Spanish Patriot, Lower Marsh

The second blog in this series on publicans from one family again uses data from pubwiki.co.uk, Ancestry and Findmypast

Spanish Patriot, Lower Marsh

After Napoleon ousted Ferdinand VII and placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte on the throne of Spain in 1808, the Spanish revolted and started the first guerrilla war. Initially the guerrillas were known as “Spanish Patriots” and banquets were held in London to raise money in their support. A newly-built armed merchant brig was named Spanish Patriot, and its successful encounters with French privateers were reported in many newspapers. Spanish Patriot fever swept the country – a book of patriot songs bore an illustration of a Spanish Patriot and The Globe of 7 January 1809 reported the annual Twelfth Night festival:

An immense crowd rendered the house of Mrs Leftwick, Fleet-street, difficult of access. At the entrance, a large figure of a Spanish Patriot, formed in masterly style, of confectionery, presented itself to view, holding in his hand a label “Ferdinand the VIIth, my lawful Monarch, for him I will conquer or die!”

Mr Cuthbert, in the same street, was not less brilliant. On the end of his counter stood the figures of a Spanish Patriot and an English Tar, with their hands grasped in each other, with an inscription underneath “United we will conquer the Usurper”.

At least two London pubs took the name, one in White Conduit Street, the other in Lower Marsh, Lambeth.

Richard Davis

The first landlord of the Spanish Patriot in Lower Marsh was Richard Davis, who appears to have started the business in 1808, when he was about 28.

Richard was one of several brothers born to John and Ann Davis in Barnes, on the Surrey side of the Thames. He was baptised in St Mary, Barnes, on 30 April 1780. He married Nancy Atkins at St Peter, Cornhill, in the City of London, on 8 August 1824. Nancy, who was some 16 years his junior, came from Taunton in Somerset.

Richard and Nancy had three children: Charles, born 1825, Emma (1827) and Julia (1831). It appears that Charles died in infancy but the two girls lived long lives and married two brothers, Augustus and Robert Marzetti.

 When Richard retired in 1834, the following advertisement appeared:

Morning Advertiser 10 January 1834

New Cut, Lambeth. – To Brewers, Distillers, Publicans, and Others – Respectable Free Wine Vaults, known as Spanish Patriot, held for the unexpired term of upwards of 70 years, at a ground rent of only £8 per annum, alike available for investment or occupation.

J. Wisby respectfully informs the Public he has received instructions from Mr Davis (who is retiring from business) to submit to Public Auction, at Garraway’s Coffee House, Cornhill on Tuesday Jan 21 unless previously disposed of by Private Contract, the valuable lease with immediate possession, of the above premises, which have been successfully carried on by him for upwards of 27 years. The situation for business stands unrivalled, being in the centre of that densely populated neighbourhood, Lower Marsh near the New Market, and the Marsh Gate, New Cut, Lambeth, Surrey. – The Premises may be viewed, and descriptive particulars had at the Gloucester Coffee-house, Oxford-street; Horns Tavern, Kennington; Garraway’s Coffee-house, Change-alley, Cornhill; of Colly Smith, Esq., Solicitor, Lincoln’s Inn; upon the Premises; and of Mr. J. Wisby, Auctioneer, Appraiser, &c., No.10 Mount-row, Westminster-road, Surrey.

After the sale of Spanish Patriot, the Davis family moved first to Norwood, and then to West Bromwich in Staffordshire, where Richard invested in several properties, probably assisted by his brother Septimus Davis, who was by then an auctioneer and valuer in that town. The family was there when Richard wrote his will on 30 December 1837, but when he added a codicil, on 8 April 1840, they had moved back to London.

Richard died two days after adding that codicil to his will and the following notice appeared:

Morning Advertiser 21 April 1840

On the 10th instant, at Bayswater, after a lingering illness, Mr Richard Davis, aged 60. He was a subscriber to the Morning Advertiser a number of years and was the original occupier of the Spanish Patriot, Lower Marsh, Lambeth.

Richard was buried  at St Mary, Paddington Green on 18 April 1840.

Richard’s will was remarkable in that the beginning concentrated on a life assurance policy he had taken out with Imperial Life Insurance in March 1832. For an annual premium of £48 4s 3d, the insurance company would pay out £1,000 on his death. This sum was intended for his wife and children but in March 1837, he sold the policy to a Thomas Prout, perfumer of the Strand, for the sum of £100.

The will was strangely worded: Richard said he believed the £1,000 would still be for the benefit of his wife, even though he had sold the policy to Prout, and so he went on to dispose of his real estate – the houses in West Bromwich – to another brother, Charles, and a friend called Henry Holland, and made various other bequests to Septimus and another brother, John, as well as Licensed Victuallers’ charities. Very little was left to his wife beyond his personal effects.

Thomas Prout was born in Launceston, Cornwall, in 1786 and had married Mary Blanchard in 1816. The couple appear not to have had any children of their own and were living in East Hill, Wandsworth, at the time of the 1841 census. However, on 16 October 1842, Mary died while visiting Brighton.

Nancy Davis, on the other hand, who had been living in Clapham with her two young daughters in 1841, made sure she got the benefit of her husband’s life assurance – she married Thomas Prout in April 1844!

Thomas Prout died on 25 July 1859, with an estate worth £16,000. Nancy lived for another 19 years, dying on 28 December 1878.

Thomas Iredale Woodin

Meanwhile at the Spanish Patriot. When Richard Davis sold up, the pub was taken over by Thomas Iredale Woodin. Thomas was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, the son of Samuel Woodin and his wife Catherine (nee Iredale). On 25 January 1820, he married Fanny Cook at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, the village where Fanny had been born in 1801.

Thomas and Fanny had a number of children, and one of the oldest was William, who was baptised in St Albans, Hertfordshire, on 21 February 1823, when his father was described as an inn keeper. Another child, Dennis, was baptised in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, on 1 July 1825 and this time Thomas was described as a publican. Unfortunately it has so far not proved possible to identify which pubs he was running.

At some point in the in the late 1820s, Thomas moved the family to London. They may at first been in Tottenham Court Road but certainly by July 1829, they were in Webber Street, off Great Surrey Street, Lambeth. On the baptism of Frances Woodin on 20 July that year, Thomas was described as a wine merchant, but when both Frances and her sister Georgiana were baptised (Frances for a second time) on 30 September 1833, Thomas was described as a victualler and Robson’s directories record him as the licensee of Cobourg Arms, Webber Street in 1832. Pigot’s 1832 directory called it Royal Cobourg Arms, but that was probably an error.

In the 1835 edition of Robson, Thomas Woodin is listed at both Cobourg Arms and Spanish Patriot but after then, solely at Spanish Patriot with Francis Gigner at the Webber Street pub.

Not long after Thomas took over at the pub, the following case was widely reported:

Morning Advertiser 28 December 1836

A man in the employ of Mr Woodin, landlord of the Spanish Patriot, in Upper Marsh, Lambeth, was charged with carrying spirits without a permit, whereby he had incurred a penalty of £100.

Nicks, an excise officer, stated that he met the defendant that morning carrying a gallon of brandy and gallon of gin, for which he had no permit, and took him into custody.

The defendant said that his master was ill, and that it was by the directions of the barman he carried out the spirits, being ignorant at the time that he was committing an offence.

Mr Wisbey said that application had been made at the Permit-office, in Redcross-street, for a permit to send out a gallon of spirits, but the messenger was told by the officer in charge that there was no necessity for a permit in sending out that quantity.

For the guidance of the retailers of spirits, in cases of this description, we insert the subjoined General Order, issued by the Commissioners of Excise.

“The Act of 8^th of Geo I cap 18 sec 13 enacts that no spirits, without the same may be under the quantity of a gallon, shall be received or taken into the possession of a retailer without a permit. The injunction that although under one gallon the spirits shall be accompanied by a permit, narrowly implies that on application a permit shall be granted. By the 116^th section of the Act 6^th Geo 4 cap 80, all spirits exceeding a gallon, to whomsoever going, requires a permit, and all spirits, though less than a gallon, going to a retailer must be permitted (as the instruction is to having a permit, but not restricting the quantity). And a retailer licensed as a dealer, when sending to another entered trader, may require a permit for a less quantity than a gallon.”

The defendant was fined the mitigated penalty of £25, the Magistrates telling him that he had better memorialize the Board for a remission of the sentence.

The 1841 census gives the family living at Spanish Patriot as:

Thos Woodin 40 Publican

Fanny Woodin 30

Ann Woodin 20

William Woodin 18

Georginada Woodin 14

Francis Woodin 12

Mary Markwell 20 FS

Chas Mallat 20 MS

Maria Somer 20 FS

By the end of September 1841, Thomas was in financial difficulties and was called for a bankruptcy hearing. The following advertisement then appeared:

Morning Advertiser 25 October 1841

Long Lease of premises including Spanish Patriot wine and spirits Establishment New Cut Lambeth with stabling &c, also Baker’s Shop adjoining and Five tenements in the rear producing an improved rent of about £60 per annum for 64 years. – By Fenton and Faithful, at Garraway’s, on Tuesday Nov. 16 at Twelve, by direction of the Assignees of Mr Thomas Iredale Woodin, a bankrupt, and with the concurrence of the Mortgagees.

The Lease of those excellent Premises, known as the Spanish Patriot, No 34 Lower Marsh, leading from Blackfriars-road to Marsh-gate, Westminster Road; also the Baker’s Shop, No 33, adjoining, and four Tenements in the rear, the whole of which valuable property is held by one lease, for 64 years, at the trifling rent of £20 13s per annum. May be viewed five days preceding the sale, when particulars may be had; also at Garraway’s; of Mr Ware, Solicitor, Blackman-street, Southwark; of William Pennell, Esq, Official Assignee, No 31 New Basinghall-street; and at the Auctioneers’ Offices, No 12, Wellington-street, Strand.

A few months later there was another announcement, this time of a death:

Morning Advertiser 27 April 1842

On Sunday, 17^th instant, in the 49^th year of age. Mr Thomas Iredale Woodin, late of the Spanish Patriot, New Cut, Lambeth; a life subscriber to the School and a donor to the Asylum, leaving a heavy family to deplore his loss.

Possibly, then, Thomas’s bankruptcy came about because he had difficulty running the pub while his health was failing.

Thomas’s widow Fanny married Joseph Jay in Kennington on 20 July 1844. What Joseph’s profession was at the time is not known but on 15 January 1849, the licence for the Mitre in Mitre Terrace, Hackney, was transferred from Samuel Robert Bishop to Joseph Jay.

The 1851 census shows two of Fanny’s children at the Mitre:

11 Mitre Terrace

Joseph Jay /58 /Licensed victualler/ Norwich

Fanny Jay /50 / Ampthill, Beds

Dennis Woodin /26 /Hatfield, Herts

Georgiana Woodin /23 /Tottenham Court Rd, Middx

Henry Hannant /25 /Potman /Buckstone, Norfolk

Mary Serls /33 /Waitress /Exeter St Davids

Ellen Martin /22 /House servant /Bow, Middx

Rose Langley /22 /Barmaid /Dover, Kent

On 15 March 1859, the Morning Advertiser announce the transfer of the licence for the Mitre from Joseph Jay to John Mosby. Joseph and Fanny Jay then retired to 35 Culford Road South, Downham Road, Kingsland, but they did not enjoy their retirement together for long. Joseph died there on 1 January 1861.

The 1861 census then showed the occupants of 35 Culford Road as:

Fanny Jay /widow /60 /Leaseholder /Ampthill, Beds

Ann Galer / widow /51/ visitor / Formerly Matron / Somerson, Hunts  

Eliza Godier / unmarried/34 house servant / Bethnal Green, Middx

Fanny was still in Culford Road when she died in February 1870. Like Joseph, she was buried at St James, Pancras

The Caretaker

It is not clear who actually bought the Spanish Patriot when it had to be sold following Thomas Woodin’s bankruptcy: whether it was bought by one man or by a consortium. Certainly the next licensee was Andrew Alexander, but it would appear that he was someone who looked after pubs that had had a setback. He would put them back on their feet and then move on. He is known to have been the licensee of five different pubs in as many years – scattered across London.

This is a series of events that it has encouraged Peabee to look at him as a subject for yet another blog – so no spoilers now.

Another Bathe moves in

The eldest son of Wootton Bassett solicitor William Bathe was christened John Bathe in Purton, Wiltshire, on 8 July 1819. Although his father had his practice in Wootton Bassett, the family lived in Purton where they had been for generations.

William Bathe had been born in Purton and baptised in the parish church on 26 June 1793. The same church saw his marriage to local girl Mary Henley Warman on 1 January 1818.

William and Mary had had 11 children in the 24 years of their marriage, all of them baptised in Purton, but by census night 1841, William and Mary, with the four youngest children, were living in Wootton Bassett where he had his practice.

William died on 10 September 1841 when he was 48 and Mary died two years later – she was 47. When William died, his oldest child was 22 and his youngest just 3 years old. The oldest child – John –appears to have assumed responsibility for several of his surviving younger siblings after their parents’ deaths.

It is not known precisely when John became a licensed victualler in London but he was, for a short time around 1843, at the White Swan at 20 Little St Andrew Street, Seven Dials. Then he appears to have been the licensee at two premises at the same time – Green Dragon, Fleet Street, and Spanish Patriot, Lower Marsh.

The licence for Green Dragon was transferred from Ralph Thomas Fellowes to Stephen Taylor on 16 February 1843 and Stephen Taylor was listed as the landlord in the 1844 Post Office Directory. However, early in 1845, this advertisement appeared:

Morning Advertiser 20 February 1845

Hy Haines had received the most positive instructions to Submit to Unreserved Sale, at Garraway’s Coffee-house, ’Change-alley, on Monday, Feb 24, at 12 for 1, The Valuable Lease and Goodwill of the Green Dragon Wine Vaults, Fleet-street. The property is undoubtedly placed in one of the Very Best Situations for Trade in London, the thoroughfare, beyond all doubt, the largest in the metropolis, and the neighbourhood most extensive, the returns in trade are large and The Profits Excessive. It being far removed from the possibility of opposition, it may be fairly inferred that, with proper management, the trade would exceed £500 per month. The premises are large and well arranged for business, but yet capable of great improvement; held on lease at a moderate rental. For particulars apply on the premises; at Garraway’s; and at the Auctioneer’s Offices, 38 Moorgate-street, City.

John Bathe was the purchaser of the lease and on 24 April 1845, he applied for the Freedom of the City from the Green Dragon – and application that was granted on 29 May 1845.

Besides running Green Dragon as a public house, he also advertised “Bathe’s sweep stakes” on various classic horse races – Derby, St Leger, Cesarewitch, etc – throughout 1845, 1846 and early 1847, but on 3 July 1847 the licence for Green Dragon, Fleet Street, was transferred from John Bathe to Edward Low.

Meanwhile, John was also the licensee for Spanish Patriot. He is listed there in the Post Office Directory of 1844 (although his surname was misspelt Bath – a fairly common mistake even today!).

On 19 April 1845 it was reported that the Licensed Victuallers’ Protection Society awarded William Kealy “a guinea for apprehending Robert Holmes for robbing Mr Bathe, Spanish Patriot, Lower Marsh, Lambeth, of a pewter pot and a spirit funnel”.

Then again, on 17 Oct 1846, the Licensed Victuallers’ Protection Society awarded [PC] John Davies, 46L, a guinea for apprehending Mary Eaton for robbing Mr Bathe, Spanish Patriot, Lower Marsh, Lambeth, of a knife.

One of John’s sisters, Susannah Holliday Bathe, died in Lambeth on 17 May 1847, when she was 21 and in 1848, when a younger brother, Julian Bathe, became an apprentice in the Merchant Navy, he stated that he would be living in Lambeth when ashore.

The fact that Susannah died relatively young was not surprising for this family: only one of the 11 children is known for certain to have been older than her parents when she died.

For Christmas 1848, John Bathe decide to get some musicians to help entice customers, but it didn’t go according to plan:

Bell’s New Weekly Messenger 24 December 1848

Unneighbourly and Cruel Conduct

On Thursday, at Lambeth Police Court, John Jones, William M‘Cann, James Busby, and James Buzzard, street minstrels, were charged with a violation of the Police Act, in having continued to play their instruments in a public thoroughfare after being required to depart, by a respectable housekeeper.

Mr Fuller, baker, Lower Marsh, Lambeth, deposed that, on the night before, the prisoners commenced playing their wind instruments in front of the Spanish Patriot public-house, which is next door to his, and ascertaining that they were engaged by Mr Bathe, the landlord, to play for several hours, he saw Mr Bathe, and informed him that Mrs Fuller had been very ill for two months, and was then lying in his first floor front room, in a very dangerous state, and begged he would order the music to be discontinued. Mr Bathe replied that he had engaged the musicians for four nights, and therefore could not think of their removal; and added, that if Mrs Fuller was so ill, and wished to avoid hearing the music, she must be removed to a back room. Witness told him that her state was so dangerous that this was impossible. The music was continued, and witness, seeing a policeman pass, gave them into custody.

Mr Norton: How long did they continue to play after you gave them warning to leave?

Mr Fuller: At least half-an-hour the last time; but they were there altogether from about half-past eight o’clock to a quarter to ten.

Inspector Arnold said, when the prisoners were taken to the station-house, Mr Fuller offered to forego the charge, provided Mr Bathe would give his word that the music should not be repeated; but the latter not only refused to give any such promise, but said if even the magistrate should attempt to prevent them playing in front of his house he should have them play in his drawing-room.

Police-constable Romaine, 38L, corroborated a great portion of the evidence of Mr Fuller, and said he had prevailed upon the prisoners to play a short distance from the Spanish Patriot, at which Mr Fuller expressed himself perfectly satisfied, but Mr Bathe brought them back and ordered them to play as before, in front of his house.

Mr Norton: Now, Mr Bathe, we must come to some understanding in this matter. What do you propose doing?

Mr Bathe: I do mean to have the music.

Mr Norton: What! to torture this poor woman, who is so afflicted with an affection of the brain that, as stated by her medical attendant, any noise or excitement may place her life in great danger. I tell you that should you persist in keeping these men in your house after what has happened, and the noise or excitement caused by their music occasion the death of the poor woman, you will be placed in an awkward position.

Mr Bathe, observing the strong feeling which his conduct had produced in the court, said: If I had been aware that Mrs Fuller was so ill, I should not have done it.

Mr Norton: Then, now that you are aware of it, do you persist in saying you will continue this music?

Mr Bathe (reluctantly): Well, under the circumstances, I will not.

Mr Norton: Then, with this understanding, I shall mitigate the penalty from 40s to 10s each; and I hope to hear no more of this.

Mr Bathe paid the fine, and the prisoners were discharged.

Another newspaper reported that Mr Fuller had given the magistrate a letter from Mrs Fuller’s surgeon, J. Sewell of 55 Lambeth Marsh, which read: “I do certify that I am attending Mrs Fuller of 33 Lambeth-marsh, who is suffering severely from the effects of affection of the brain; and it is my opinion that any noise or excitement will place her life in the greatest danger.”

Perhaps at this point it should be pointed out that Mrs Fuller was just 29 years old at the time and lived until she was 62 – outliving her husband!

Alfred Fuller had married Elizabeth Ann Lloyd on 7 April 1846 and their first child was born on 19 September 1847 and so was 18 months old when the incident occurred. Less than a year after she was supposed to be at death’s door, Mrs Fuller fell pregnant again and on 16 May 1850, gave birth to her second son. Three more children were to follow, the last in 1862.

John Bathe himself got married the following year, to Eliza Andrews from Dartford, Kent, at St John the Evangelist, Lambeth, on 3 April 1849. They had one son, John Warman Bathe, who lived for just 2 months and was buried in Dartford on 2 May 1851.

The 1851 census shows the inhabitants of Spanish Patriot at the end of March as:

John Bathe /32 /Victualler /Purton, Wilts

Eliza Bathe /24 /Dartford, Kent

John Bathe /1 month/Lambeth, Surrey

Joshua Golding /22 /Barman/ Shoreditch, Middx

Elizabeth Bathe /16 /Sister /Wootton Bassett, Wilts

Sarah Safe /22 /General Servant /Lambeth, Surrey

Thomas Hammond /18 /Potman / Westminster, Middx

John Bathe died on 10 September 1851 and his body was taken to Purton for burial.

A month before his death, he had written his will in which he left the sum of £50 to his 16-year-old sister Elizabeth, who was living in the Lambeth pub, and the rest of his estate to his widow, Eliza, with his brother William appointed executor.

Eliza remarried a year later, on 7 December 1852 – to another licensed victualler, Francis John Bond, of King’s Arms, King Street Camden Town – but she too died young, at the beginning of 1855, aged 31.

John’s brother William, who was the licensee of Royal Oak, Circus Street (see previous blog) transferred the licence for Spanish Patriot, to George Godfrey on 12 November 1851.