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St Mary Woolnoth pub history index
This noted tavern, which gave name to Pope's Head Alley, leading from Cornhill to Lombard street, is mentioned as early as the 4th Edward IV. (1464).
Originally called The Popes Head, this pub became the Bishop's Head at the time of the Reformation but reverted to its original name after the fuss had died down. Originally facing onto Lombard Street and was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 but was later rebuilt.
It was again rebuilt, now facing onto the alley named after it. It was The City Arms Tavern by 1836. Shorts by 1895.
The pub and the entire street was demolished c1930 when a branch of Lloyds Bank was built on the site. The current Popes Head Alley is now 10 metres or so west of it's original position. ***
Shorts, 3 Popes Head Alley, EC3 in 1928
Kindly provided by Vincent O'Loughlin
WA listing of historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in St Mary Woolnoth parish, City of London.
Residents at this address.
The City Arms tavern was noted in the autobiography of Mary Ann Ashford. Her maternal grandparents the Gadderrer family, originally from Scotland, ran the City Arms from at least 1770. Her mother, Jane Gadderer is listed in the Land Tax records of St Mary Woolnoth between 1782 and 1784. Jane Gadderer married Joseph Ashford, in 1785, a tanner from Wem in Shropshire, and they continued running the pub together until they both died in 1800. The citation is [Mary Ann Ashford], Life of a Licensed Victualler's Daughter (London, 1844) ***
1816/Edward Watson/tavern keeper/../../Sun Fire Office records held at the London Metropolitan Archives *
1827/Martha Jones, Popes Head, Popes Head alley, Cornhill/../../Robsons Directory
1832/M Jones, 4 Popes Head alley, Cornhill/../../Robsons Directory
1836/William Float, City Arms Tavern, 4 Popes Head alley, Cornhill/../../Pigots Directory
1839/William Float/../../../Pigots Directory
1841/William Float/../../../Post Office Directory *
1842/James Campbell, City Arms, 4 Popes Head alley, Cornhill/../../Robsons Directory
1843/James Campbell, City Arms Tavern, 4 Popes Head alley, Cornhill//../../Post Office Directory
1848/James Thompson/../../../Post Office Directory
1851/James Thompson/../../../Kellys Directory
1851/Charles Newman/Barman/40/Uxbridge/Census *
1851/James Hayward/Barman/20/Hackney/Census
1851/John Rowe/Barman/26/Tiverton, Devon/Census
1851/Peter Hodley/Pot Man/21/Shranbrook, Yorkshire/Census
1851/Miss Cape/Housekeeper/30/Ravenworth, Durham/Census
1851/Ann Jenkins/Kitchen Maid/21/Newport, Isle of Wight/Census
1851/Sarah Clements/Kitchen Maid/25/Bow, Middlesex/Census
1856/G Reeves/../../../Post Office Directory
1861/William Maurice/Manager to Licensed Victualler/24/Aberdeen,
Scotland/Census
1861/Sarah Wright/Housekeeper/45/Bardwell, Suffolk/Census
1861/Elizabeth Thornton/Bar Assistant/23/City, London/Census
1861/Sarah E Horne/Bar Assistant/22/Daventry, Northamptonshire/Census
1861/Elizabeth A Turner/Bar Assistant/22/Marlborough, Wiltshire/Census
1861/Thomas Cole/Bar Assistant/19/Tottenham, Middlesex/Census
1861/Harriet Pugh/House Servant/20/Blackfriars, London/Census
1861/Emma Elkington/House Servant/28/Bourton, Oxfordshire/Census
1861/Ann Roland/House Servant/20/Greenwich, Kent/Census
1861/Helen Ambrose/House Servant/28/Stepney, London/Census
1861/Julia Morgan/House Servant/18/Ireland/Census
1867/Mrs Sophia Reeves/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association
1869/G Reeves/../../../Post Office Directory
1871/Thomas Gordon/Manager/28/Campbelltown/Census
1871/Mary Davis/Housekeeper/30/Southwark/Census
1871/Frances Lawrence/Barmaid/27/Churchdown, Gloucestershire/Census
1871/Eliz Ellen Millons/Barmaid/23/Bartholomew Close, London/Census
1871/Mary Ann Bartoun/Barmaid/27/Haqppisburgh, Norfolk/Census
1871/Sarah Powell/Barmaid/31/Henham, Essex/Census
1874/George Reeves, City Arms, 3, 4 and 5 Popes Head alley, Lombard street, EC/../../Licensed Victualler & Hoteliers Directory
February 1875/Sophia Reeves, James Forbes and Richard Plews, executors of
George Reeves, deceased/Outgoing Licensee/../../London Evening Standard
February 1875/Sophia Reeves/Incoming Licensee/../../London Evening Standard
1881/John Lashbrooke/Licensed Victualler/50/London City, Middlesex/Census
1881/John Reice Lashbrooke/Son, Barman/25/London City, Middlesex/Census
1881/Annie Lashbrooke/Daughter, Barmaid/23/London City, Middlesex/Census
1881/Florence Martha Lashbrooke/Daughter, Barmaid/19/Walworth, Surrey/Census
1881/Herbert Lashbrooke/Son/6/Clapham, Surrey/Census
1881/Rose Nicholson/Niece, Milliners Salewoman/19/Bayswater, Middlesex/Census
1881/Emma Finbow/Barmaid/26/Cotton, Suffolk/Census
1881/Clara Madlin Livermorton/Barmaid/26/Bow, Middlesex/Census
1881/Emma Charlotte Stewart/Barmaid/19/Bow, Middlesex/Census
1881/Fanny Caroline Strange/Barmaid/18/Shaftsbury, Dorset/Census
1881/Harriett Glasspool/Domestic Servant/30/Southwark, Surrey/Census
1881/Sophia Ede/Domestic Servant/37/St Johns Wood, Middlesex/Census
1882/John Lashbrooke/../../../Post Office Directory
1895/Short & Co./wine merchants/../../Post Office Directory *
1911/Victor Balson Marks/Assistant/23/Oving, Buckinghamshire/Census
1911/Walter JOhn Barton/Assistant/28/Hadlow, Kent/Census
1911/Charles Henry Buckland/Assistant/26/Winchester, Hampshire/Census
1911/Albert Edward Batchelor/Assistant/22/Rugby, Warwickshire/Census
1911/Ada King/Housekeeper/42/Southwark/Census
1915/Short's Limited/wine merchants/../../Post Office Directory *
1921/Shorts Ltd, City Arms, 3-5 Pope's Head alley, Cornhill EC/../../Hughes Directory
* Provided By Ewan
** Provided By Vincent O'Loughlin
*** Provided By Dr Kate Gibson
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