History of the Royal Oak Inn - Warboys |
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The first recording of the Royal Oak Warboys appears in the list of properties
owned by the Fellowes mill. This records the property 791/cp/1 as a cottage
for the horse tender of the mill with stables. This was in 1692.
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The next record is of the change from Alehouse for the workers of the mill to
Public House in April 1801. Freeholders on the records are Fellowes, and no
licensee is mentioned.
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The next record we can trace is of the court records as follows
Appeal (August) by John Hodson, Warboys victualler against the refusal of two St. Ives Magistrates, the Revd W. Finch and Revd James Linton to grant him a licence for exciseable liquors to be drunk on the premises the “Royal Oak”. He points out that such licence has been granted for two years, that he has been convicted of no offences and that the “Royal Oak” has been licensed for the past 40 years.
The Licence was refused because of a complaint of the policeman of Warboys, John Smith, about brawling on the premises, tippling all day long and fiddling and dancing until midnight: assaults on himself: absence of the licensee for months together and indifference towards the law by his wife; the inn a resort for Susan Taylor, Sarah Thody and Louise Voss reputed bad characters of the village.
These were the quarter sessions boxed papers ref HCP/1/25 dated 1841
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In 1930 the Huntingdon Brewery Company produced a series of photographs of the front and rear of all the Public Houses that they owed at that time. The Freeholds were Marshall Bros and the Licensee was Mr Harold Clack. The daughter of Harold Clack (Jean) still lives in the Village and her grandson Thomas plays pool for the Royal Oak A. Team.
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| The pictures below were taken in April 1930, when the licensee was Mr Harold Clack. |
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| The fence to the left hides the vegetable garden, and the building back left is the tack room and stables. |
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| The corrugated fence at the side of the building is the shared ladies and gents toilet !!. |
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| Investigations are continuing with regards to the Royal Oak. |