The Definitive Guide to the History of
Pubs and Beerhouses in Coventry

Drinking in an Old English Town

Marble Hall, 23 Earl Street

These premises have been known by different names during their history:	FROM	TO	NAME
	1825	1851	WINE AND SPIRIT VAULTS / BOARD
	1851	1858	MARBLE HALL
Newspaper descriptions of this public house indicate it to be on the north side of Earl Street, opposite Much Park Street. The Coventry Herald's report of licence transfers for the 22nd May 1851 show the BOARD (more often referred to as the WINE AND SPIRIT VAULTS), being transferred from John Johnson to John George Checketts. From the 25th July 1851 John Checketts begins to advertise the new name of THE MARBLE HALL in various Coventry newspapers. Checketts, interestingly, had recently retired from his job as a Lion Tamer with Wombwell's Menagerie, a travelling animal circus which regularly visited Coventry. He died in October 1852, however, and a family member, Henry Jacox, took over the licence, although for less than four years, as in late 1856 his widow, Catherine, took over the licence. This name continued until the middle of 1858 when Elizabeth Checketts (widow of John) passed the licence to Harry Chetham. Either this Harry, or possibly his son of the same name, appears to have been the licensee of this pub previously, up until 1845. Earl Street pre-war featuring St. Mary Street on the left. Photo courtesy of David McGrory.
LICENSEES: 1851 (22nd May) - 1852 John George Checketts (died October 1852) 1853 - 1856 Henry Holmes Jacox (died late 1856) 1857 Catherine Jane Jacox (Henry's widow) 1857 (31st Dec) - 1858 (July) Elizabeth Checketts (John's widow) 1858 Harry Chetham
Street plan of 1851