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Bethnal Green pub history index
Bonner Arms, Bonner Street
Bishop Bonner, 21 Bonner Street
Both kindly provided by Ken Finch
The lower photograph is of the Bishop Bonner, as
it still appears today.
The upper photograph is, I think, of the Bonner Arms, a different pub in
Bonner Street (and ‘Bonner Arms’ is just readable on the hanging pub sign in
the photograph).
Furthermore, the Bishop Bonner was a Taylor Walker Brewery pub, whereas the
upper photograph clearly shows a pub in Mann’s Brewery livery. **
A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Bethnal Green, Middlesex - now in East London. The Bethnal Green, East London listing uses information from census, Trade Directories and History to add licensees, bar staff, Lodgers and Visitors.
The following entries are in this format:
Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.
1872/J Pasmore/../../../Brabner’s Hackney Directory **
1884/John Glaney/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1885/Isaac Hayward/../../../P.O. Directory **
1886/Isaac Hayward/../../../Business Directory of London **
1891/William Mark Gange/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1895/John William Seeley/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1899/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1901/Daniel Dupuy/Publican/50/Bethnal Green, London/Census ****
1901/Jane Dupuy/Wife/52/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1901/Arthur Dupuy/Son, Barman/20/Bethnal Green, London/Census
1903/Daniel Dupuy/../../../P.O. Directory **
1906/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Morris’ Business Directory of London **
1910/Daniel Dupuy/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1914/Charles Ward Wildig/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1915/Charles Ward Wildig/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1921/Thos G Kemp/../../../Post Office Directory ****
My grandparents were Ernest and Alice Holford. Ernest was licensee of the
Palmerston Arms on Well Street, Hackney. In the 1911 census he is registered
at the pub as the manager. He bought it not long after at about the time of
his marriage in 1913. My father was born in the
Palmerston Arms (he was very
proud of that fact!); and that his parents owned the pub. Ernest was
divorced in 1923 and moved on. According to the phone books, Ernest Holford
was 'licensed victualler' of the Bishop Bonner on Bonner Street in 1924.
From 1925 to 1929 he is listed as the 'licensed victualler' at 113 High
Street, E9 - the Forester's
Arms. He is not
in the phone book in 1930 or 1931 but I'm certain he stayed at that pub
until his death in 1931 at the age of 47. *
1924/Ernest Holford/Licensed Victualler/../../Telephone Directory *
1926/Alfred J Wyllye/../../../P.O. Directory **
1934/Alfred J Wyllye/../../../Kellys Directory ****
1938/Jn Waine/../../../Post Office Directory ****
1935/Alfred J Wyllye/../../../P.O. Directory **
1944/Rt Geo Drane/../../../Post Office Directory ****
My Parents Freddie & Rita Woodman owned the Bishop Bonner
Pub in Bonner Street London E2 from 1971 until 1979.
My father turned it into a Boxing Theme Pub with wall to wall photos of
boxers. My father and I were also Boxers and we had many famous boxers that
used to pop in such as John Conteh, Henry Cooper, John H Stracey Maurice
Hope, Jack Kid Berg and many more. My Father used to have Boxing theme
nights where he would show some old time boxing fights and the famous Boxers
who used to come along would tell us some great stories. Henry Cooper
came in a few times as he was friends with my Dad. They used to train
together in the Gym above the Thomas A Beckett Pub, in the Old Kent Road.
On Thursday nights we used to have a little known band called Chas & Dave
who went on to become quite famous !! On Friday, Saturday and Sunday night
there was always live music and the customers would be encouraged to get up
and sing, some were really good, one man who stood out for me was Bertie
Dawltry he owned a fish stall in Roman Road market, he always sang "Won't
you come home Bill Bailey" and the customers used to love it. My father
always used to finish off every night with a couple of Perry Como songs
before ringing the bell for "time gentleman please"
We used to hold lots of events such as a Annual Pram race around all the
local pubs for Charity. There were 2 darts teams, a Shove Halfpenny Team, Bar
Skittle team and a Cribbage team. We also had the Best Tug of War team in
Bethnal Green!
Our Pub was due to be pulled down in 1975 along with all the old shops along
side us in Bonner Street and the Terrace houses on the corner of Bonner
Street in Royston Street, but because the Pub was so Popular with the Locals
the Council decided to leave it, so at one stage all the houses and shops
were pulled down and our Pub was the only thing left standing on the corner
!! The pub stood all alone for about 8 years until they finally started
building new houses around it again. I think the Pub lost all its character
when the new houses were built around it, I preferred it when it was
surrounded by the little 2 up 2 down Victorian terraced houses which would
have been worth a lot more money today than the ones they have built to
replace them.
I am sure that the Pub was haunted as me and my brother used to hear heavy
footsteps in the night above our upstairs bedroom, it sounded as though
someone was walking on the roof. We later found out that there used to be
another floor on the building but was probably bomb damaged during the war
and taken down. There was also rumoured to be a tunnel in the cellar which
linked the Pub with the Bishops big house (now the London Chest Hospital) in
Bonner Road! ***
1971-79/Freddie & Rita Woodman/../../../.. ****
I was part of the dart team in the Freddie Woodman era and my wife was in the ladies team. I have a photo of my wife Val with Fred, Rita and Henry Cooper at a darts presentation in the pub. **
They are, from left to right - Rita Woodman, Henry Cooper, Bert ?, Valerie
Warrington, Kevin ? , and Fred Woodman
* Provided By Peter Holford
** Provided By Barry Warrington
*** Provided By Paul Woodman
**** Provided By Kevan
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