Ingatestone: Beard family at The Viper

Received
21 August 2010

Dear Andrew

Saw here that three generations of the Beard family ran the Viper in Ingatestone: http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2009/03/ingatestone-viper-mill-green.html

Do you know much about them? Doing a bit of family history: (www.beardsofessex.com)

Jon Beard

Replied
22 August 2010

Dear Jon

The Viper is one of the best pubs around here: it that has always had a reputation for good beer and homely cooked honest food. It’s everything you would expect a traditional public house to be. The Beards would not sell a pint which looked remotely cloudy. The final Beard landlord was Roger. Before him, his father Fred was the licensee. I don’t know anything of the family. One suggestion to you is that you pay a visit to the pub and get talking to the locals. A fine excuse for some research!

Regards
Andrew

Replied
19 September 2010

Jon

I visited the pub yesterday. Whilst serving my pint, the Bar Manager told me that the Beard family was at the Viper from 1938 to “to about six or seven years ago” (c2004). There is an interesting link, showing a picture of the first generation (of three) of Beard landlord and landladies: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/Ingatestone/viper.shtml

Andrew