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A
History of The Cricketers Inn images
from 1900s on from
1990s on |
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Early
history On the 1820s Tithe map the property is
identified only as a carpenters shop. It was first named as the “Cricketers
Inn” on the 1870 Ordinance Survey map. It is said that early in the 1800s two
sisters opened their cottage to give refreshments to the cricketers
returning from the cricket pitch in The Park along the track just opposite.
This could have been the start of an “unlicensed” but legal Alehouse, one of
five in the village in the early days. References to
court cases relating to Goldhanger alehouse and beerhouses in the Essex
Records Office first start in 1576, although addresses were not given. |
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The first record of
Caleb Chaplin residing at the property is in 1854. |
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The business was developed
as an alehouse and inn by Caleb Chaplin, a
baker who lived next door (now called Elms bakery), and he applied for
the first full spirit licence in August 1869... The Tithe map and Awards
of 1838 shows he owned both the bakery and Cricketers Inn in that year. |
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...he was also
captain of the cricket team in 1869 |
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However, in 1870 both premises were put up for sale...
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...but by 1872 the landlord was
applying for permission to stay open for the Regatta. |
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The Cricketers and landlord Henry Walden were in the news in 1888 when
two men from Writtle were arrested for theft, but they escaped while being
transport to Witham. |
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In 1899 an application was made to the
courts to close down the Cricketers and two unnamed beerhouses. The
application for the Cricketers was deferred. Apparently Caleb took a job as the
baker at Chelmsford prison, where he worked for the next 30 years. |
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His
son, also called Caleb and who was born at The Cricketers in 1867, spent 27
years in the Merchant Navy, but was killed in 1917 while he was the first
mate on S.S. Newstead that was torpedoed by a U-boat in the Atlantic. His
name is on the Chelmsford Civic Centre War Memorial. |
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The
Chelmsford War Memorial website recalls both their lives and records that
Caleb Chaplin senior had participated in the Australian gold rush in the
1860s! An obituary from the Essex
Newsman of 1908 |
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From the 1800s until the first
half of the 1900s the Cricketers benefited from having a wheelwrights next
door and the blacksmiths opposite, so customers could take refreshments in
the inn while their carriages and wagon wheels were being repaired and their
horses were being re-shod. |
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These views show the inn during the early 1900s
with the old inn sign clearly visible, and the wheelwrights barn next door.
The full postcards are shown at the top of this page. |
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The Great War In February 1918 Second Lieutenant
Frederick Augustus Crowley from the Gardeners Farm Flight Station crashed in
his Sopwith Camel in the field next to the Cricketers. His picture is
displayed in the Inn. Frederick
is buried in military grave in St Peter's Church and his name is on the
Goldhanger War Memorial. |
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World War-2 During an air raid in 1942 a German
bomber passing over the village was caught in the beam of a searchlight based
in The Park. The bomber's gunner fired his cannon towards the searchlight and
one of his bullets went through the roof of the Cricketers Inn, and ending up
imbedded in a landlord's chest-of-drawers in the bedroom. James Lane, the Landlord in 1937, or maybe his
son of the same name, is known to have served in the forces in WW-2. |
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Recorded Landlords of The
Cricketers Inn |
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Year |
Landlord |
Source |
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1835-69 |
Caleb Chaplin (also the baker) |
Trade directories &
newspapers |
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1870-71 |
John Lomax |
Kelly's & post offfice |
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1874 |
Edward Green |
Kelly's& post offfice |
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1878 |
Frank Wadham |
Kelly's |
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1881-82 |
Samuel & Sarah Clarke |
Kelly's & Census |
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1886-1925 |
Henry & Eleanor Walden |
Kelly's |
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1901 |
Henry J Walden |
Census (also horseman) |
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1925-1929 |
Reginald Sterling Williams |
Kelly's |
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1933 |
Donald McRae |
Kelly's |
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1937 |
James A Lane |
Kelly's |
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1940-50 |
Jim Hinchclif |
newspapers |
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1950s? |
Sharratt |
Local knowledge |
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1950s? |
Lord |
Local knowledge |
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1950s-60s |
Lous Stanford |
newspapers |
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1960s-80s |
Mary Stanford |
Parish magazine |
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1990s-2000 |
Dave & Jean Nurton |
Parish magazine |
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2005-12 |
Steve Williams |
Parish magazine |
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2013-15 |
John & Jenice Howe |
Parish magazine |
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2015-2016 |
John Paul Ingui |
Parish magazine |
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2017-2023 |
Vince & Diane |
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Some
Information here is taken from: pubshistory.com/EssexPubs/Goldhanger/
home top
of page & Cricketers photo gallery