Public Houses

These are some of the hostelries you may have visited and we will visit on the site.

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  • I have just set up the section on the Prince of Wales as promised. Sorry for the delay the following link will take you to the page

    Prince of Wales

    By Ian Mott (19/11/2012)
  • Yes, I remember Laindon fc being next door, between them and the car showroom (Toomey’s)

    By Georgia Laurie (11/09/2012)
  • The stable block to whiich Mary refers was also used as the changing rooms for Laindon FC which played its home games on the hotel meadow.

    By W.H.Diment (19/06/2012)
  • In the 1940’s and 50’s this was the local tie factory, its trade mark was a hand of cards When my father worked there as a tie cutter, the boss was a Mr Pavey. The youngest member of staff was known as “Young Henry”, he left to become a brick layer working on the new Basildon houses. Anyone know what happened to him?

    By Mary Cole (nee Norman) (09/06/2012)
  • I was told, as a child, that The Laindon Hotel was going to have a race course besides it, which was why it was large enough to have rooms to let. I think the money ran out, and it is possible that the race course at Galleywood took its place. I do remember that to the side of the main building there was a stable block! In the 40s and 50s these buildings were used by the homing pigeon club

    By Mary Cole (nee Norman) (09/06/2012)
  • I suggest this photo was taken in the late 40’s, (or even later), as the once immaculate bowling green appears to be overgrown and the entrance to it from the french windows of the saloon has similarly succumbed to nature.

    By W.H.Diment (05/06/2012)
  • This photo is very hard to date, but if the motor car on thr forecourt is any guide it would be from the 1920’s. Also the roller on the crown meadow would indicate that cricket was being played there and that Langdon Hills CC is the oldest cricket club in the area.

    By W.H.Diment (05/06/2012)
  • This is is the old Fortune of War standing on the junction of Wash Rd., and Noak Hill Rd (often referred to as Billericay Rd.) It still stands today as a factor selling alloy car wheels and has in the past been a printers and a garage operating from a building at the west end of the courtyard. It was considered by some to have been haunted by the ghost of a napoleonic soldier, but I do not know when or from whom this tale originated.

    By W.H.Diment (20/05/2012)
  • This photo is a duplication of the previous photo, but not quite a clear.

    By W.H.Diment (20/05/2012)
  • Seeing the photographs of the old hostelries, how may can remember them having their supplies brought in by a dray. I cannot say I remember this about the Crown, the “Fortune” or the Laindon Hotel, but I can remember the Prince of Wales and The Shepherd and Dog being so supplied by drays pulled by two huge shire horses. It must have been quite a desirable occupation for the draymen and his assistant driving through country lanes and stopping at pubs to unload where it was a custom for each of them to receive a pint. It was also said that some dray horses also received a pint, but I cannot vouch for this.

    By William Diment (04/10/2011)

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