Mystery Number 2: The Pub Dennises (2)

Uxbridge Arms, Church Road, Chasetown.

Part one of this tale concerned my search for information about Thomas Dennis, who ran the Railway Tavern (or Inn), Lichfield Road, Brownhills, but I had not worked out how he was related, or, indeed, whether there we other publicans in the family.

Again, something turned up: family Bibles, kindly loaned by my cousin Martin. One of these listed a number of children of second great grandparents Henry and Dorothy Dennis along with their birth dates. Among them were William, July 6 1839 and Thomas June 24 1842. So that confirmed Thomas’s relationship, he was brother of great grandgfather John.

Publicans and Beer Sellers

As my research into local publicans advanced, albeit at a snail’s pace, I learned much more about this mysterious branch of the Dennis clan. All were related to William and Thomas. Sadly, all but one of the pubs they ran are long gone and even that has not been a pub for some time.

Ordnance Suevey 1938 revision.  Pubs in Chasetown High Street.  Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.

William’s son James kept the Lodge Inn, Rugeley Road, Boney Hay (north of the map above), and this is shown on the 1888 Ordnance Survey map on the north west quadrant of the junction with High Street. According to Kelly’s Directory and censuses, James kept the Lodge from at least 1900 to 1912, but he died there in 1926. The area has been redeveloped, but the name is remembered in a nearby cul-de-sac named Lodge Road.

The same sources, together with the local press, show another Thomas Dennis at the Triangle Tavern, Hammerwich, from May 1902 to 1912. Newpapers often reported changes to licenses.  I recall the pub, but for a long time it was a restaurant and has recently been redeveloped for housing.

The Junction, Chasetown.

There was also in Kelly’s 1912 edition a John E Dennis, beer seller, High Street, Chasetown. Was this another establishment? There were several public houses or beer houses in Chasetown High Street (see map), but I was having difficulty identifying which belonged to William and John E Dennis. Through the sources already noted, I was able to identify who kept some of the other watering holes for example the Uxbridge Arms, Junction Inn, and Staffordshire Knot (now a house). The 1901 census placed William, licensed victualler / publican, between records for New Road and Church Road, but I was still stuck. Could it be The Crown or The Swan? The Crown I found was run by a John Donaldson, so of the pubs I knew about it must be The Swan, but I then found it was kept by a man named Perry. Stumped.

The Crown, Hight Street, Chasetown.

The local press, Lichfield Mercury, came to the rescue with three articles providing information that I could combine to reach a firm conclusion. First was that in January 1910 the license of the Royal Oak was transfered to John Dennis from his father, whom I knew to be William Dennis. I now knew the name of the pub, but not its location. In August 1894 the license of the Royal Oak, Chasetown, was granted to William Dennis. Finally, there was a report about alleged damage to the Royal Oak Inn, Chasetown, “situate at the corner of High Street and Union Street“. I went to have a look and here is a recent image.

Formerly the Royal Oak, Chasetown, at the corner of High Street and Union Street.  I guess if I had speculated about its former use I might have thought public house or inn.

Oddly enough, Dad and I actually went to this place, where we ended up buying a wheelbarrow. When it stopped being a pub I have yet to discover, but at least I can say this mystery is resolved.