Old Star, 31 Earl Street
From c1424 to 1443 an pub known as Star Inn stodd on the corner of Earl Street and Bayley Lane. These premises, however, were on the south side of Earl Street, across the road from the older property.
From 1831 to 1864 the 'General Dispensary' was held in some rooms in Earl Street, formerly belonging to the Old Star Inn.
In 1894 it was sold by the executors of Robert Arnold Dalton to Ratliff's brewery for £2,050. When that brewery was taken over by Phillips and Marriott they valued it at £3,000 including messuages and a garage.
It then burnt down c1900 and was rebuilt only to be destroyed in the blitz of 1940. In 1959 the license was transferred to the Black Prince, Jardine Crescent.
 The Old Star was about half way down on the right hand side. The star was originally as religious symbol, referring to the star of Bethlehem or to the Virgin Mary, one of whose titles is 'Star of the Sea' (Stella Maris). Since 1634 a six-pointed star also appeared in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Innholders, previously the guild of Innkeepers. The star as a pub name dates from the fifteenth century. | |||
LICENSEES:1834 - 1840 Samuel Johnson (moved to the Peacock Gosford Street) 1845 S. Powell 1850 Henry Perkins 1850 - 1851 Mrs. Perkins 1851 - 1853 Samuel Goddard 1853 - 1855 William Woodhouse 1859 - 1864 Richard Hands (died Jan 1864) 1864 - 1871 Thomas Hands (brother of Richard, died 4th Jul 1871) 1871 Susan Hands (widow of Thomas) 1871 - 1875 Henry Hands (moved to Old Mitre, Much Park Street) 1875 Thomas Whiteman 1879 - 1881 William B. Whiteman 1886 Thomas Jackson 1886 - 1889 Edward Wilday 1889 - 1890 William Ashton Neale 1890 - 1891 Thomas Danes 1891 Harry Augustus Levaine 1891 William Ratliffe 1892 Joseph Archer 1892 - 1895 James Elliott 1895 - 1896 Thomas Mountford 1896 - 1898 John Albert Harvey 1898 - 1899 F. J. Barnett 1899 - 1901 William Henry Tovey 1901 - 1903 Benjamin Maton (gained a Music License at the same time) 1903 - 1904 Francis John Morgan 1904 David Gamble 1904 - 1905 Albert Giles Howard 1905 - 1907 Henry W. Shufflebotham 1907 - 1910 William Murfin 1910 - 1914 Wilshire Percy Woodcock 1914 - 1916 William Vaughan 1916 - 1927 Edward Cowley 1931 - 1935 William Walter Sheffield 1935 - 1940 Joseph Shilton | |||
OWNERS:1424 - c1474 Thomas Wildris 1474 Drapers Company 1892 - 1893 Robert Arnold Dalton 1893 - 1899 Ratliff's Brewery from 1899 Phillips & Marriott | |||
 Street plan of 1851 | |||