Death of an Ebchester publican

[barryd]

Delightful place Ebchester. Have stood on the hallowed ground where Railway Station was. My expertise is normally in the Chester-le-Street and Lanchester areas. However what I would do is find out which Electoral Rolls are for the Ebchester area and look up the Landlord on them. I would imagine that the Landlord would be living on his own premises. Possibly not in 2017 but probably at the time of the fire. Be careful to check pre-estimated fire Electoral Roll and post-estimated fire Electoral Roll to see if the Landlord is missing from the latter. If lucky you can go to Free BMD to check on the death. Durham Record Office should have the films. 

Was he buried out of the Parish Church? Could be in the Durham Records Office or if very few are buried still in the Church.

[Elliven]

Thank you barryd

My expertise is in researching the buildings, not the people.  It seems to me that this is a very simple solution (that I should have worked out for myself!) and it will save me a lot of grief in the long run.  I could write up the story without this detail but it will be so much more complete with that little extra effort

Elliven

[Gadget]

How strange. I've located a phone book for 1947 which includes Co. Durham, Newcastle and Northumberland and, although other Station Hotels are listed, there's no entry for the one in Ebchester. Although it wouldn't list his name, it might have given some clues.
.
Just before you put up your first request for Margaret Bell the other week, we'd driven though Ebchester on our way to Derwentwater - only go that way a few times a  year!

[Elliven]

The Margaret Bell request went cold at first, then I managed to get all of her details except when she was in the pub - but that one is slowly working itself out too!

I am not surprised that there was no phone listed for the hotel because there were very few people in the area who had phones and there was probably little need for one.  Of course, it could have been listed in the publican's name.  Maybe when I get an appointment to visit the County Records Office all will be revealed!

Elliven

[Colin Cruddace]

Perhaps a nearby library has annual Trade and/or Street Directories available for the years in question. At least one of these should list the name of the proprietor or occupier.

Colin

[Elliven]

Thank you, I had not realised these were available in the 1940s.  I have requested copies of the electoral roll and if that is unsuccessful, I will give your idea a try.

Elliven

[pjs12]

Another angle, was the pub owned by a Brewery and the person who died was the tenant? If so and the Brewery is still working they may have a record of who the tenant was in 1948.

Just a thought.

Ian

[Elliven]

The pub was privately owned but was tied to North Eastern Breweries for the supply of beer only.  This company became Vaux Breweries in 1927 but they gave up brewing altogether in the late 1990s.  The company still exists as a hotel chain but its records have been spread across archives in Co Durham, Tyne & Wear and West Yorkshire.  I am currently trying to locate anything of theirs that might help'

Elliven

[Elliven]

The 1947 Electoral Roll reveals that the occupants of the Station Hotel were John N Temple and his wife Martha Temple.  The fire occurred before the 1948 lists were published.