William JONES, Lydbrook innkeeper (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Friday, September 13, 2013, 20:34 (4083 days ago) @ MPGriffiths

Hi Colleen,
as admin says I can confirm from much experience that finding a "William Jones" in Lydbrook is very easy, but finding "your" one amongst the many is not so easy !.

Apologies as I've recently lost all my research on this name & area, however I'm sure MPG's post shows the correct family ref Wm Sidney Jones b1874. The excellent Glos Pubs site shows a few Jones inn/pub keepers amongst the 20 pubs of Lydbrook, but only one William Jones. I can't give a direct link to the pub, but if you search that site for "Lydbrook" then page thro the 20 pubs listed to "Prince of Wales" there's a photo-history of this pub. William Sydney Jones is shown as landlord in 1891 Census, and a Mrs William Jones in 1903.
http://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk/AllGlosPubsDatabase/AllGlosPubs_view.php

The William Jones who MPG's post shows dies abt 1912 is, I think, the father of William Sydney Henry. William SH was born abt 1873 and registered at Monmouth like so many Lydbrook people were (not to be confused with William Sydney Henry Jones born and sadly buried in Cinderford in 1872, registered at Westbury).

Our William SH also died young, I think - there were an awful lot of William Jones in Lydbrook ! - from this site's PRs;

Record_ID: 271916
Entry_Number: 160
Year: 1919
Month: Jul
Day: 7
Surname: JONES
Forenames: William Sidney
Residence: Lydbrook
Age_at_death: 46 years
Officiating_Minister: A Wynne Thomas Vicar Bishopswood
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P208 IN 1/13
Page_No: 20
Parish_Chapel: Lydbrook

From this FoD site the 1879 Kelly's Trade Directory for Lydbrook lists "Jones William, beer retailer".
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/index.php/resources/kelly-s-directory-1879/65-lydbrook

The 1914 Edition includes the following Jones entries under Lydbrook:
"Jones, Alfred James, beer retailer, Upper Lydbrook"
"Jones, Frederick, Anchor Inn"
"Jones, William S, beer retailer"

The 1923 Edition includes:
"Jones, Alfred, beer retailer, Upper Lydbrook"
"Jones, Wm(Mrs), beer retailer, Hawsley"
"Jones, William T, beer retailer, Lower Lydbrook"

NB
Mrs Wm Jones at Hawsley may be the widow of William SH buried 1919 ?.
Alfred Jas Jones's pub was the Jovial Colliers, he was landlord from around 1895 until 1923 at least, in 1939 a John Jones was behind the bar. Despite it being in Upper Lydbrook it recently had to close due to severe flood damage.
The Anchor Inn is also still trading and is in Lower Lydbrook as the name suggests. After 1914 Frederick Jones moved to the Sawyers Arms Lydbrook.
The Prince of Wales ceased trading abt WW2 and is now a private house.

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To complete the Census Records listed by MPG, using Ancestry's current free access

1911 Census, Prince of Wales, Lydbrook. 10 rooms household.
Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Occupation Birth City Birth County Birth Country Address
William Sidney Jones Head 1874 37 Male Married 12 yrs Licensed Victualler Lydbrook Gloucestershire England Lydbrook
Lizzie Ellen Jones Wife 1876 35 Female Married 12 yrs Resident United States of America Lydbrook
Flossie Thirlway Adopted Child 1901 10 Female School Nk Lydbrook
Noris Burnett Visitor 1897 14 Female Bristol

Hope these links work for you too

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2353/rg14_31731_0357_03/436436?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fs...
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?new=1&gsfn=william&gsln=jones&...

The USA link intrigues me; I know some Lydbrook tinplaters emigrated to the USA for work before 1911, I need to repeat my researches to see if theres a link. If anyone can find their marriage record I'd love to see it, please.

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Re your query about the innkeeper term, yes traditionally an inn is effectively a pub(public drinking house/tavern) that offers accomodation for travellers whereas a public house/beerhouse does not. However I think such references in census' and directories etc may not always be precise and often depends on the whim/view of the individual in question, "innkeeper" perhaps sounds "better" than "landlord" ?. That said of course many rural pubs did have a guest room or two if only for occasional use.
This may help
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_house