Horn Tavern, 29, 31 & 33 Knightrider street, St Gregory by St Pauls EC4

St Gregory by St St Pauls pub history index

Formerly known as The Horn Tavern, The Horn Coffee House and The Bugell. The earliest known mention of the Horn Tavern was by Samuel Pepys in 1663. All open to interpretation ; see below. *

The 1824 London parish guide states "The parish of St. Peter, Paul's Wharf begins on the west side of St. Peter's Hill, and extends from the Horn Tavern southward to Thames street". Peters Hill is at or about 5 & 6 Little Knightrider street. Thomas Bryant has a coffee and chop house here in 1851. There are also two references in the local newspapers which specifically state the address as St Pauls Chains (this name comes from the chains which are raised when services are being held at St Pauls). St Pauls Chain was a former name of the northern section of the latterly named Godliman Street; and the Horn tavern is referenced at this address in 1826 and again in 1834.

The earliest addresses of the newer premises are at 20 Little Knightrider street in 1856, and 20 - 23 Little Knightrider street in 1869, at or near the junction with Sermon Lane. This makes interesting reading because the licensee in 1856 is a baker at these addresses in the 1851 directory along with a Post office & Receiving House. Moving backwards to 1841 and 1842, again the address is a baker and other premises, and no public house here. By 1884 it is at 29 - 33 Knightrider street. In both 1934 and 1938, we have Hartridges Restaurant at 29 - 33, with the Horn Tavern at just 31 & 33; the entirety was the Horn tavern prior to this in 1921. The address appears to change to just 29 Knightrider street by 1971. Apparently, Guy Fawkes planned the destruction of the Houses of Parliament in the cellars of the "original pub". 

The modern name for the pub is the Centre Page, which suggests that both Pepys and Dickens mention the Horns tavern, not necessarily this Horn Tavern.

I can’t cast any light on what its relationship was with the Horn Coffee House of Dickensian fame, except to say that the modern pub pretty much backs on to Godliman Street, so if it is not a direct descendent, it was at least very close to the site of the older pub. I had always tended to assume that there was a connection with the historic pub. The pub was re-named the Centre Page in 2002. **

A listing of historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in  St Gregory by St Pauls parish, City of London. The St Gregory by St Pauls, City of London Public House Trade Directory uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.

Horn Tavern, 29, 31 & 33 Knightrider Street, St Gregory by St Pauls EC4

Horn Tavern, 29, 31 & 33 Knightrider Street, St Gregory by St Pauls EC4

Kindly provided by Tris

Residents at this address

In 1724, we have the Castle Lodge of Harmony, at the Horn, Doctors Commons as a Masonic Lodge

17 January 1727/London Jan 7. Some days since a corn factors clerk , having received about £70 at Jacks coffeehouse on Bear Key, sat dow to write a receipt for it, laying the bag of money before him on the table; when a Sharper standing by, dropped designedly a piece of money iunder the table, and then praying leave to stoop there to take up his shilling, he found means to slip away the Money Bag at the same time and immediatley made off, the bag not being missed till it was irreversibly gone. Some time after, a Sharper cheated a young man of a bag with 30 Moidores, and 10 Guineas in it, at the Horn tavern in Doctors Commons, by amusing him with a a wager upon a card, till he found an opportunity to change the bag, leaving him in the Room of it, a like bag filled with Halfpence, and pretending to go to the Yard made his escape./../../../Caledonian Mercury 

In 1731, we have the Sociable Lodge, at the Horn Tavern, Doctors Commons. as a Masonic Lodge

1735/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../London Magazine

1769/Thomas Willis/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Political Register

1781/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../London Magazine

22 October 1781/Reference to prisoners being examined at the Horn Tavern, Doctors commons before committed to New Prison, Clerkenwell/../../../Northampton Mercury

1785/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Jachin and Boaz

1787/The dinner was well served by Mr. Griffith of the Horn Tavern, in Doctors Common/../../../Gentlemans Magazine

24 November 1787/Death of a clergyman reported at Mr Griffiths, the Horn tavern, Doctors Common/../../../Ipswich Journal

1790/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../European Magazine

1793/James Griffiths/../../../Universal British Directory, 1793-1798 **

1795/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Spirit of Masonry

1802/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Sporting magazine

1810/Marriage of Mr Lovegrove of the Horn tavern, Doctors Commons to Miss Bantock, of Stratford, Essex/../../../Gentlemans Magazine

1811/Sam Lovegrove, Horn Tavern, Godliman street/../../Holdens Directory

Lodge of Peace and Harmony Freemasons membership initiated January 28th 1814, Samuel Lovegrove, Victualler, Horn Tavern, St Pauls, 1814 to 1817

1815/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Niles Weekly Register

1817/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Justice law

1818/Samuel Lovegrove / Tavern Keeper /../../Sun Fire Office records, held at London Metropolitan Archives **

July 1819/Samuel Lovegrove/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Sun Fire Insurance Records - Access to Archives

1822/Lately, at Stamford Hill, James Griffiths, Esq., formerly master of the Horns Tavern, Doctors' Commons, and thirty-eight years a very active member of the Common Council of London, iu which office he always shewed himself a friend to the liberties of the people./../../../Monthly Repository - Obituary

1822/Samuel Lovegrove/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Post Office Directory

December 1824/Samuel Lovegrove/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Sun Fire Insurance Records - Access to Archives

1825/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../New Monthly Magazine

18 May 1826/Committee Elections at the Horns tavern, Pauls Chain/../../../..

4 April 1827/City Election, a meeting was held at the Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../../Morning Post

February 1828/Samuel Lovegrove/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Sun Fire Insurance Records - Access to Archives

1828/Samuel Lovegrove/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Post Office Directory

1829/Leeds Paine, Horn Tavern, 10 Godliman street/../../Robsons Directory

1832/Richard Collier Battyll/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons, tavern & coffee house keeper/../../Courts of Chancery

9 June 1832/R C Battyll/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons, tavern keeper/../../Essex Standard Bankrupts

1833/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Mirror of Literature

21 May 1834/Fire - On Sunday morning, at two o'clock, a fire was discovered by one of the Castle Baynard patrole in the sleeping rooms of the second floor of the Horn tavern, St Pauls Chain, Doctors Commons. Mr Francom , the proprietor, is insured in the Hand in Hand and Union Fire offices./../../../Morning Post

24 June 1834/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Morning Post

Lodge of Confidence Freemasons membership initiated December 15th 1835, Basil Francis, Tavern Keeper, Doctors Commons, 1835 to 1836

1836/Francis Basil, Horn Tavern and Hotel, Godliman street, St Pauls/../../Pigots Directory

1837/../Horn tavern, Doctors Commons/../../Musical World

10 November 1837/../A meeting at the Horns Tavern, Doctors Commons/../../../Hull Packet

2 June 1838/Basil Francis/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons, tavern keeper/../../West Kent Guardian Bankrupts

8 June 1838/Francis Basil/Horn tavern, Doctors Commons, tavern keeper/../../Stamford Mercury Bankrupts

1840/At Blackwall, aged 60, Mr. Samuel Lovegrove. Mr. Lovegrove has contributed not a little to the good living of the worthy citizens of London. He first kept the Horn Tavern, in Doctors' Commons; afterwards the Crown and Sceptre, at Greenwich; then built two splendid taverns at Blackwell, both of which he occupied, and at the same time kept the well-known London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill/../../../Annual Register

1841/The will of the late Samuel Lovegrove, the proprietor of the Ludgate Coffee-house and hotel, and of the Crown and Sceptre, Greenwich, has passed the seal of the Prerogative Court to Samuel Lovegrove, Edward Lovegrove (the sons), Isaac Churchyard, and James Toplis, executors. The personal property was sworn to be under £35,000, The deceased in early life was a waiter to Mr. Griffiths, of the Horn Tavern, Doctors Commons, and succeeded him in his business. He was for many years a Common Councilman of Castle Baynard Ward/../../../Gentlemans magazine

22 December 1843/Castle Baynard election - A Wardmote was held at the Horn tavern, Sermon Lane for the elction of ward officers/../../Newspaper

#### I am not convinced that any of the earlier records refer to Knightrider street, but more likely to Godliman Street, Doctors Common.

The 1851 Aberdeen Evening Express advertisement is very interesting. The William Younger brewery was a major Edinburgh brewery founded in 1778. You can read about the brewery at this Wikipedia link, including references to the beer’s popularity in London in the 19th century, although there is no suggestion that any of the generations of William Youngers were ever actually London licensees. We can also see from your records that the pub was still owned by Wm. Youngers in 1938. Interesting that Scottish brewers were investing in London properties as early as 1851. **

13 June 1851/William Youngers/Horn Tavern, Knightrider street EC/../../Aberdeen Evening Express Advertisement

1856/John Pullar/../../../Post Office Directory

1860/John Pullar/../../../The Draper & Clothier, Travellers’ Hand-Book **

13 February 1865/Another robbery took place in London on Saturday morning, About half past 2 Police constable Johnson 309, while on duty near Doctors Commons, fancied he heard a strange noise proceeding from the extensive premises known as the Horn Tavern and luncheon and dining rooms, and to which a post office is attached. Johnson stationed himself at one of the doors, when the sound of somebody hammering and talking became clear. The policeman asked them what business they had there, and the men at once attempted to escape. Securing his prisoners with one hand, however, Johnson sprang his rattle with the other, until Sergeant Pearson came to his assistance, when the men were taken to the station house. When taken the burglars had only in their possession several articles of plate and other small things of less value. There were over £143 worth of postage stamps in the place at the time, besides receipt and other stamps and upwards of £150 in cash./../../../Western Daily Press

17 February 1865/Another robbery took place in the City on Saturday morning. It seems that at about half past two, PC Johnson 309, while on duty in Little Knight Rider street, near Doctors Commons, fancied he heard a strange noise proceeding from the extensive premises belonging to Mr Pullar, known as the Horn Tavern and luncheon and dining rooms, and to which a post office is attached./../../../Nottinghamshire Guardian

18 February 1865/As Police constable Johnson was emerging from an obscure street called Sermon lane, leading from the south side of St Pauls Churchyard to Little Knightrider street, he observed some marks in the newly fallen snow on the window sill of the Horns tavern, kept by Mr Pullar, which has an extensive frontage in Little Knightrider street, and looks also into Sermon Lane./../../../South London Chronicle

3 February 1866/Sale of the 35 year lease of the Horn tavern, 20, 21, 22 and 23 Little Knightrider street, Doctors Commons./../../../London City Press

26 May 1866/J Pullar/Outgoing Licensee/../../London City Press

26 May 1866/T Foster/Incoming Licensee/../../London City Press

23 March 1867/T Foster/License not renewed in consequence of convictions for short or unjust measures, Horn tavern, Little Knightrider street/../../London City Press

20 April 1867/T Foster/Outgoing Licensee/../../London City Press

20 April 1867/N Monk/Incoming Licensee/../../London City Press

1869/Nathaniel Monk/../../../Post Office Directory

1871/Eliza Harley/Manageress/39/Somerset/Census
1871/Thomas Cox/Barman/20/Cripplegate/Census
1871/Charles Falmer/Barman/16/Bilsworth/Census
1871/Jane Kipp/General Servant/23/Poplar New Town/Census
1871/Emma Bennett/Barmaid/23/St Andrews Holborn/Census
1871/Charlotte Freeman/Barmaid/20/Great Yarmouth/Census

24 August 1873/Died - on the 19th August, at the Horn Tavern, Knightrider street EC, Nathaniel Monk, aged forty seven years/../../../Era

1874/Martha Monk/Horn Tavern, Little Knightrider Street, Doctors Commons/../../Licensed Victuallers Directory

1877/Frank Cutler/../../../P.O. Directory **

1884/William M Hartridge & Son/../../../Post Office Directory

1899/John Evans & Sons/../../../Post Office Directory

1901/J R Lindsay Daisch/Wine Merchant/38/Shanklin, Isle of Wight/Census
1901/Ada H Daisch/Wife/29/Edmonton/Census
1901/Marjory R Daisch/Daughter/1/London/Census
1901/Francis A Cauldron/Housekeeper, Widow/52/Sutton, Kent/Census
1901/Emmeline Bruley/Barmaid/28/Shortlands, Kent/Census
1901/Ada M Dawson/Barmaid/29/Wandsworth/Census

1910/John Evans & Sons/../../../Post Office Directory

1917/Richard & William Partridge/../../../P. O. Directory **

1921/John Evans & Sons/../../../Hughes Directory

1921/Richard William Partridge/../../../Post Office Directory

3 August 1933/Premises near St Pauls Cathedral, London, were in danger last night when a fire broke out at the Horn Tavern in Knightrider Street, a narrow turning off Cannon Street. A district call was circulated, and doors were broken down in an endeavour to gt at the seat of the outbreak. So dense was the smoke that firemen wore gas masks. The premises were unoccupied at the time that the discovery was made by the policeman who noticed smoke issuing from the back of the building. The fire was ultimately traced to the basement of the building beneath the restaurant. The Horn Tavern, well known to lovers of Dickens, is the inn which Mr Pickwick sent for a supply of wine when he was in Fleet Prison./../../../Evening Telegraph

1938/Wm Younger & Son/../../../Post Office Directory

1971/../Horn Tavern, 29 Knightrider Street EC4/../../Pub Directory

1991/../Horn Tavern, 29 Knightrider Street EC4/../../Pub Directory


* Provided By Tris

** Provided By Stephen Harris

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