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Where we are
The Chequers
High Street
Yelden
Bedfordshire
MK44 1AW
Telephone: 01933 356 383
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- History From the parish registers, the following are the probable of the landlords of the White Horse. Ridley Brown(e) was born in the parish in 1672 & was a “victualler” in 1703. Francis Roughton was the “innkeeper” in 1742 when his daughter Elizabeth was baptised – he died in 1777. Susannah Smith from Pertenhall had married Robert Smith a shepherd in 1739. When Robert died in 1759 he was a husbandman. Six years later his widow made her will and left property in the village to her grandson Joseph Smith son of her deceased son Francis. She left the house she lived in to Elizabeth Ruddis her daughter who had married Thomas Ruddis, father of Samuel who was the publican (died in 1796), and property in Shelton to her son John Smith. So pehaps Robert & Susan had been previous landlords at the White Horse. Susanna also mentions her kinsman Samuel Roughton of Denford and he is Executor of her will. From a bundle of deeds, more of the landlords:- Samuel Roddis (or Raddis or Ruddis) “publican” died in the parish in 1796. He was a labourer when he married Elizabeth Smyth in 1766. Perhaps his son Samuel continued until, in June 1800 he released his tenure to Vincent Wallis. In October the following year the lease was transferred to Whittingstall & Long (brewers of Bedford). Thomas Wagstaff(e) was the landlord in 1818 when a deed was drawn up and he purchased the house for £135 from Sir William Long. He died inestate in 1841 and his eldest son, schoolmaster at Blakesley in Northamptonshire, made oath to administer the estate. Another conveyance was made 20th July 1844 by release from Mr George Wagstaff to Miss Elizabeth Wagstaff. Ann Wagstaff, widow of Thomas, was the landlady in 1845 when she gave the “Checkers” by Deed of Gift to her daughter Elizabeth Wagstaff on condition that she paid each of her four brothers the sum of £10. In 1876 Elizabeth Wagstaff made her will and decreed that the Chequers was to be sold to her nephew Thomas for £130 and the proceeds to be equally shared amongst her neices and nephews. On 31st August 1880 a conveyance was drawn up for Messrs Robert Wagstaff & others to sell to Mr Thomas Wagstaff. So it would seem that her nephew purchased the property, as the following declaration was made by Thomas Wagstaff in 1898:- On 28th July 1898 a conveyance of freehold messuage or tenement and Public house known as “The Chequers” situate at Yelden in the County of Bedford was made from Mr Thomas Wagstaff to David Dulley Esq & Mrs Frances Dulley. In 1904 William Dulley & Sons of Wellingborough purchased land surrounding it from The Honourable Henry Arden Adderley others, who had inherited from Henry Seymour Hoare. The Chequers was sold again in 1922 to Campbell Praed and Company Ltd. of Wellingborough, and Matilda Watts became landlady. Her son Charles took over the property in 1929 and extended it by adding two more bedrooms and a bathroom. In 1939 James Leonard George became licensee and was still there in 1950 when a dreadful fire took hold and destroyed the old thatched property. The present building of brick and tile was then built.
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