Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner Street, Bethnal Green E2
Bethnal Green pub history index
Existed from at least 1863.
Historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels.
Bonner Arms, Bonner Street
Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner Street
Both kindly provided by Ken Finch
The lower photograph is of the Bishop Bonner, as it still appears today.
The upper photograph is, I think, of the Bonner Arms, a different pub in Bonner Street (and �Bonner Arms� is just readable on the hanging pub sign in the photograph). Later address is 1 Tagg street.
Furthermore, the Bishop Bonner was a Taylor Walker Brewery pub, whereas the upper photograph clearly shows a pub in Mann�s Brewery livery. **
Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner Street, Bethnal Green - in the 1960s?
Kindly provided by John Carnaby
Residents at this address.
Bishop Bonner, 1 Bonner Lane :
May 1863/Henry Whittaker/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era
May 1863/William Lloyd/Incoming Licensee/../../Era
August 1867/William Lloyd/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
August 1867/Jesse Lloyd/Incoming Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
September 1870/Jessie Lloyd/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
September 1870/James Passmore/Incoming Licensee/../../Era Newspaper
1871/James Passmore/Licensed Victualler/46/Exeter, Devon/Census
1871/Henrietta Passmore/Wife/44/Halberton, Devon/Census
1871/Harry Passmore/Son, Salesman in Brokers Office/19/Halberton, Devon/Census
1871/Albert T Passmore/Son, Clerk/15/Halberton, Devon/Census
1871/Mary A Passmore/Daughter/14/Halberton, Devon/Census
1871/Fredk Geo Passmore/Son/10/Halberton, Devon/Census
1871/Florence Passmore/Daughter/7/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1871/Elizabeth Bunce/General Servant/18/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1872/J Pasmore/../../../Brabner�s Hackney Directory **
23rd May 1874/James Passmore/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
23rd May 1874/Jonathan Foster/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
22nd January 1876/William Lorricaux Harrison/Outgoing Licensee/../../East
London Observer +
22nd January 1876/Thomas Nichols/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
September 1877/Thomas Nichols/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer
September 1877/John Hay/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer
1880/John Hay / Licensed Victualler /../../London Gazette, 16 April 1880 **
29th March 1879/John Hay/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
29th March 1879/John Thomas Butler/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
July 1879/John Thomas Butler/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer
July 1879/Eden Lawrence/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer
10th January 1880/Ellen Lawrence/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
10th January 1880/John Soutar/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
A relative mentioned that my 2nd great grandfather was a Licensed Victaculler in 1880 at Bishop Bonner. His name is John Soutar.
On the 1881 England Census, my 3rd great-grandfather David Brown Soutar 1833 - ??? noted Occupation as "Licensed Victualler" and his John as a "Barman".
Bishop Bonner, 1 Bonner lane :
1881/David B Soutar/Licensed Victualler/48/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1881/Margaret Soutar/Wife/47/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1881/John Soutar/Son, Barman/22/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1881/David Soutar/Son, Mechanic (unemployed)/24/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1881/Alexander Soutar/Son/14/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1881/Elizabeth Soutar/Daughter/12/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1881/Margaret Soutar/Daughter/7/Dundee, Scotland/Census
1884/John Glaney/../../../Post Office Directory
1885/Isaac Hayward/../../../P.O. Directory **
1886/Isaac Hayward/../../../Business Directory of London **
1891/William Mark Gange/../../../Post Office Directory
Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner street
1891/William M Gange/Licensed Victualler/36/Bow, London/Census
1891/Charlotte Gange/Wife/31/Stepney, London/Census
1891/William Gange/Son//12/Clapton, LondonCensus
1891/Lottie Gange/Daughter/11/Dalston, London/Census
1891/Edwin Gange/Son/4/Bethnal Green/Census
1891/Maud Gange/Daughter/2/Bethnal Green/Census
1891/Walter Gange/Son/8 months/Bethnal Green/Census
1891/Clara Gange/Daughter/2/Bethnal Green/Census
1891/John Perrin/Potman/22/Barnsbury, London/Census
9th July 1892/Frederick Naylor/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer +
9th July 1892/John William Seeley/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer +
1893/John William Suley, Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner street/../../Post Office Directory
1895/John William Seeley/../../../Post Office Directory
1899/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Post Office Directory
1901/Daniel Dupuy/Publican/50/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1901/Jane Dupuy/Wife/52/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1901/Arthur Dupuy/Son, Barman/20/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1902/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Post Office Directory **
1903/Daniel Dupuy/../../../P.O. Directory **
1906/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Morris� Business Directory of London **
1910/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Post Office Directory
1911/Elizabeth Higgins/Licensed Victualler/39/Bow/Census
1911/Ann Beatrice Higgins/Niece, Barmaid/21/Bow/Census
1911/Robert Arthur Andrews/Visitor, Stevedore/36/Brightlingsea/Census
1914/Charles Ward Wildig/../../../Post Office Directory
1915/Charles Ward Wildig/../../../Post Office Directory
1921/Thomas G Kemp/../../../Post Office Directory
In 1921 census at 21 Bonner street
Benjamin Waterman, Cardboard Box Manufacturer, aged 32 years, and born in Russia
Sarah Waterman, Wife, aged 30 years 9 months, and born in London
Leonard Waterman, Son, aged 4 years 4 months, and born in London
Harry Levy, Brother-in-law, Cardboard Box Cutter, B Waterman Box Manufacturer, aged 19 years, and born in London
1922, Benjamin Waterman, Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner street
My grandparents were Ernest and Alice Holford. Ernest was licensee of the Palmerston Arms on Well Street, Hackney. In the 1911 census he is registered at the pub as the manager. He bought it not long after at about the time of his marriage in 1913. My father was born in the Palmerston Arms (he was very proud of that fact!); and that his parents owned the pub. Ernest was divorced in 1923 and moved on. According to the phone books, Ernest Holford was 'licensed victualler' of the Bishop Bonner on Bonner Street in 1924.
From 1925 to 1929 he is listed as the 'licensed victualler' at 113 High Street, E9 - the Forester's Arms. He is not in the phone book in 1930 or 1931 but I'm certain he stayed at that pub until his death in 1931 at the age of 47. *
1924/Ernest Holford/Licensed Victualler/../../Telephone Directory *
1926/Alfred J Wyllye/../../../P.O. Directory **
1934/Alfred J Wyllye/../../../Kellys Directory
1935/Alfred J Wyllye/../../../P.O. Directory **
I recall coming back from India in 1937 to stay with my Grandmother (Kate Horlock),who owned the Bishop Bonner pub at that time. She moved out shortly afterwards and we went to Forest Hills. I was in India for about six years.
My family then went to Plymouth till 1938, when we went to Malta. My Father was in the military. On returning to England in mid 1939, my Grandmother had acquired the Hutchinson Arms in Stepney. I recall visiting her there during the war.
Life was hectic, I was evacuated to the country (Bures, Suffolk and later to Ipswich, Suffolk). Sometime after the end of WWII, my Grandmother moved to the Stanley Arms (London Bridge) and she held that until her death in 1950. *+
1936/Mrs K E Horlock/../../../BT Telephone Directory *+
1937/Mrs K E Horlock/../../../BT Telephone Directory *+
1938/Jn Waine/../../../Post Office Directory
In 1939 electoral role are
John Waine, Publican, born 25 Mar 1874
Janie L Waine, Unpaid Domestic Duties, born 31 Jan 1875
John C H Waine, Electrican, born 17 Jun 1922
1944/Rt Geo Drane/../../../Post Office Directory
My Parents Freddie & Rita Woodman owned the Bishop Bonner
Pub in Bonner Street London E2 from 1971 until 1979.
My father turned it into a Boxing Theme Pub with wall to wall photos of
boxers. My father and I were also Boxers and we had many famous boxers that
used to pop in such as John Conteh, Henry Cooper, John H Stracey Maurice
Hope, Jack Kid Berg and many more. My Father used to have Boxing theme
nights where he would show some old time boxing fights and the famous Boxers
who used to come along would tell us some great stories. Henry Cooper
came in a few times as he was friends with my Dad. They used to train
together in the Gym above the Thomas A Beckett Pub, in the Old Kent Road.
On Thursday nights we used to have a little known band called Chas & Dave
who went on to become quite famous !! On Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
there was always live music and the customers would be encouraged to get up
and sing, some were really good, one man who stood out for me was Bertie
Dawltry he owned a fish stall in Roman Road market, he always sang "Won't
you come home Bill Bailey" and the customers used to love it. My father
always used to finish off every night with a couple of Perry Como songs
before ringing the bell for "time gentleman please"
We used to hold lots of events such as a Annual Pram race around all the
local pubs for Charity. There were 2 darts teams, a Shove Halfpenny Team, Bar
Skittle team and a Cribbage team. We also had the Best Tug of War team in
Bethnal Green!
Our Pub was due to be pulled down in 1975 along with all the old shops along
side us in Bonner Street and the Terrace houses on the corner of Bonner
Street in Royston Street, but because the Pub was so Popular with the Locals
the Council decided to leave it, so at one stage all the houses and shops
were pulled down and our Pub was the only thing left standing on the corner
!! The pub stood all alone for about 8 years until they finally started
building new houses around it again. I think the Pub lost all its character
when the new houses were built around it, I preferred it when it was
surrounded by the little 2 up 2 down Victorian terraced houses which would
have been worth a lot more money today than the ones they have built to
replace them.
I am sure that the Pub was haunted as me and my brother used to hear heavy
footsteps in the night above our upstairs bedroom, it sounded as though
someone was walking on the roof. We later found out that there used to be
another floor on the building but was probably bomb damaged during the war
and taken down. There was also rumoured to be a tunnel in the cellar which
linked the Pub with the Bishops big house (now the London Chest Hospital) in
Bonner Road! ***
1971-79/Freddie & Rita Woodman/../../../..
I was part of the dart team in the Freddie Woodman era and my wife was in the ladies team. I have a photo of my wife Val with Fred, Rita and Henry Cooper at a darts presentation in the pub. **
They are, from left to right - Rita Woodman, Henry Cooper, Bert ?, Valerie Warrington, Kevin ? , and Fred Woodman
+ Provided by Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park
* Provided By Peter Holford
*+ Provided By a-jspurgin
** Provided By Barry Warrington
*** Provided By Paul Woodman
Provided By Kristina Simpson