User:Psicorps/Dun Cow (Coventry)

There were two public houses in Coventry called The Dun Cow.

19-20 Cross Cheaping, Coventry

The first was at 19-20 Cross Cheaping. Very little documentation for this establishment still exists, but the earliest reference was a brief mention in 1694. It was demolished in 1839 and the site redeveloped. (Source: Coventry Archives department)

42 Jordan Well, Coventry

The second Coventry Dun Cow public house was located at 42 Jordan Well.

Jordan Well was originally part of Earl Street. In 1346 the Mayor of Coventry, Jordan Shepy (or Shepey) sank a well in front of his house, which later became the site of the then Gaumont Cinema (later Odeon Cinema), which is now owned by Coventry University.

In memory of Shepy's civic contributions, Earl Street was divided in two, and the second half was named Jordan Well.

The well itself was repaired in 1540, covered over with a pump in 1698, covered in 1900, and blown open during the Coventry Blitz of November 1940, whereupon it was filled in permanently. (Coventry, It’s History and Antiquities by Benjamin Poole, p340).

During its heyday in the 1910s-1920s, The Dun Cow was a popular meeting place for trade organisations, such as typographical societies and masons. (Source: Coventry Archives department)

History

1756 - First mention of the Dun Cow in Hewitt's Journal, when the mayor billeted 8 soldiers at the Dun Cow in Jordan Well.
1770 - First record of this establishment being used for auctions.
1823-1835 - gap in the public house's recorded history.
1847 - death of Peter Walker, who was the licensee and butcher.

Error here viz date of death. His actual death certificate gives true date as 14 December 1843 and his burial was 20 December 1843. He died of an "Ulcerated Throat", aged only 40.

1850 - landlord was William Drakeford.
1858 - licence was transferred from Ruben Stanbridge (purchase date unknown) to William Hembury.
1860 - David Smith took over about this date and changed the name to the Vampire Museum Inn.
1865 - licence was transferred from David Smith to William Harley.
1866 - licence was transferred from William Harley to Thomas Wilson, who changed the name back to The Dun Cow. He sold the pub the name year and the licence was transferred to David Taylor.
1867 - The pub was sold by David Taylor to Caleb Wakefield. He did not hold onto the premises for long and it was sold the same year to David Smith.
1868 - licence in the hands of William James Barnett (Kelly's Directory)
1869 - licence was transferred from David Smith to Thomas Bates.
1870 - licence was transferred from Thomas Bates to James Robert Lucas.
1871 - There is a record of The Plumbers, Glaziers and Painters Society holding their annual dinner there.
1872 - licence was transferred from David Smith to William Barnett.
1874 - William Barnett still licencee (F White & Co Warwickshire directory)
1879 - licensee is recorded as John James Warwick.
1880 - licencee recorded as John James Warwick (Kelly's Directory)
1886 - G Pitt is recorded as the licensee but the exact year of sale is unknown.
1888 - licensee is recorded as John Bolton.
1890 - licence was transferred to a J Priest.
1891 - licensee is recorded as William Seymour.

He remained licensee until at least 1896 (Kelly's Directory). William was born in 1853 and as an adult he was a watchmaker by trade. He took over the pub at the age of 38 and continued watchmaking on the premises with his brother Charles, who was 8 years his junior. Their mother, Ruth Seymour, also lived in the accommodation upstairs. Various censuses show Ruth Seymour as either a widow or unmarried. It is clear that the latter is true, and a male resident shown on two successive censuses (firstly as a cousin, secondly as no relation) would appear to be William and Charles's father.

1907 - Charles Seymour, brother of William Seymour, took over the licence.
1908 - the pub was sold and the licence transferred to a Robert Bickley. Bickley was still the licensee in 1912-13 (Spennells Directory).
1924 - licence was transferred to an E Selkins.
1931 - licence was transferred to Walter J Parker.
1935 - licence was transferred to Alfred H Robinson. He was still the licensee in 1940 (Kelly's Directory).
1948 - The pub survived extensive bombing of the surrounding streets during World War 2, and by 1948, a Rose Cudworth was recorded as the licensee. This was the only time in its documented history that a woman held the licence.
1950 - licence was transferred to William Boylan.
1954 - licence was transferred to Frederick Clarke.
1956 - licence was transferred to Harry Gould.
1957 - licence was transferred to Joseph Caver.

After running The Craven Arms in Chapelfields, Coventry and The Chequers (now The Ferryman) in Bablock Hythe, Oxfordshire during 1957, Harry Gould returned to The Dun Cow to run it for a second time, exact year unknown but some point between 1957 and 1964.

1964 - The Dun Cow was finally closed, and a week after its closure, the building was struck b lightning, which left a large crack in the front. The building was later demolished in 1969. The licence was transferred to the Lady Godiva on the corner of Jordan Well and Much Park Street, which had just been built.