Builders Arms, 302 High Street, Stratford E15

Stratford Index

The pub was rebuilt in 1937, the former pub being demolished to accommodate road widening.  **

Builders Arms, 302 High Street, Stratford, E15 - in May 2008

Builders Arms, 302 High Street, Stratford, E15 - in May 2008

Kindly provided by Stephen Harris

History of Stratford & West Ham

Residents at this address

1867/Giles Frost/beer retailer/../../Post Office Directory *

1871/Charles Smart/Publican/49/Fiddleworth, Surrey/Census
1871/Sarah Smart/Wife/48/Houghton, Sussex/Census
1871/James Cooper/Wifes father, Retired Farmer/80/Houghton, Sussex/Census
1871/Richard Smart/Son/6/Amberley, Sussex/Census

13/9/1872/William Hales/../../../Petty Sessions

19/7/1873/William Lee/../../../Petty Sessions

1874/William Lee/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory

18/3/1876/John Lowe/../../../Petty Sessions

15/7/1876/William H G Woods/../../../Petty Sessions

1878/William Hallsgrove Woods/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory

1882/John Morley/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory

1882/William Woods/../../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **
1882/Caroline Woods / Wife/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey
1882/William Adams / Employee/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey

10/11/1883/Chas Albert Nicoll/../../../Petty Sessions

12/7/1884/Matthias Cammorer/../../../Petty Sessions

4/10/1884/Hy Jas Sl;ater/../../../Petty Sessions

1886/Henry John Slater/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory

08/1/1887/Ernest Jas Jonathan Ranger/../../../Petty Sessions

1889/Ernest Ranger / Public House Keeper/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **
1889/Ellen Ranger / Public House Keeper/../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey

1896/Jn Andrew Hart/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory

1901/John Andrew Hart/Beer house Keeper/31/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1901/Mary Ann Hart/Wife/29/Bow, Middlesex/Census
1901/Jane Davis/Domestic Servant/23/Lambeth, Surrey/Census
1901/John Dunn/Bar Lad/15/Stratford, Essex/Census

1902/Jn Andrew Hart/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory

1906/John Andrew Hart/beer retailer/../../Kelly's Directory *

1911/John Andrew Hart/Beer Retailer, Widow/42/Shoreditch, London/Census
1911/Frances Ray Hart/Daughter/21/West Ham, Essex/Census
1911/Ernest Edward Woodman/Barman/24//MiddlesexCensus
1911/Minnie Linesell/Housemaid/22/West Ham, Essex/Census
1911/Nellie Williams/Nursemaid/19/Leyton, Essex/Census

1914/John Andrew Hart/beer retailer/../../Kelly's Directory *

1917/Henry C. Gwatkin/beer retailer/../../Kelly's Directory *

1922/H C Gwatkin/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's Directory

1934/Robinson & Prance/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory

1938/Robinson & Archer/beer retailers/../../Post Office Directory *

1944/Hyman Freedman/Beer Retailer/../../Post Office Directory

My grandparents, William and Margaret Kelly were the licensees of the Builders Arms, Stratford High Street from shortly after the war until around 1969 when they retired. My Mum grew up in the pub. My Grandad was from Tipperary and then Waterford, Ireland and my Nana from Kinsale, Ireland. They sold the lease to another Irish couple who must be the Andy and Agnes Flood referred to on your site. The pub used to have a large frontage which was compulsorily purchased by the council during my grandparents' time.
The licensing trade was very strict in those days and my Grandad had to apply to court every year to renew the licence which was in his individual name rather than that of a brewery - the police would automatically object and he would have to show there had been no problems during the previous year. When my Mum was a little girl she used to look out of the window and count the barrels of beer being delivered as my Grandad was taking delivery of them in the basement. My Mum also remembered French onion sellers who came over on the ferry. I have somewhere the original licence agreement which shows the actual dates. **+

1964/William J Kelly/302 High street/../../Electoral Register
1964/Margaret Kelly/302 High street/../../Electoral Register
1964/Patricia A Kelly/302 High street/../../Electoral Register

Prior to being licensees of the Builders Arms, my Grandparents ran the Crown Hotel in Charing Cross, at 43 Charing Cross road. I think it is now a Garfunkels Restaurant. I have a letter from Levy & Franks brewery thanking my Grandfather for his work during the war. He stayed on in London whilst my Mum and Nana were sent to the country to live with contacts from the brewery industry. He kept the Crown open, collected furniture from other bomb-damaged pubs and buildings and looked after it and I think he was authorised to distribute excess furniture to people who needed it. The letter thanks him “for the loyal manner in which you have carried on your duties in the times of danger through which we have passed in the arduous War years” and states that “your devotion to your task has played an important part in maintaining the morale of the Public generally”. **+

G A (Andy) & Agnes Flood took over as tenants of the Builders Arms on 11 March 1967 until July 1989. *++

From around 1960 until July 1989 this pub was managed by Andy and Agnes Flood, originally from Co Wicklow. *+

1988/Mr G A Flood/../../../Trumans Watney List ***


* Provided by Ewan

*+ Provided by Anthony Flood

*++ Provided by Gerry Flood

** Provided by Stephen Harris

**+ Provided by Fiona Ryan-Watson

*** Provided By Alex Wilkinson

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  • And Last updated on: Thursday, 25-Jan-2024 16:02:36 GMT