This is an ongoing compilation of Landlords of the George Inn. If you have any more information or queries, please contact us.
The George Inn,Owners and Occupiers
Using Census Returns 1841 to 1911, the 1840 Tithe Map Kelly’s Directories, and other Trade Directories.
1840 Tithe Apportionment
Samuel Sly is listed as both owner and occupier of The George. It is possible that he owned a long lease from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, who owned the Rectory Manor, centered on The Treasurers House.
He also rented a 3 acre allotment in East Field from Lye the baker, 2 acres of orchard from the Adams family of The Lawn and over 6 acres of meadow in Bearley from Mrs. Chaffey of Moorlands House, 11 acres in all. His land holding is what you would expect,
growing wheat for bread, barley for brewing oats and grazing for post horses and perhaps apples for cider.
1841 Census Church Street, Martock (ref. HO107/951/1/24/2):
| Name | Age | Profession | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel SLY | 36 | Publican | Somerset |
| Ann | 20 | – | Som |
| Elizabeth | 8 | – | Som |
| Anna SMITH | 20 | – | Som |
| James JEWELL | 60 | Yeoman | Som |
In 1813 a new road was cut across the Blackdown Hills, which created a much faster route from London to Exeter, the course of today’s A303. This saw a big increase in the amount of stagecoaches using the A303 route in preference to the A30, and both The George and the White Hart styled themselves as Hotels, and were much improved and enlarged.
By 1823 the large Assembly Room (the Princes Room) had been built to the rear of the George, with cellars under, and stables built
The 1841 census
The first that lists names, but census returns do not give exact addresses, partly because most houses did not have house names until the 20th century, and were simply known by the name of their occupant. Only their county of birth is listed until the 1851 census.
The job of the Census enumerator was always complicated, as it is today, by people who give deliberately wrong information, or who talked unclearly, or who did not know the proper names of the people living in their own household.
Ages are given to the lowest for those aged 15 and upwards. Thus those aged between 15 and 19 are given as 15; 20 to 24 as 20,and so on. The actual age should be given for those aged under 14 years”. Thus, Ann Sly and Anna Smith are both given as aged 20 but could have been 20, 21, 22, 23 0r 24 years of age. This is sometimes confusing when looking at child members of the same family when is appears that there may be twins, triplets or even quads in many families! In this case, you might ask if Elizabeth Sly is the daughter of the 20 year old Ann, or a much younger sister of Samuel. James Jewell is most likely retired from trade, and a boarder at The George.
The 1861 Kellys Trade Directory
A Samuel sly is listed as a farmer. In the 1866 Kellys Trade Directory of Somerset, Samuel Sly is listed as a Carrier, running a service to Yeovil on Tuesdays and Fridays.
1848 Hunts Directory of Somerset
Thomas Symes pays to be listed as publican at The George. He may be related to John Sues, listed as a Lodger at The George in
The 1851 census
1851 Census Church Street, Martock (ref. HO107/1930/35/15):
| Name | Position | Status | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George PIERCE | Head | U | 28 | Inn keeper | 1823 | Mosterton |
| Ellen | Sister | U | 21 | Housekeeper | 1830 | Mosterton |
| Alfred | Brother | U | 23 | – | 1828 | Mosterton |
| Mary Ann PATTEN | Visitor | U | 25 | Dress maker | 1826 | Chinnock |
| John SYMES | Lodger | M | 48 | Yeoman | 1803 | Martock |
1861 Census
1861 Census George Farm, Church Street, Martock (RG09/1642/25/3):
| Name | Position | Status | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary J. INDER | Head | M | 29 | Inn keeper | 1832 | Kingsbury Episcopi |
| William B. | Son | U | 6 | – | 1855 | Martock |
| John | Son | – | 4 | – | 1857 | Stoke Sub Hamdon |
| Hannah B. | Daughter | – | 2 | – | 1859 | Stoke Sub Hamdon |
| Henry | Son | – | 1 | – | 1860 | Martock |
| William BROWN | Brother | – | 76 | Railway agent | 1785 | Kingsbury Episcopi |
| Ann LAWRENCE | – | U | 17 | Servant | 1844 | hardington, Somerset |
| Jane PIPE | – | U | 15 | Servant | 1846 | Martock |
| Eil ALLEN | Visitor | U | 19 | Ostler | 1842 | South Petherton |
| George LOVEMORE | Visitor | U | 35 | 1826 | Illegible | |
| George CARROLL | Visitor | U | 35 | Commercial traveller | 1826 | Amsterdam, Holland |
| Thomas – | Visitor | U | 38 | Commercial traveller | 1823 | Walsale, Poland |
| Henry DACOSTE | Visitor | U | 18 | Commercial traveller | 1843 | Plymouth |
| Charles SAWLE | Visitor | U | 18 | Commercial traveller | 1843 | Ilchester |
| Charles HOPKINS | Visitor | U | 16 | Commercial traveller | 1845 | Sherborne |
| Ann CABELL | Visitor | U | 30 | Traveller Milliner | 1831 | Sheffield |
In 1861 we see the George in full swing as an Hotel with people from Sheffield and Amsterdam staying on the night of the Census.
The Landlord at this time was Simeon Inder. He is not entered in the 1861 Census anywhere in England, but his wfe Mary is found at The George. A descendant of Simeon Inder who ran The George 1859-66, today lives in Martock. She tells us that Simeon came from the Fleur de Lys in Stoke sub Hamdon, and in 1866 went to London. He also employed an ostler, and himself ended up in the goods transport professions. Eli Allen is presumably engaged in Simeon’s trade. After the arrival of the Railway in Martock in 1849, all the stabling facilities at The George, hitherto used for post horses for the London to Exeter stagecoaches, lend themselves to different uses. Ostling being one multi-use, succeeding proprietors of The George engaged in many different professions, beside running a Hotel and Public House. In Bragg’s Directory of 1840, Simeon Inder is running the Butchers Arms in North Street.
1866 Kellys Trade Directory of Somerset
John Bennett Cox, George Inn. Also a saddler and Harness Maker, and agent for the Queen Fire and Life Office (Insurance Company).
Simeon Inder Junior, perhaps son of Simeon of The George, is a carrier, agent to J.C.Wall, who was himself agent to the Bristol and Exeter Railway.
A New Year tradesmen’s ball at the George Inn was a regular feature by 1864.
Western Gazette Fri 05 Jan 1866
MARTOCK. The annual farmers’ and tradesmen’s Christmas supper took place at the George Inn on Thursday, when about forty-five sat down to a most excellent spread by Host Cox. Mr. Simeon Inder occupied the chair. The evening was most agreeably spent,
1871 Census
1871 Census Church Street, Martock (RG10/2414/27/3):
| Name | Position | Status | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George BARTLETT | Head | 35 | Inn keeper, The George | 1836 | East Chinnock | |
| Eliza | Wife | 34 | – | 1837 | West Coker | |
| Herbert W. | Son | 1 | – | 1870 | Martock | |
| Sidney | Son | 7m | 1871 | Martock | ||
| Ellen WAREY | Cousin | 20 | Dressmaker | 1851 | Yeovil | |
| Mary BRIN | Servant | 27 | Domestic servant | 1844 | Not known | |
| Mary A. TAYLOR | Servant | 14 | Domestic servant | 1857 | East Chinnock |
George Bartlett is listed at the George Inn in the 1872 Morris Trade Directory, and at The George Hotel in the 1875 Kellys Trade Directory
1881 Census
1881 Census The George Hotel, Church Street, Martock (RG11/2391/25/2):
| Name | Position | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George BARTLETT | Head | 46 | Hotel Keeper | 1835 | East Chinnock |
| Eliza | Wife | 46 | 1835 | West Coker | |
| Sydney | Son | 10 | Scholar | 1871 | Martock |
| Mable | Daughter | 6 | Scholar | 1875 | Martock |
1883 Kellys Directory
George Best, George Hotel, Church street.
1889 Kellys Directory
Mrs. Emily Rather, George Hotel, Church Street.
1891 Census
1891 Census George Hotel, Church Street, Martock (RG12/1897/22/2):
| Name | Position | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily RATHER | Head | 49 | Inn keeper | 1842 | Llopen |
| Sarah GAYLARD | Servant | 15 | General servant | 1876 | Martock |
| Charles BEALER | Son | 29 | Grocer | 1862 | Rampisham, Dorset |
1894 Kellys Directory
Ernest Chant, George Hotel, Church Street.
Charles Beater, shopkeeper, Bower HINTON (SEE 1891 census above)
1901 Census
1901 Census: Church Street, Martock: (RG13/2299/22/1):
| Name | Position | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William E. CHANT | Head | 35 | Publican & baker | 1866 | Stoke under Ham |
| Hannah | Wife | 35 | Bar attendant | 1866 | Tintinhull |
| Frederick E. | Son | 6 | – | 1895 | Martock |
| Charles S. | Son | 3 | 1898 | Martock | |
| Alice M. BROOKS | Servant | 14 | General sevant | 1887 | Stoke under Ham |
| Thomas BAILEY | Servant | 14 | Bakers apprentice | 1877 | Stoke under Ham |
The Chant family continued as bakers until the late 20th century at what is now called The Old Bakery in Water Street, and in Bower Hinton.
1911 Census
1911 Census: The George Hotel, Martock, Somerset (RG14PN14394/RG78PN869/RD309/SD3/ED2/SN93):
| Name | Position | Age | Occupation | Date of birth | Place of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William E. CHANT | Head | 45 | Publican | 1866 | Stoke under Ham |
| Hanna | Wife | 45 | 1866 | Odcombe | |
| Charles L. | Son | 13 | School | 1898 | Martock |
1914, 1919,
1923 Kellys Trade Directory
Jesse Rossiter, motor garage and George Hotel, Church Street. From which we presume Jesse installed the petrol pumps against the front wall of The George. In 2011 the bases of these pumps are still there.
The parents, William and Rosina, were born in Bath and Martock respectively. They came to run the Nags Head, where one son and daughter, Joe and Win took over from their parents.
Mrs. Rosina Rossiter, beer retailer, East Street (Nags Head).
1931 Kellys Trade Directory
Jesse Rossiter, George Hotel, Church Street.
Joseph Rossiter, beer retailer, East Street (Nags Head).