David Collins (d.collins340 @t btinternet.com) of Wormington, Worcs, writes: I am researching my 2nd Great Grandfather, Harvey Henry SOUTH (1815 - 1872) who started life in the hamlet of Broughton, Pershore, Worcs, as the son of a tailor.  By 1837 he was living in London and as a Master Tailor lived in Knightsbridge and Chelsea including Eaton Square so I assume he was quite wealthy.  He had a shop in the Kings Road. In 1866 at the baptism of his last child he referred to himself as "A Gentleman".

Just 5 years later, in 1871, he was living in High Street, Hemel Hempstead with three of his children and he stated his occupation was "Publican".  His wife was living in Slatters Yard, High St., H. H. with my Gt. Grandfather. He died on 23rd March 1872 of T.B. and in his will it states he was a publican at the Half Moon inn and that he left "less than £450".  I know no more detail.

Do you know if there would be a local licensing register to show if he was a landlord or owner of the property and if so how can I get that information?  As he was a pub landlord is it likely his death would have been recorded in any local newspaper?

I will start with a comment about the 1871 census. No location is given about where he was a publican in the High Street, but he is just down the road from the White Hart - which suggests he was in the Half Moon but the name was not recorded.

In answer to your direct questions the guide to the records held at HALS, Tracing Your Family History in Hertfordshire says Between 1830 and 1869, restrictions on the opening of inns and public houses were removed and the JP's power to control them were weakened. For this period there is consequentially less evidence available for pub licensing.  They then outline their holdings - and it would appear that you are unlikely to find anything relevant for the period 1866 to 1872 - which are the relevant dates for Harvey Henry South.

The local paper at the time was the Hemel Hempstead Gazette, which was founded in 1867, and is still published with an active web site, with heritage pages provided in conjunction with the Dacorum Heritage Trust. They may be able to help you, as my experience with other local Hertfordshire papers at this time is that there may be no more than a two line mention of the death. If he was only in the town for a short time, and may have been ill for much of the period with the developing T.B. he would probably not be given the somewhat limited coverage given to well known local tradesmen. It is worth a try as you know the date of his death - but don't be surprised if there is nothing helpful.

However I can provide a time line (see below) for the Half Moon - which may provide some useful background. The information comes from a draft directory of the High Street (made up from old trade directories) I made some years ago, and also from a book Time's Highway, which refers to some deeds without giving their location (possibly HALS?) and which includes an earlier photograph to the one given above.

January  2016

I checked through my records about early Hemel Hempstead breweries - and have nothing on Dr Smith or his family, but found a few snippets relating to the Holloway brewers and the Weller brewery.

The book Brewers in Hertfordshire has nothing specific to say about the brewers in Hemel Hempstead before 1841 when it identifies the Anchor Brewery, which was at Bury Mill End, the owner being William John Liddon, followed later by Thomas Elisha Deacon. Checking earlier trade directories  I find the following brewers listed for Hemel Hempstead

 

George Holloway (1797, 1823, 1828) (He died Aug. 17th, 1827 aged 63)

John William Liddon (1823, 1828, 1839) of Bury Mill End

Mary Hall (1839) of Pope's Lane (1846) of Bury Mill End

Isaac Winter  (1839) of Two Waters

Thomas Elisha Deacon (1846, 1851) of Bury Mill End

William Deacon (1846, 1851) of Boxmoor

John Francis Bontems (1851) of High Street

Mary Hall's brewery was presumably the one adjacent to the Six Bells at Bury Mill End, which is later referred to as the Star Brewery. The Hemel Hempstead Land Tax Returns from 1746-1830 would provide more information, year by year about the owners/tenants, possibly including data onDr. Smith's owning property in the area.

 

 Brewers in Hertfordshire is more helpful about the Amersham Brewery, founded in Church Street, Amersham, in 1771 by William Weller. It was taken over by Benskin's of Watford in 1930. At the time of the takeover Weller beer was still sold in eight Hemel Hempstead pubs: Bricklayers Arms, Leather Bottle (Leverstock Green), Papermakers Arms, Queens Head, Railway Tavern (Boxmoor), Red Lion (Leverstock Green), Red Lion (Nash Mills), and Saracens Head. It had earlier supplied the Half Moon and the Salmon.

Time Line for the Half Moon

If you can add to the information given above tell me.