Brewer’s Arms

There were once a number of pubs in Duke Street and it would appear that one or two of them at least were known by more than one name. Certainly it would seem that the pub that closed in February 1936 as the Brewer’s Arms, had, for many years been known as the Boer Arms (presumably in deference to the Devonport based soldiers who had been involved in the South African conflicts of 1880-81 or 1899-1902).

There is also a reference to a St Aubyn Arms from the mid-1850s and prior to that time a George and Dragon beerhouse in Duke Street. None of these references appear to overlap, unlike other pub names in the street and so it is possible that this relatively small and seemingly original Duke Street property was known by each of these names at one time or another. Its address incidentally was 64 Duke Street and it stood on the site opposite the 1950’s dockyard extension wall between Monument Street and James Street.

Licensees

1822 - William Dustin
1830 - John Radmore
1838 - William Ellis
1850 - Leonard Philp
1852 - Richard Charlick
1856 - Thomas Boon
1857 - Robert Rockett
1864 - William Truplett
1880 - J Bolt
1888 - Harry Cross
1895 - James Smale
1899 - William Turner
1901 - John Goodman
1904 - F Oldfield
1911 - Harry Rawle
1935 - Ernest Woodgate