Swan

The landlords are detailed on the Exploring Clewer website. However, there is one remarkable family that was landlords from the late 19th-century until after World War I.

Some selected reports from the Windsor and Eton Express.

Swan Inn, 8 Jan 1842

Robbers Disappointed

Last week, some person or persons broke into the club box of a benefit society, held at the Swan at Clewer, but fortunately, there was no money in it. They, however, took away some bankers’ receipts which they found there, expecting no doubt that they were checks and convertible into cash.

Swann Inn, 2 Apr 1842

Sudden Death

On Tuesday, an inquest was held at the Swan public house, Clewer, before Jas. May, Esq., coroner for Berks, on the body of Martha Bean, aged 58 years, living in that village. It appeared that the deceased was subject to spasmodic fits and that on Sunday night, when in bed, she was seized with one of those fits, but no very particular notice was taken at the time; at an early hour in the morning, she got worse, and medical assistance was sent for, but she died shortly afterwards. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased died from natural causes. – On Saturday night last, Mr Barrett, sen., of Eton, while preparing to go to bed, was suddenly seized with a fit and expired very soon afterwards. A coroner’s inquest has since been held on the body, and a verdict returned of “Died by the visitation of God.“

Swan Clewer, 22 Oct 1842

Coroners Inquest

On Wednesday last, an inquest was held before James May, Esq., coroner for Berks, at the Swan public house, at Clewer, on the body of Mr Joseph Money, aged 86 years.

Mrs Anne Stephens, the wife of the landlord of the Swan, stated that the deceased was her father, who for the last fortnight had been poorly, but he went about as usual. On Monday night, she was with him at his house close by the Swan, and about 12 o’clock, left him in bed. He then expressed himself comfortable and free of pain. She wished to stay with him, but he requested her to go home. The following morning, she heard of his death. A few days previously, she had wished him to have medical advice, but he declined it.

John Chandler, a blacksmith’s apprentice, stated that he slept in a room adjoining the deceased’s bedroom, through which he had to pass to his own room. On Monday night, going through, he, as usual, asked the deceased how he was, to which he replied, “much the same.” Witness then wished him good night, which he returned and desired the witness to shut the door. When the witness got up the following morning at six o’clock, and was coming through the room, he asked the deceased how he was, but receiving no reply, he went to the bed, touched his arm, and found he was dead. The witness then gave an alarm. The partition between the rooms was very thin, but the witness heard no noise during the night. The deceased had had his food regularly from the Swan, whence it was brought by a woman who attended him.

The Coroner observed that there did not appear to have been any inattention shown to the deceased; a proposal was made to him to have medical assistance, but he refused it, and he seemed to be rather eccentric in regard to his antipathy to doctors.

Mr.W.B.Holderness, surgeon, of Windsor, deposed that he had only seen the deceased once or twice for the last four years, but he (deceased) would never take anything. He was an eccentric character and declined to take any medicine. That (Wednesday) morning, the witness made an examination of the body, but he found no marks of violence or of anything to indicate that he had come by his death unfairly. Witness was of the opinion that from his age and infirmities, he had died from natural causes.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with Mr Holderness’s opinion.

28 Mar 1863

Berks Petty Sessions

SATURDAY, March 28 – before PH Crutchley and EB Foster, Esqrs. – at the Town Hall, Windsor.

The license of the Swan, Clewer village, was endorsed from the name of James Stevens, deceased, to that of Ann Stevens, his widow and executrix.

1 Sept 1917

The Late Mr W. Paget

The licence of The Swan Hotel, Clewer, was temporarily transferred from the late Mr William Paget to his daughter. The chairman said they were very sorry to hear of the death of Mr Paget, who had been a frequent attendant there in applying for licences for many years past. They wished to express their deep sympathy, in every sense of the word, with his relatives.

1960 > Info from Paul Gammons –  From about 1964, the landlord was Bert Searle with his wife, Kitty.  Bert was an ex-Met copper and a patron of QPR Football Club.  Unfortunately, Bert lost his sight in his later years.

1980 > Info from Michael Waite – I remember Bert & Kitty well, I think they left the pub around 1985.  We used to have an early evening drink sometimes with Doc Patton, Dennis Shaw (The Rector of Clewer Church), Marcus Gough, as well as my father-in-law, Jim Fullerton.  Great memories….