History of Warwick Pubs

VINE INN (1) 
This fine community pub is now known as the Bunch of Grapes which is derived from its splendid three dimensional pub sign, 
but until the last few years it was called the Vine Inn. It is situated at 18 Vine Lane, Packmores although after the 1970s 
it is listed as being at 34 Vine Lane. The pub is first noted in 1849 and has 14 licensees in the trade directories up until 
the 1960s when the names are no longer given. 
1849 Thomas Walter 
1880-1882 Charles Palfrey                           1883-1887 David Bickley 
1888 Worthy Coole                                   1889-1890 Mrs Coole 
1892-1896 Stephen A Thorpe                          1897-1902 Frederick Horne 
1903-1904 Thomas Henry Payne (or Pain)              1905-1906 T Bradley 
1907-1927 James Walter                              1927-1945 Frederick John Kightley 
1948 William Thomas Henry Beetlestone               1950-1953 William Arthur Cecil West 
1956 James Lawton 
The second licensee, Charles Palfrey, as has often been the case had another string to his bow in order to make ends meet 
but rather than being a trader of some other type; unusually he is also listed as a gardener. If the modern trend for selling 
food in all pubs had been the vogue at that time he could have found his other skills very useful - if not profitable. 
Thomas Henry Payne was listed as Pain in Kelly's directory - obviously I do not have any proof but I would have thought that 
the spelling with a Y was more likely at that time. 
Frederick John Kightley probably took over the pub in 1927 as is listed in Kelly's directory however Spennall's directory still 
had James Walter in residence. It probably indicates that Kelly's was published later in the year and its research was conducted 
after that of Spennall during which time the change of licensee took place. 

VINE INN (2)
This popular roadside inn is situated at 88 West Street, next door to the Tudor House Hotel. 
It is an open plan pub with screens marking off different areas and those looking for food are well catered for. 
It stocks a range of beers normally seen in a Whitbread pub. 
It was first recorded in 1851 according to Mr Talliss but the first mention in the trade directories is 1874, 
and either 15 or 16 licensees are recorded between then and the 1960s when the names are no longer listed. 
1874 Charles Powell 	                           1876 John Newton
1880-1888 Miss Mary Ann Newton                     1889-1890 N. D. Fretwell 
1891-1893 D. N. Fretwell                           1894-1904 William Pratt 
1905-1911 Arthur William Caves                     1912-1914 Harry G. Clamp 
1915-1920 William Dyer                             1921-1927 F. C. Smallman 
1927-1931 Albert Edward Gates                      1933-1935 Fred Russell 
1936-1940 Herbert E. Wilkinson                     1941 -1943 R. G. Robinson 
1945-1950 D. J. Hart                               1953 Alan Frewin 
1956 Alfred J. R. Williams 
Here we have another problem with the details in the directories. Was the landlord N. D. Fretwell or D. N. Fretwell? 
We may never know for sure as N. D. got two entries as opposed to D. N. which got 3 entries. 
We also got evidence indicating the later research of Kelly's Directory as they had Albert Edward Gates taking over in 1927 
while Spennalls did not have the change until a year later.  It seems that after a John Newton had the pub in 1876 it was 
acquired by a Mrs Anne Newton in September 1879; she died in November 1888 and the licence was transferred to a David Newton Fretwell. 
With this pub being situated on one of the main routes out of Warwick towards Stratford it is no surprise to find that it was a 
stopping place for the local carriers. In 1883 they ran to Barford on Tuesdays and Saturdays; to Loxley on Wednesdays and Saturdays; 
Sherbourne on Tuesdays and Saturdays and Snitterfield also on the same days. 
In 1855 the inn was in the tenancy of Henry Martin, and the owner was William Bolton. 
The local paper names John Wells as keeping the pub in 1858.
In 1862 Charles Powell applied to the magistrates for a spirit licence but was refused; however he was successful a year later.
In 1927, Frederick Charles Smallman went bankrupt for the sum of £345-5s-9d.
Finally the last landlord I mentioned was called Alfred James Louis Williams and he held the pub from 1953 right through to 1980. 
27 years was a good innings and it seems he was Chairman of the local Licensed Victuallers Association and he was a "very genial host".

In 1884 there were two services running to Barford on Tuesdays and Saturdays plus another on Wednesdays and Fridays. 
The services to Loxley, Sherbourne and Snitterfield remain as the previous year. In 1885 The two Tuesday and Saturday services to 
Barford continued as did the Loxley route. 
In 1886 the Barford and Loxley routes continued as before and this time the Sherbourne and Snitterfield routes returned as they had 
been two years earlier. In 1887 the style of the directories changed and destinations were no longer listed but there was a carrier 
service on Wednesday and Saturdays and another on Tuesdays and Saturdays to various destinations. 
In 1888 and 1889 there was a Saturday; a Wednesday and Saturday and a Tuesday and Saturday service. 
In 1890 and 1891 the services had increased to a Saturday; a Wednesday and Saturday; a daily; a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 
and finally two Tuesday and Saturday services. 
In 1892 and 1893 the services were the same except a second Saturday only service and a second Wednesday and Saturday route had been added. 
By 1894 there were three Saturday only routes, three on Wednesday and Saturdays, two on Tuesday and Saturdays plus a daily service. 
In 1895 the services were the same but there were now three daily routes. In 1896 the services from the previous year are now 
supplemented by a third Tuesday and Saturday route. 1897 sees the loss of one Wednesday and Saturday route and this continues into 1898. 
In 1889 there is one less Tuesday and Saturday service. 
In 1900 one Daily and one Saturday only service goes and this remains the situation the following year. 1902 there is a reversal in 
trends with an extra Saturday and Daily service being introduced which continues into the next year. In 1904 a Monday and Friday service 
is introduced, but in 1905 a Saturday service is lost. 
1906 sees the Monday and Friday route go again together with a Saturday only one; but it also sees the introduction of a Tuesday, 
Wednesday and Saturday service. In 1907 there is a Daily service; a Wednesday and Saturday; two Tuesday and Saturday routes; a Tuesday, 
Wednesday and Saturday; and a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday route. 
In 1908 there is a Daily service; two Wednesday and Saturday routes and two Tuesday and Saturday services. 1909 sees a new Saturday 
only route added plus a new Wednesday and Saturday service. 1910 reverts to the 1908 situation with the addition of a Saturday only service. 
1911 sees a Wednesday only service added to that. 
1912 sees the Wednesday only service replaced by a Monday and Friday one and this continues the next year. 1914 sees an extra Daily route 
again and that situation prevails till 1916. 1917 sees a dramatic drop in services presumably influenced by the First World War. 
There is now only two Wednesday and Saturday routes and two Daily ones which continues until at least 1920. 
I do not have any detail for 1921-1923 but in 1924 there is a Tuesday and Saturday service; two daily ones; a Wednesday and Saturday service 
and a Tuesday only one. 1925 looses a daily route and the Tuesday only one and this situation runs until 1927. In 1928 there were just two 
Daily services and this continued until 1932 when all carrier routes are ceased probably as a reduced of increasing competition by modern 
bus services and the recession also would have had a role to play. 


VOLUNTEER VAULTS
This pub was named after the Volunteer regiments of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. The Volunteer Vaults were mentioned in 1872 when 
William Dickerson kept them and it was situated at 24 Smith Street. The pub was first listed in the Trade Directories in 1874 and 
between then and 1935 when it closed it had had 11 licensees. What is surprising is that for 47 of those 61 years it was in the hands 
of only two families. 
1874 Thomas Shenton                        1880-1882 Richard Kitchener 
1883 George Tallis                         1884-1887 Henry Wilkins 
1888-1895 Mrs. Kitchener                   1896-1909 William Kitchener 
1910 Joseph Newcombe                       1911 G. Dawson 
1912-1933 William Hill                     1934 Thomas S. Austin 
1935 Arthur Aubrey Sanby 
The pub continued until 1935 when its license was transferred to the Wedgenock. 
It seems that Richard Kitchener took over the pub in June 1875 and remained there until June 1882 when George Tallis of Snitterfield took over. 
He left in July 1883 when Henry Wilkins of Cherry Street Warwick took over until 1887. On 11th November 1887 Richard Kitchener died and his widow, 
Mrs Jane Kitchener became licensee. She in turn died in November 1895 and her son William became licensee as recorded in the 
Warwick Advertiser on 9th November 1895.
We must give William Hill a mention-21 years at a pub is not a bad stint! It is a fair bet that you can not name anyone to beat that today? I doubt it!