Page 4 - A History Of Food And Drink In Wokingham

1608

The Hart public house at 4 Market Place got its first mention. It was last mentioned in 1640.
1654

The Greyhound public house at 2 Peach Street got its first mention.

1661

On the present day market site, bull baiting took place once a year on St. Thomas’ Day (21st
December). George Staverton, a butcher who died in 1661, bequeathed a house, the rent
from which was to provide two bulls to be tethered in the marketplace and to be baited by
dogs. The bulls were paraded around the town a day or two before the event and then
locked in the yard of the "Old Rose". A number of dogs would be maimed or killed during the
event and the bull eventually destroyed. The meat and leather retrieved from the slaughter
was later given to the poor people of the town. The practice was discontinued in 1827 by an
Act against cruelty to animals. In 1835 a mob broke open the place where the bulls were
kept and baited the bulls despite the ruling. The picture hangs in the Town Hall.

1690s
The first recorded instance of brewing in the town relates to Robert and John Hawes who in
th
the late 17 century were listed as brewers whilst another member of the family, William was
recorded as a maltster, a significant connection for the family. The malting of barley within
the town was an important industry and there were at least three maltster operating in the
period with one, William Talmadge, also brewing and growing his own hops.

1700
The Kings Head public house at 26-28 Market Place got its first mention.

1701

The earliest reference to a licenced property was the Bush Inn at 37 Market Place, run by a
Mrs Simpson and owned by a local brewer John Hawes, although there is some evidence
that an earlier Busshe existed in 1562. The Bush Inn was where Bush Walk now is.

1727

The Greyhound public house at 2 Peach Street got its last mention.

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