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Copenhagen Tavern, Salmon Lane, Limehouse, London

The Copenhagen Tavern was a public house situated at 183 Salmon Lane, Limehouse, London.

The earliest found archive records indicate the Copenhagen was open by 1850s and the earliest map found during research which shows the pub is the 1873 London Town Plan.[1]

Other public houses on Salmon Lane included the Freemasons Arms (numbers 96-98)[2], the Coopers Arms (201)[3], the Albion (101)[4], the Foresters Arms (121)[5], the Royal Navy (53)[6], the Rose and Crown (79)[7], the Prince Regent (81)[8] and the Crow's Nest (14)[9] Of the pubs that weren't demolished, most have been converted to residential properties and only the Prince Regent survives.

In April 1898, the London Evening News carried an advertisement for servant girl to help assist with chores at the tavern and to help look after the children who lived there.[10] It seems likely the advert was placed by the Lee family, who were listed in the 1901 Census as residing at the tavern with two female servants: Rose Newman and Annie Prior.

Sometime around 1907, William Hitchcock moved his family to 175 Salmon Lane, which was situated 4 doors away from the Copenhagen.

In 1915, William's daughter, Ellen Kathleen Hitchcock, married Harry Lee, the son of the Copenhagen's landlord. The couple briefly took over the management of the White Hart on Hooper Lane in Whitechapel before Harry enlisted at the start of 1918. Some time after his discharge in April 1920, Harry fell ill and the couple returned to the Copenhagen where he was nursed through his illness by his sister, Grace. Harry eventually died in April 1924 from colon cancer, aged only 31.

Ellen Kathleen appears to have remained living at the Copenhagen until around 1930, presumably helping with the running of the pub.[11] By 1927, she was having an affair with Albert Edward Ingram — a married member of the staff at the pub whose own wife had deserted him — and she gave birth to an illegitimate child in April 1928.

Ellen Kathleen Lee remained listed in the London telephone directory as contactable at the Copenhagen Tavern until at least 1930 and married Albert Edward Ingram in April 1931. Following their marriage, the couple lived at other public houses, including the Old Gibraltar[12] in Greenwich (1932) and the Ye Olde Whittington[13] in the City of London (1933-35).

Much of Salmon Lane was redeveloped after the Second World War and the Copenhagen Tavern appears to have been demolished by the 1960s.

Maps

This archive map from 1896 shows the area around Salmon Lane, with the Copenhagen Tavern shaded in blue. William Hitchcock's fishmongery at 175 Salmon Lane, where the family lived, is shown in green and their separate fish frying shop at 130 is shaded red.

Former site of the Copenhagen Tavern on Google Street View:

Archive Records

  • 1854 Electoral Register — Nathaniel Brooks[14]
  • 1856 Kelly's London Directory — Nathaniel Brooks
  • 1857 Electoral Register — Nathaniel Brooks
  • 1859 Kelly's London Directory — Nathaniel Brooks
  • 1869 Kelly's London Directory — John Evans
  • 1880 Kelly's London Directory — John Frances Taylor
  • 1881 Census — Walter Mitchell (b. ~1852) and wife Mary J. Mitchell (b. ~1853)
  • 1891 Census — James Born (b. ~1855) and wife Charlotte Born (b. ~1866)
  • 1901 Post Office Directory — Jonathan Batsford
  • 1905 Kelly's London Directory — William F. Batsford
  • 1907 Kelly's London Directory — William F. Batsford
  • 1908 Kelly's London Directory — William F. Batsford
  • 1910 Electoral Register — William Frederick Batsford
  • 1910 Kelly's London Directory — William F. Batsford
  • 1911 Electoral Register — William Frederick Batsford (abode given as 18 Argyle Road, Ilford)
  • 1912 Electoral Register — William Frederick Batsford (abode given as 18 Argyle Road, Ilford)
  • 1912 Kelly's London Directory — William F. Batsford
  • 1914 Electoral Register — Henry Lee[15]
  • 1915 Electoral Register — Henry Lee[16]
  • 1915 Electoral Register — Harry Lee (b. 1892) and his father H. Lee (b. ~1863)
  • 1921 Street Directory — Mrs Emily Lee
  • 1924 — death certificate for Harry Lee (b. 1892), registered by his widow E.K. Lee
  • 1924 — probate entry for Harry Lee (b. 1892)
  • 1925 Kelly's London Directory — Harry Lee
  • 1926 Kelly's London Directory — Harry Lee
  • 1926 Post Office London Directory with County Suburbs — Harry Lee
  • 1927 Kelly's London Directory — Mrs. Ellen Kathleen Lee
  • 1930 Electoral Register — Ellen Kathleen Lee (abode 19 Edith Villas), Edward Morris, Edith Callahan, Edward George Bradley and Ida Irenee Bradley
  • 1931 Post Office Directory — Edward George Bradley
  • 1934 Kelly's Directory — Charles Percy Papworth
  • 1938 Post Office Directory — Charles Percy Papworth
  • 1939 Electoral Register — George Halleybone, Edith Halleybone, Frances Mary Loftus and Theresa O'Neil
  • 1941 Post Office Directory — Mrs Eliz M Horridge

The excellent Pub History web site has further details about the Copenhagen.

Research Notes

  • During the late 1800s, local inquests were often held at the Copenhagen Tavern.
  • The Era (20/May/1849) reported that G. Murrell had assaulted Charles Bust at the Copenhagen by taking a piece of burning wood from the tavern's fire and thrusting it into Bust's right eye. Murrell was found guilty and told to pay a £5 fine or face two months in prison.
  • The Era (23/May/1852) reported that the licence for the Copenhagen had been transferred from James Lemon to Samuel Punt.
  • The Morning Post (07/Jun/1854) reported that George Beale, a 23-year-old labourer who lived at 2 Salmon Lane, had been charged with "being drunk and disorderly" and having assaulted Johanna Fitzsimons. Beale had been drinking at the Copenhagen and, "in a state of intoxication", had begun attacking people outside the tavern. He was eventually subdued by two police constables and was sentenced to two months imprisonment with hard labour.
  • The Era (18/Mar/1860) reported that the licence for the Copenhagen had been transferred from Nathaniel Brooks to John Schooling.
  • The Era (18/Aug/1867) reported that the licence for the Copenhagen had been transferred from John Schooling to John Evans.
  • The East London Observer (17/Jul/1869) and The Era (18/Jul/1869) reported that the licence for the Copenhagen had been transferred from John Evans to Thomas William Guest.
  • The Era (26/May/1872) reported that the licence for the Copenhagen had been transferred from Thomas William Guest to Robert Medworth.
  • The 1881 Census lists Walter Mitchell (b. ~1852) as the manager of the Copenhagen, along with his wife Mary J. Mitchell (b. ~1853).
  • The 1891 Census lists James Born (b. ~1855) as the manager of the Copenhagen, along with his wife Charlotte (b. ~1866).

Links

Notes & References

  1. ↑ An advertisement placed in The Times (19/Feb/1836) indicates that several properties on the corner of Salmon Lane and Copenhagen Place were torn down in the late 1830s and redeveloped, which may be when the Copenhagen was built.
  2. ↑ Pub History: Freemasons Arms. The pub was apparently demolished in 2005.
  3. ↑ Pub History: Coopers Arms.
  4. ↑ Pub History: The Albion.
  5. ↑ Pub History: Foresters Arms.
  6. ↑ Pub History: Royal Navy.
  7. ↑ Pub History: Rose & Crown.
  8. ↑ Pub History: Prince Regent.
  9. ↑ Pub History: Crows Nest.
  10. ↑ London Evening News (14/Apr/1898) - Domestic Servants Wanted
  11. ↑ The 1921 London Street Directory names Harry's mother, Emily Lee, as the landlady.
  12. ↑ Pub History: Old Gibraltar.
  13. ↑ Pub History: Ye Olde Whittington.
  14. ↑ Born around 1810 and married to Ann. 1851 Census lists them at the Old Red Lion, 103 Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel. Died 14/Jul/1861 leaving effects worth under £6,000.
  15. ↑ Likely Harry Lee (b. ~1863).
  16. ↑ Likely Harry Lee (b. ~1863).
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