31 (23) Nichol Lane

Plaistow

Bromley

020 8466 6741

https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/prince-frederick

https://whatpub.com/prince-frederick

Above photo 1982.

Above photo December 2008, by Kake  Creative Commons Licence.

Above photo 2015. By Christopher Hilton.

Above photo 2023.

Above photo, 2023.

Above sign left, 1990, sign right, April 2009. With thanks from Brian Curtis www.innsignsociety.com.

The first recorded owner of the pub and tithed cottage, next door, was Thomas Symons in 1761 and bricks on the cottage show a date of 1739. There is a picture in the pub which shows the fire certificate which covered the pub and cottage (The cottage is inhabited by a relative of one of the original landlords who edited a book called "Not a Mile from Milk Street" giving the history of St Andrews Parish) Henry Burbridge was the first landlord when it was known as Prince Frederick's Head. The pub was named after Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales and father of George III. He was known by his nickname of "Prinny." The old inn sign was lost and a new one made, unfortunately this showed Frederick the Great of Russia.

The latest inn-sign is a replica of the portrait of the Prince of Wales that hangs in the National Gallery. The area was known solely as Hollow Bottom in 1832-44 when Richard Addis was landlord. John Wallis (1862-1870). Henry Wittington (or Whiteington) (1874) when the address was given as 22/23 Hollow Bottom. John Fullex (1876). W Frisby (1878). R Knight (1880). In 1890 the Executors of Mr. Knight endeavoured to get a Mrs. Snelgrove's name included on the list of Licensees but the Bench did not agree this (Bromley Record 1890). William Jayes (1900). J B Botterill (1905). W Harcourt (1914) and A H Button (1922)

Apparently there is a ghost in the cellar which scares the staff (one even jumped out of the window!), for they often find the pump on the Abbots ale down with an empty glass by the side of it.
 

LICENSEE LIST

ADDIS Richard 1832-44+

WALLIS John 1862-70

WHITTINGTON/WHITEINGTON Henry 1874+

FULLEX John 1876+

FRISBY R 1878+

KNIGHT Richard 1880-82+

JAYES William 1900+

DAWSON C 1903+

BOTTERILL John Benjamin 1905-13+ (age 46 in 1911)

HADDEN William J 1918+

HARCOURT W 1914+

BUTTON A H 1922-30+

HAWES Henry Charles 1938+

https://pubwiki.co.uk/PrinceFrederick.shtml

From the Kelly's Directory 1903

Census