Admiral Lord Rodney, 88 Short Street
| Alternative Addresses: | 88 Much Park Street | ||
| These premises have been known by different names during their history: | FROM | TO | NAME |
| RODNEY'S HEAD | |||
| ADMIRAL LORD RODNEY | |||
| 1997 | 2018 | RAINBOWS | |
| 2018 | GLAMOROUS | ||
George Brydges, Lord Rodney (1719-92), had a distinguished naval career and is remembered especially for the victory over the French at the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, in the West Indies, which lead to better peace terms with the French after the American Revolution.
The first mention we have found of the pub dates from 6th August 1781, when it is for sale. So it seems likely that it was established by a former naval person who served with Rodney. In 1983 it was described as 'a gem of a back-street local with waiter service in the lounge'.
Part of the outside rendering fell off at this time, exposing the original timber frame of pre-1550. Therefore, restoration was undertaken and the frame was left visible on the end exterior wall. The licensee of the day also found part of the city walls in the cellar, and the Department of the Environment placed a preservation order on the place, making it Grade II listed.
That didn't stop the owners painting it a garish red colour and renaming it 'Rainbows'. | |||
LICENSEES:1808 - 1830 John Day 1831 - 1837 John Bromfield 1841 - 1868 Dorothy Nightingale 1874 - 1891 Elizabeth Nightingale (1887 Frederick Nightingale) 1893 - 1896 George Bonnick 1897 William James Penn 1902 - 1905 Jesse Wright 1905 - 1919 Harry Freeman 1920 - 1940 George Nightingale 1940 Harry Hobbs 1952 -1962 Beatrice Anne Hobbs (1956 B. Gilmore & W. Mumford) 1974 - 1982 Richard Morrisey 1982 J. Bradley 1990 G. Ford & T. Lindsay | |||
OWNERS:to 1812 William Bromfield, maltster, died 1812 from 1812 Sarah Bromfield, daughter of above 1874 Thomas Tibbits Bloxley of Burton on Trent 1898 Ebenezer Brown of Attleborough, Nuneaton. Let to Mitchells & Butler 1940 James Eadie of Burton-on-Trent taken over by Bass in 1933 from 1990 G. Ford & T. Lindsay | |||
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