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

Drinking in an Old English Town

White Friar, 73 Much Park Street

Alternative Addresses:	1 Whitefriars Street
Named after the nearby monastery, the earliest reference found to this pub in 1793 when the WHITE FRIAR was for sale. The premises were variously referred to as the WHITE FRIAR TAVERN (1851 Board of Health map), and the WHITE FRIAR INN (1888 Ordnance Survey map). This is the pub on the north side of Much Park Street, on the corner with Whitefriars Street - not to be confused with the OLD WHITE FRIAR just across the road on the south side of Much Park Street, number 76. The pub was enlarged twice in the 20th century - firstly in 1928, then more substantially in 1937 when the adjoining house was incorporated into the pub. It was also one of the last pubs in Coventry to brew its own beer, which ceased in 1931. In 1949 it was described as 'The well known and popular freehold fully-licensed free house'. The same year it was bought by the Truman brewery for £30,500. In April 1959 notice was given to the White Friar (plus the Cottage Inn, St. John Street, the Kings Head, St. Patrick's Road, and the White Hart Inn and Horse and Jockey, both in Much Park Street) that they had to be vacated by the 1st June to make way for the London Road section of the Ring Road. It was demolished on 21st December 1962.
LICENSEES: 1828 - 1829 William Arnold 1841 - 1854 William Westwick 1854 William Burberry 1854 Joseph Bidmead 1860 William Hubbard 1860 - 1867 Moses Checkley 1867 - 1869 William Standbridge (moved from the Black Dog, Whitefriars Street) 1869 - 1876 Walter Butler 1876 - 1877 William Frankton 1877 - 1880 David Peplow (died 1880, aged only 34) 1880 - 1881 Selina Peplow (widow of David Peplow - remarried to John Hudson 1881) 1881 - 1883 John Hudson (husband of Selina. Liquidated Jul 1883) 1883 Thomas Jackson 1886 - 1887 William Henry Jones and Cornelius Neale 1887 - 1888 John Woodward Samuel 1888 - 1891 Charles James Blay 1891 - 1898 Albert Taylor Harris 1898 - 1910 John Lynch 1910 - 1935 William John Lynch (son of John, died 19th Nov 1935, aged only 51) 1935 - 1938 Lily Ann Lynch (widow of William John) 1938 - 1949 Arthur Weston BREWERS: to 1887 Jones & Neale 1887 - 1898 Albert Taylor Harris 1898 - 1910 John Lynch 1910 - 1935 William John Lynch
Street plan of 1851