Royal Oak, London Road, Whitley
1835 see BEERHOUSE, Whitley. The original pub closed in 1932 and became offices. The new Royal Oak opened in a building marked as Plemont Villa on a map, which was previously a children's home. The Corporation sold this to Hunt Edmunds brewery for £2,500. It is an odd shaped building on the dual carriageway out of Coventry. It has a basic bar and a pleasant lounge.This name is second in popularity to the Red Lion. Following the defeat of the Battle of Worcester in 1651, Charles II, together with his aide, Colonel Carless, hid from noon till dusk in the Boscobel Oak near Shifnal, Shropshire, in order to escape from the Roundhead soldiers pursuing them. After the restoration it was declared that May 29th, Charles II's birthday, should be celebrated as Royal Oak Day, an act of thanksgiving. The popularity of the pub sign may be attributed to genuine rejoicing that the monarchy had been restored but it also comments on the appeal of exciting incidents. It may also refer to one of the many ships that bore this name. | |||
LICENSEES:1861 - 1876 Benjamin Todd 1879 - 1880 Walter Butler 1886 - 1905 Tom Rose 1908 - 1909 William Killpack 1911 - 1940 John Marshall 1960 - 1962 A. F. Marshall | |||