Some history of the Bell Inn at Cradley in the county of Worcestershire.
This beer house was listed as the Blue Bell Inn by the enumerator collecting the data for the 1861 census. However, the 'Blue' element of the name was often dropped or perhaps forgotten and appears as the Bell Inn within other directories. The beer house was located in New Street, a road that led from the High Street down to Lodge Forge. Also known as Bedcoat Street, this was once lined with small cottages occupied by the people who grafted in the chain shops or perhaps in the brick and tile works next to the clay pit just to the east of New Street. Living conditions in many of the households was poor. In one case, there were eleven people living in one house with two bedrooms.
Column-2
Column-3
Licensees of the Bell Inn
1858 - William Bunn
1881 - Benjamin Homer
1884 - Joseph Westwood
Note : this is not a complete list of licensees for this pub. The dates of early licensees are sourced from trade directories, census
data, electoral rolls, rate books and newspaper articles. Names taken from trade directories may be slightly inaccurate as there is some slippage from publication dates
and the actual movement of people.
Column-4
"At the Police Court on Friday, before C. E. Swindell, J. Hunt, and W. E. Firmstone, Esqrs., Alfred and Martha Priest
[husband and wife] were charged with having feloniously received 19s. 6d., the money of William Bunn, of Cradley, knowing the same to have been
stolen. The prosecutor is a publican, at Cradley and also keeps a provision shop. The male prisoner is a chainmaker at the same place. The public-house was
managed by his wife, and the provision shop by his daughter, Mrs. Adams. Complainant had a daughter, aged 13, and she had been tutored by the defendant and his
wife to convey away sums of money. This had been proceeding for ten months, during which Mrs. Bunn had been ill. Mrs. Priest had been in the habit of being in
the house continually, and knew where the money was kept. She had induced the daughter, to go to those places and take the money, and then give it her. Jane Bunn,
the girl in question, proved having, front time to time, stolen money belonging to her father, and given it to one or other of the prisoners. The robbery had
been committed in an ingenious manner. After consulting, the Bench said that there was no evidence against the woman of having received the particular sum
specified in the charge, but Alfred Priest they should commit for trial. Mr. Swindell said they were of opinion that the wife was as bad, if not worse, in having
corrupted this child in the first instance. Fortunately for her the summons only comprised one certain charge of taking 19. 6d., which she did not appear to have
taken, but that she had received other sums they were quite satisfied. The woman then left the dock."
"Singular Case of Receiving Stolen Money"
Worcestershire Chronicle : January 8th 1862 Page 4
