Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road, Bethnal Green E2

Bethnal Green pub history index

Historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels.

Existed from at least 1706. The early 1850s and 1860s directories place the Nags Head near to the junction of  Birdcage Walk, in Hackney Road, and in 1848 to 1856 it is at 2 London Terrace, Hackney Road, renumbered to 324 Hackney Road, but often listed as 326 Hackney road, by 1866. The pub was re-built in its present form in 1888. It closed in 1991 and now houses a luggage shop (2006); and Crypt of the Wizard music store in 2018. **

Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road, Bethnal Green - circa 1948 - 1952

Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road, Bethnal Green - circa 1948 - 1952

Kindly provided by Linda Beaumont

Another view of the Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road, Bethnal Green - circa 1948 - 1952

Another view of the Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road, Bethnal Green - circa 1948 - 1952

Kindly provided by Linda Beaumont

Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road - in May 2006

Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road - in May 2006

Kindly provided by Stephen Harris

Residents at this address.

1706/Edward Carnell/Landlord/../../.. **

1712/Edward Carnell/Landlord/../../.. **

1722/John Pritchard/Landlord/../../.. **

1730/John Pritchard/Landlord/../../.. **

1805/George Haynes, Nags Head, Hackney road/../../Holdens Directory

1811/George Haynes, Nags Head, Hackney road/../../Holdens Directory

My great great great grandfather Plympton James WALTHAM was a licensed victualler and owner of the Nag/Naggs Head, Hackney Road, County of Middlesex when he died in 1828. He left his property to his three daughters and in his will he directed how his assets were to be divided up. At the time of his death he was 77 years old. ***

And Testament of Mr Plympton Waltham of Hackney Road in the County of Middlesex victualler. Ffirst I appoint my daughter Sarah Waltham Executrix and Charles Curtis of Mile End Road in the said County of Middlesex Executor of this my Will and I give to him the sum of twenty pounds. free of legacy duty for his trouble. And I direct my said Executrix and Executor as soon as conveniently may be after my death to sell and dispose in the usual way of disposing of public houses the Messuage or public house called "The Naggs (sic) Head".

It was at that time I think it was leased to a Mister Oliver. Possibly and two others involved, a Mr Thomas Sturt and a Mr Edward Sturt in the parish of Saint Matthew. Is Saint Matthews in Bethnal Green?

Witnesses to his will were Benjamin Weatherall near the Nags Head Hackney Road and Thomas Tubbs, Goldsmith Place, Hackney Road. ***

1827/Waltham Plymton, Nags Head, Hackney road/../../Pigot's Directory

1827/Plympton Waltham/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association

1829/Edward Cooper/victualler/../../Sun Fire Office records held at the London Metropolitan Archives **+

1833-34/Sarah Cooper/../../../Pigots Directory

1833/John Kearney/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association

1836/Job Henry West / Brewer /../../Sun Fire Office records held at Guildhall Library **

1839/John Kearney/../../../Pigots Directory

1843/Stephen Standen/../../../Post Office Directory

1848/George Henry Potter/../../../Post Office Directory

May 1848/George Potter/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era

May 1848/James Potter/Incoming Licensee/../../Era

1850/James Potter /../../../P.O. Directory **

1851/James Potter/../../../Kellys Directory

1851/James Potter/Licensed Victualler/38/Pakenham, Suffolk/Census
1851/Emma Potter/Wife/31/Tostock, Suffolk/Census
1851/Catharine Potter/Daughter/4/Lambeth, Surrey/Census
1851/Alice Mary Potter/Daughter/1/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1851/George Harry Potter/Son/1 month/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1851/George Walter Potter/Nephew, Barman/16/Pakenham, Suffolk/Census
1851/Ellen Potter/Niece/14/Tunbridge, Kent/Census
1851/Sarah Nagrave/Barmaid/29/Newington, Surrey/Census
1851/Joseph Duper/Barman/24/Bethnal Green, Middlesex/Census
1851/John Risbey/Potman/19/Rattlesden, Suffolk/Census
1851/Isabella Robinson/House Servant/19/Stowmarket, suffolk/Census
1851/Maryanne Moore/Nurse Girl/14/Rattlesden, Suffolk/Census

1853/James Potter/../../../Post Office Directory

October 1854/John Potter/ Outgoing Licensee /../../The Era

October 1854/William Murrell/ Incoming Licensee /../../The Era

1856/William Murrell/../../../Post Office Directory

1858/J Murrell/../../../Post Office Directory

1863/J Murrell, Nags Head, 2 London terrace, Hackney road/../../Post Office Directory

1866/J Murrell/../../../Post Office Directory

1869/James Murrell/../../../Post Office Directory

1871/William A Cubitt/Public House Manager/24/Great Yarmouth, Norfolk/Census
1871/Ellen A Harvey/Housekeeper/45/Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire/Census
1871/William Perry/Barman/22/Barnsbury, Middlesex/Census
1871/Horatio Bilson/Barman/19/Sussex/Census
1871/Sarah Grieves/General Servant/24/Stepney, Middlesex/Census

1873/James Murrell/../../../Post Office Directory

1877/James Murrell/../../../Post Office Directory

1880/Henry Taylor/../../../Post Office Directory **+

1881/John Evans/Licensed Victualler/36/Borough/Census
1881/Minnie Evans/Wife/29/Horham, Suffolk/Census
1881/Amy G Evans/Daughter/1/Bethnal Green/Census
1881/Ezra James/Son/3 months/Bethnal Green/Census
1881/Amy Taylor/Wifes Mother/70/Stratbrike ?, Suffolk/Census
1881/Jane Wilson/Barmaid/31/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1881/George Chapman/Barman/32/Poplar/Census
1881/James Low/Barman/19/St Pancras/Census
1881/Emma Sullivan/General Servant/39/St George/Census
1881/Thomas Mosley/Potman/20/Maryport, Cumberland/Census
1881/Elizabeth Martin/Nurse Maid/15/Essex/Census

1882/Henry William Taylor/../../../Post Office Directory **+

1884/Harry W Taylor/../../../Post Office Directory

1885/Henry William Taylor/../../../Post Office Directory

1886/Henry William Taylor/../../../Post Office Directory

Nags Head, Hackney Road :

1888/Charles Deakin / Publican /../../Watney, Combe, Reid & Co Brewery records, held at City of Westminster Archives Centre **

1889/Charles Deakin / Licensed Victualler /../../Lease documents held at Hackney Archives Department **

1891/Charles Deakin & Co/../../../Post Office Directory **


Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road :

Arthur Bray married Florence Scott, the sister of my great-grandmother; He gives his address on the marriage certificate (July 24 1888) as 324 Hackney Road, and his occupation as licensed victualler.
He was still there at the time of the 1891 census, but by 1901 he is living in Hammersmith. I do not know when he ceased to be the licensee. It might be reasonable to assume that his tenure coincides with the dates of Charles Deakin & Co's tenancy on your website, 1888 - 1896. *

We have several letters written from the Nags Head by my great-grandmother (presumably visiting her sister Florence, perhaps at the time of the birth of her children (Herbert Arthur, b. 1889, Florence Elsie, b. 1895). Also we have a set of four New Year cards issued by C Deakin & Co. for the Nags Head, but it is not clear which year they are from or whether they span a number of years.  *

New Year Cards issued by Charles Deakin & Co -  circa 1891

New Year Cards issued by Charles Deakin & Co -  circa 1891

Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road - with C Deakin & Co.'s Best wishes for Christmas & the New Year - circa 1891

Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road - with C Deakin & Co.'s Best wishes for Christmas & the New Year - circa 1891

Both kindly provided by David Scott Cowan

July 24th 1888/Arthur Bray/../../../Marriage certificate *

1891/Arthur Bray/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/Arthur Bray/Licensed Victualler/31/Hove, Sussex/Census *
1891/Florence Bray/Wife/29/City, London/Census
1891/Herbert Arthur Bray/Son/1/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1891/Alfred Valentine Bray/Brother, Hosiers Assistant/24/Hove, Sussex/Census
1891/Charles Augustus Featherstone/Barman/26/Nottingham/Census
1891/Alice Mary Ganley/Barmaid/24/Purfleet, Essex/Census
1891/Florence Liven/Barmaid/18/Chelsea, London/Census
1891/Henry Walter King/Barman/24/Pimlico, London/Census
1891/Frederick Kuhnert/Barman/19/St Georges East, London/Census
1891/Annie Thomas/General Servant/23/Woolwich/Census
1891/Louisa Harriett Barnes/Nurse/19/Brentford/Census

1893/Charles Deakin & Co/../../../Post Office Directory

1895/Charles Deakin & Co/../../../Post Office Directory **

1896/Charles Deakin / Publican /../../Watney, Combe, Reid & Co Brewery records, held at City of Westminster Archives Centre **

1898/John Key & Co/../../../Post Office Directory

1899/John Key & Co/../../../Post Office Directory

1901/Horace Holland/Licensed Victualler/33/Wymondham, Leicestershire/Census
1901/Sarah A Holland/Wife/36/Grantham, Rutland/Census
1901/Frederick J/Nephew/11/Forest Gate, Essex/Census
1901/William Pack/Barman/22/Whitechapel, London/Census
1901/Charles Naylor/Barman/27/Rotherhithe, London/Census
1901/Henry Watson/Barman/17/Yarmouth, Norfolk/Census
1901/Elizabeth Birch/Domestic Servant/27/Islington, London/Census

1903/Robert John Huggins/../../../Post Office Directory

1904/James Frederick Nurden/../../../Post Office Directory

November 1904/Transfer of licence of the Nags Head, Hackney road, James Frederick Murden to John Mayo/../../East London Observer

1906/John Mayo/../../../Post Office Directory

1908/John Mayo/../../../Post Office Directory

1910/John Mayo/../../../Post Office Directory

1911/John Mayo/Licensed Victualler/38/Bristol, Gloucestershire/Census
1911/Alice Ada Eliza Mayo/Wife/53/London/Census
1911/Maud Eliza Dymock/Cook/26/Waltham Cross/Census
1911/Mornington Arthur Bertram/Head Barman/32/Norwich, Norfolk/Census
1911/Edwin Ernest Clift/Barman/28/Kings Cross, London/Census
1911/John Baker/Barman/25/West Lavington, Devizes/Census
1911/Henry Dennis/Potman/28/Mile End, London/Census

1913/Miss Flora Christmas Butler/../../../Post Office Directory

1915/Miss Flora Christmas Butler/../../../Post Office Directory

1918/John William S King King/../../../Post Office Directory

1921/John King/../../../Post Office Directory

1925/John William S King King/../../../Post Office Directory

1927/Charles Evans Davies/../../../Post Office Directory

1928/Charles Evans Davies/../../../Post Office Directory

1929/Arthur James Barrett/../../../Post Office Directory

1930/Arthur James Barrett/../../../Post Office Directory

1932/Edmund J Nicholls/../../../Post Office Directory

1934/Jim Smith/../../../Kelly's

1936/Jim Smith/../../../Post Office Directory

The 1937 electoral register lists Lazarus Louis Goldapple and Maisie Daniels at this address.

1938/Lazarus Goldapple/../../../Post Office Directory

The 1939 electoral register lists Lazarus Louis Goldapple, Leonard Louis Aarons, Lily Aarons and Brian Rooney at this address.

1940/Lazarus Goldapple/../../../Post Office Directory

1941/Louis White/../../../Post Office Directory

1944/Louis White/../../../Post Office Directory

My paternal Grandparents, William Jackson (Will) and Ada May Beaumont outside the Nags Head, circa 1944

My paternal Grandparents, William Jackson (Will) and Ada May Beaumont outside the Nags Head, circa 1944

Kindly provided by Linda Beaumont

My paternal Grandparents, William Jackson (Will) and Ada May Beaumont were the licensees at the �Nags Head� from mid 1944 to mid 1951 which can be corroborated with listings from the Electoral Registers and Post Office Telephone Books from that period. *+

Telegram in November 1948 to Sonny Beaumont, 324 Hackney Road - on the wedding day     Telegram on the wedding day & to Irene and Sonny, 324 Hackney Road

Telegram in November 1948 to Sonny Beaumont, 324 Hackney Road - on the wedding day & to Irene and Sonny, 324 Hackney Road

Kindly provided by Linda Beaumont

Telegram in November 1948 to Mr & Mrs Beaumont, 324 Hackney Road - on their twenty fifth wedding anniversary

Telegram in November 1948 to Mr & Mrs Beaumont, 324 Hackney Road - on their twenty fifth wedding anniversary

Kindly provided by Linda Beaumont

My Father William Charles (Sonny) Beaumont Jnr helped to help run the pub when he left the RAF after the war. He met and married my Mother � Irene Joyce Bone who had been re-housed with her family in accommodation opposite to the Nags Head and regularly frequented the pub! In November 1948 my parents married and my Mother also worked in the pub bar. I was born in 1949 and lived with my family at the Nags Head until they left in 1951 to take up management of the �Queens Park Stores� Off Licence in Harrow Road Paddington (later to be renamed The Victoria Wine Company). *+

This was my dad's local, and he met my mother in the Nag's Head at Easter 1951. The landlord then was a man called George Bentley. I believe my Grandfather was connected in some way to the owner, hence my mother being there at that time.  *

1951/George Bentley/../../../Personal history *

1971/../Nags Head, 324 Hackney Road/../../Pub Directory

1983/../Hackney Cab, 324 Hackney Road, Allied Breweries/../../Pub Directory

1991/../Limes, 324 Hackney Road, No Beer, CLOSED/../../Pub Directory


* Provided by David Scott Cowan

*+ Provided by Linda C Beaumont

** Provided by Stephen Harris

**+ Provided by Ewan

*** Provided by Marie McLindon

* Provided by Keith Martin

And Last updated on: Thursday, 25-Jan-2024 09:32:42 GMT