The Definitive Guide to the History of
Pubs and Beerhouses in Coventry

Drinking in an Old English Town

Beehive, 19 Tower Street

On 29th December 1843 a meeting of Freemen was held at the Bee Hive Tavern. It was a home-brew pub until c1920. In February 1931 it was decided not to renew the licence for the Beehive due to redundancy. The decision of the Justices did not take place until the 27th May the following year, however, and compensation was agreed at £5,100 in April 1933. The pub closed within a month or so of that. The beehive has long been a symbol of industry. It must also have appealed as a pub sign because of its distinctive shape.

LICENSEES: 1845 William Reeves (died 19th Sep 1845) 1850 Joshua Thompson 1852 - 1855 Joseph Cramp (died 3rd Jan 1855) 1855 - 1858 Benjamin Kingdom senior 1858 Thomas Cleaver 1861 Edward Dann 1861 - 1863 Patrick Kelly 1863 - 1864 Elijah Rollason 1864 - 1865 William Wilkins 1865 - 1867 Samuel Russell 1867 - 1869 James Barr 1869 - 1872 Samuel Russell 1872 - 1875 John Deeming 1875 - 1878 George Burson 1878 - 1888 John William Twigger 1888 - 1900 Charles Faulconbridge (died Dec 1900) 1900 - 1927 Emma Ellen Faulconbridge (widow of Charles) 1929 - 1930 Albert Victor Caldicott 1930 - 1933 Walter John Watts BREWERS: These roughly correlate to the licensees to 1877 George Barson 1877 - 1884 William J. Twigger 1884 - 1887 John William J. Twigger [are these the same person?] 1887 - 1898 Charles Faulconbridge 1898 - 1920 Mrs Emma Ellen Faulconbridge

OWNERS: 1878 Thomas King, Cook Street, Coventry later Charles Falconbridge, c/o James Richardson, Carlton House, Holyhead Road

Street plan of 1851