May Pole, Norwich Road, Whitton, Ipswich

A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Whitton cum Thurleston - Suffolk.

Residents at this address

1830/Benjamin Dunning/../../../White's Directory **

1844/John Cross/Vict/../../White's Directory **

1855/Isaac Pratt/Vict/../../White's Directory **

1861/Isaac Pratt/Innkeeper/48/Tunstall, Suffolk/Census **
1861/Emma Pratt/Wife/35/Whitton, Suffolk/Census
1861/Eliza M Pratt/Daughter, Pupil Teacher/18/St Peters Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1861/Charles J Pratt/Son, Solicitors Clerk/16/St Peters Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1861/George Lay/Ostler/16/Bramford, Suffolk/Census

1869/Noah Squire/../../../Post Office Directory

1874/S E Rowland/../../../Post Office Directory

1874/Samuel Eagle Rowland/Victualler/../../White's Directory **

1881/Rowland Eagle/Licensed Victualler/54/Westminster, Middlesex/Census
1881/Mary Eagle/Wife/50/Washbrook, Suffolk/Census
1881/Amelia Garrard/General Servant/18/Whitton, Suffolk/Census

1882/Rowland Samuel Eagle/../../../Post Office Directory

1891/Rowland S Eagle/../../../Post Office Directory

1900/Robert Mayhew/../../../Post Office Directory

In 1903 my Grandfather Thomas Benjamin Doole became landlord of the May Pole at Whitton-cum-Thurleston, moving there with the family.
The May Pole is a 16th century coaching inn on the main London to Norwich Road. *
Their children were
1. 13.10.1887 Albert Doole.
2. 1888 Elsie, (aka Dinah).
3. Lena Florence 1889
4. 1901 Thomas.
5. 7/9/1903 Dorothy Deborah, born at the May Pole Inn. (my mother)
6. 2/5/1905 Frederick Arthur, born at the May Pole Inn.

There is no mention of Lena, the third child, after the 1901 census, and my mother never mentioned her, so I think she died after 1901 and before 1903.
The tragedy that changed their lives was when Thomas, the fourth child, died in the winter of 1909/10 aged 6. He ventured onto the pond in Whitton Churchyard, and fell through the ice. This was a time when children played outside for hours, coming home tired and grubby from their adventures. He was probably with a few little friends, and thought, as little children do, that it would be fun to play on the ice. The pond was subsequently filled in. He is buried Whitton Churchyard, along with his mother Florence and his sister Dorothy (my mother).
Grandfather refused to discuss the matter and would not have his son�s name mentioned ever again. Florence never recovered from her grief. Her death certificate records that she died suddenly on November 5th 1913 at the Maypole. The family left the pub soon after. *

1904/Thomas Doole/../../../Post Office Directory

1911/Thomas Benjamin Doole/Publican/42/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1911/Florence Edith Doole/Wife/38/London/Census
1911/Albert Charles Doole/Son/14/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1911/Elsie Emily Doole/Daughter/13/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1911/Dorothy Deborah Doole/Daughter/7/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1911/Frederick Arthur Doole/Son/5/Ipswich, Suffolk/Census
1911/Alfred Kent/Relative, Ostler/27/Portsmouth/Census

1912/Thomas Doole/../../../Post Office Directory

1916/James Dobson/../../../Post Office Directory

1925/James Dobson/../../../Post Office Directory


* Provided By Barbara Butler

** Provided By Colin Ager

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    And Last updated on: Friday, 09-Feb-2024 14:55:36 GMT