Bear Tavern

Bear Lane / East Lane

Greenwich

Jacqueline Davies kindly writes to me who says she is interested in 17th century Greenwich and has been doing research from sources including a survey of East Greenwich Manor in a document titled "A survey of the Kings Lordship or Manor of East Greenwich in the County of Kent made by Samuel Travers 1695-97."

She kindly sends me the following information:- Captain William Fazeby, neighbour of "Bear Tavern" on Bear Lane. Pepys visits to "Bear Tavern" in 1665+6 written in his diary. Bear Lane was the a short road which is the beginning of Old Woolwich Road between Park Row and Eastney Street. In 1863 map by Weller shows the "Man in the Moon" in the short street. Was the "Bear Tavern" renamed as "Man in the Moon?" The structure of a pub with gates for coaches is now Frobisher Court apartment conversion. Captain William Fazeby taxed on property in Crane South in 1664 – an area including Crane Street and Bear Lane. "Bear Tavern" held by --- Bathelier in 1690s and previously held by Lady Pool.

Further research tells me that both the "Bear Tavern" and the "Man in the Moon" were both functioning at the same time in 1701, so unless they were next to each other and knocked into one, they were definitively different pubs.

Cindy Holdridge Smith adds the following:- "This tavern was owned by my 10th great grandmother Susanna (Isart) Batailhe who left it to her daughter Anne Sansome, wife of John, in her will dated 15 December 1700:- "Also I give to my said daughter Anne Sansom and her heirs or assigns forever my house at Greenwhich commonly known by the signe of the "Beare" now in the occupation of Michael Dixon."

In 17 May 1724, Susanna's daughter Anne Sansome in her will leaves the property to "niece Catherine Batailhe, messuage and tenement in Greenwich known as Sign of the Bear Tavern"

LICENSEE LIST

POOL Lady pre 1690s

BATHELIER ???? 1690s+

BATAILHE (nee Isart) Suzanna (owner) to 15 Dec 1700

SANSOME Anne (owner) 15/Dec/1700-17/May/1724

BATAILHE Catherine (neice of above) (owner) 17/May/1574+

DIXON 1700+