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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Buckinghamshire => Topic started by: mrstar on Tuesday 20 December 11 16:04 GMT (UK)
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Hello,
Iam hoping someone may be able to help me - Ive come across someone living at the 'Golden Ball' inn in Prestwood in 1881 and am wondering if anyone knows anything about this pub or even has any pictures of it. Ive not had much luck so far but would be interested in any more info on it, particularly if anyone knows what happened to it and whether it is now a house or business of some sort? In other words if the building still stands and whereabouts it is.
Many thanks :)
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Some history of Prestwood here
http://www.bucksfhs.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=946&Itemid=182
but no specific mention of the Inn.
Might be worth contacting the bucks fhs to see if theyhave anything
How big is Prestwood? Could theChequers have previously been the GB?
Pic of that here
http://www.francisfrith.com/prestwood,buckinghamshire/photos/the-chequers-c1965_p281007/
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Deadpubs has entries for six Prestwood pubs: http://pubshistory.com/Buckinghamshire/Prestwood/index.shtml
The Golden Ball only appears in 1863 (landlord John West) so it doesn't seem to have been around for long. It may have changed its name, but not to The Chequers, which was the only other named pub in the 1863 directory. Deadpubs is a great resource but need to be used with caution as they don't include all possible directories/cenuses and don't list beer retailer entries for unnamed premises.
In an 1854 directory (not on Deadpubs) it is shown as being at Prestwood Common (landlord Joseph Brackley).
The 1861 census has the White Horse, Chequers, Crown, Green Man and an unnamed beer house. I suspect the latter is the Golden Ball but it could also have been the Crown (proprietor David Brackley - perhaps he took over from Joseph and changed the name for a while?).
This was a period when anyone could open up a beer house just by paying for a licence - and many did. Beer houses came and went pretty quickly. Some lasted (many of today's pubs started as beer houses) but most faded away.
None of this goes very far towards identifying the location of the Golden Ball - just thought it might be of interest.
Probably of more use is that the Prestwood Society have done some research into local pubs, perhaps they can help: http://www.bucksconnect.org.uk/ms/the-prestwood-society/the-prestwood-society.aspx
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Hi
John West is recorded as residing in The Golden Ball in 1861 & 1871
1871 RG10 1486 83 p2
Golden Ball Hughendon Prestwood
John West 80 beer seller Risborough
Eliz. West 74 beer seller Hughendon
1861 RG9 859 8 p10
John AgLab Publican
Eliz
George 25
John 21
Deadpubs.co.uk is an ongoing and unfinished project.
Most of the info has been gathered by its owner Kevan with occasional help from "a small band of helpers" (my phrase).
I will format the info re The Golden Ball from this thread and place it in the queue for update to the site.
Cheers!
Ray
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I found online a fascinating dissertation all about Prestwood. On page 27 there's an 1850 map showing the Golden Ball!
http://prestwoodva.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/PRESTWOOD-DISSERTATION.pdf
Heather
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By 1872 the Pub is not trading, according to The 1872 Beer House list for Buckinghamhsire. It comes under the Parish of Great Missenden, along with 24 other Pubs and beer house, including the Chequers.
This list is available as an Excel download for free, from the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies, online resource, giving who hold the licence and who is the occupier, and who owns it.
Steve.