|
From
http://www.rainham-history.co.uk/ accessed Jan 2015.
A History of The Three Sisters Public House
With the coming of the brickfields to lower Rainham in the mid-19th
century which required a large number of men to do hard physical work,
the construction of the "Three Sisters" in 1863 came as no surprise.
Throughout the second part of the 19th century and into the 20th century
brickfield workers regularly drank in the pub and some even lodged
there. This contributed regular business which is probably a major
reason why the pub survived while the "Anchor
and Hope" and the "Lord Stanley"
at Otterham Quay eventually closed. There are several theories about how the pub acquired its name but the
exact reason is unknown. The first of these is connected with three
sarsen stones which are situated at the south west corner of the pub.
These mark the footpath that passes through Natal Farm. Secondly, there
were once three beacons situated on the marshes to guide shipping that
were known as The Three Sisters. Another theory is that the pub was
named after the three Hubbard sisters who lived in a nearby cottage
during the 19th century. George Freeman served as the first publican of the
"Three Sisters" with
his wife Ellen who originated from Ireland. In 1871 his niece Frances Sarden and a lodger named William Lacy also lived there. George
Freeman's name appears on the 1861 census list as publican of the "Anchor
and Hope" pub in Otterham Quay where he worked before taking on the
"Three
Sisters." By 1881 George Clark had taken over and he remained there until
the 1890s. Bill Edmunds then took over with his wife Rose and two
children William and Rose. Bill Edmunds, a short, stocky man with bushy
black eyebrows and a mustache became well known in the area and became a
prominent member of Rainham Cycle Club whose headquarters were based at
the "Green Lion Inn" in Rainham High Street. While serving as publican at
the "Three Sisters" he organised regular excursions to the seaside and
short cycling trips for customers. During the 1890s ‘The Jolly Brickmakers club' became established in the
pub. Members contributed money so that social trips could be organised
to different locations. Many trips took place including one to Yalding
in 1894. Concerts were also held at the pub in aid of needy
parishioners. In August, 1899 a smoking concert raised £4 for blind
parishioner Richard Turrell from Otterham Quay. In 1900 brickfield workers like Richard Parr and Fred Wilkman lodged at
the pub along with a servant named Edith Wills who helped out in the
building. Landlord Bill Edmunds who had made a big contribution to the
pub while managing it died prematurely from pneumonia aged 40 in 1902. After the death of Bill Edmunds Henry Tassell took over as publican in
the period leading up to the 1920s. He married the former landlord's
widow Rose and they had two children named Alec and Ethel. Alec became a
well-known cricketer with Upchurch and Rainham cricket clubs and a
bricklayer with E. C. Gransden Ltd. William Edmunds, son of the former
publican of the same name also played cricket for Upchurch and became
landlord during the 1920s. When he left Albert Roche and his wife
Caroline arrived. They were succeeded by Ernie Huseman and his wife
Eleanor during the 1930s and 1940s. During the 1960s brickfield workers, foreign seamen from Otterham Quay
and locals continued to patronise the pub with characters like Bill
Richardson who lived nearby in a bungalow. He personally constructed it
single handed over more than a decade. ‘The Keg Boys' from Rainham with
members like Stan Peace, Neville Huggins, Colin McGregor and Colin
Chapman also periodically drank there along with other locals. Robert Moulton and his wife Margaret became long serving landlords at
the pub until the 1970s but with the closure of the brickfield trade
from brickfield employees ceased and the pub had to rely on a hard core
group of locals to keep the pub going. One of the most popular landlords and innovators at the pub, a former
talented local footballer named Mick Harris, resided there during the
1980s to the mid-1990s. A very outgoing, sometimes outspoken and lively
individual, he encouraged a younger clientele with discos and music
nights and proved to be a very popular landlord with large numbers of
customers attending at weekends. In 1997 Sue and Graham Fry took over
and they stayed until 1999. Sally Godden who is a familiar local figure in the equestrian world now
runs the pub which is known to many customers as ‘The Six Tits.' The pub
has a regular band of drinkers, it serves food and hosts regular, live
weekly music with Karaoke nights. Singers and musicians like Mickey Blue
Eyes, Annie Love and Lisa Mills perform there. With a main bar at the
front, a functions room and a beer garden at the back, oak beams on the
ceiling, an open fire in winter and pub games like pool, darts and
cards, the "Three Sisters" remains a popular pub in the area and has
developed a new image compared to the old days when it attracted
brickfield workers. |
)
