time of his death; that the defendant, wishing to administer
to the deceased’s effects, offered the widow 30l. to allow him to do so. She
consented, but in addition stipulated that he should pay the undertakers
bill; that the defendant paid her 30l., and gave orders to the plaintiff,
who was also an appraiser, to make an inventory, and value the stock; that
the letters of administration were granted in the name of David Taylor, and
not of Alfred; and that the widow having delivered the beer and spirit
licences to the plaintiff on a security for the payment of his bill, the
defendant, Alfred Taylor, made application to him to give them up, and in
consequence the plaintiff had an interview with him, in the presence of a
witness, who stated that the defendant said to the plaintiff, “Have you got
the licences and the bill?” that the plaintiff said he would give up the
licences, and hand him the bill for the funeral, provided that the bill was
paid; that the defendant said “he would see him paid,” or “it should be
paid;” and thereupon the plaintiff went away, leaving with the defendant
both the licences and the bill.
Andrews, Serjt., for the defendant. – Is this such a promise as is binding?
It is to pay the debt of another. Tindal, C.J. – You mean under the Statute
of Frauds. But it is a new contract under a new state of circumstances. It
is not “I will pay, if the debtor cannot;” but it is “in consideration of
that which is an advantage to me I will pay you this money.” There is a
whole class of cases in which the matter is excepted from the statute, on
account of a consideration arising immediately between the parties. It is a
new contract; it has nothing to do with the Statute of Frauds at all. On the
part of the defendant, a letter from the attorney of David Taylor, the
administrator, addressed to the plaintiff, demanding the licences, and
threatening proceedings if they were not given up, was put in; and also a
bill of the plaintiff’s, headed “the administrator of the late Mr. Cundell,
to J. Walker;” and a letter from the plaintiff’s attorney, applying for
payment, addressed to Messrs. Taylor, distillers. Tindal, C.J. (in summing
up) – As to the promise to pay the funeral bill, the plaintiff had a claim
for the funeral expenses on Mrs. Cundell; but it was not necessarily
confined to her. He would have a right to proceed against the administrator,
and recover them from the estate. But, upon the evidence, it will be for you
to say whether Alfred Taylor, the defendant, did or did not in effect
promise to pay the money if the licences were given up. Verdict for the
plaintiff. Wilde, Serjt., and Chandless, for the plaintiff. Andrews, Serjt.,
and Busby, for the defendant
November 1835/Henry Hartshorn, 142 High Holborn, victualler and spirit
dealer/../../Sun Fire Insurance records held at the LMA
1836/Henry Hartshorn, Kings Head, 142 High Holborn/../../Pigots Directory
1839/Henry Hartshorn/../../../Pigots Directory
1841/H Hartshorn/../../../Post Office Directory
1841/Henry Hartshorn/Victualler/35/Middlesex/Census
1841/Sophia Hartshorn/../35/Middlesex/Census
1842/Henry Hartshorn/../../../Robsons Directory
* Provided By Paul Cooper
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