Gundry White's   (1 to 7)

1. : Ice House

The licensees in the Official List of that year were
the firm of Wilson & Sons, better known as
Confectioners and Fruiterers.

In November 1869 George Wilson appears to have
sold out to Robert Aspland Cooper. The latter "enjoyed"
only a 6-day licence from 1872; indicating a wine etc.
merchant's premises, rather than a regular pub.

2. : The Move

Cooper himself was licensee in two spells :
from August 1878 to 12th November 1885 and
28th June 1887 to 15th December 1888.

The observant reader will note that Gundry White's is not
and - in living memory - has never been, on the corner;
currently an Estate Agent's, previously an impressive
Building Society.

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3. : The Hiatus

Also, from that year, the premises at No. 9 (the old
Ice House) are listed as held by a wine and spirits
merchant - still the case in 1890.

By December 1888, R. A. Cooper had given up the
licence in favour of William Coleman, which is -
presumably - the date that Coleman's Brewery Co.
acquired both sets of premises.

Interestingly, Coleman's offices, along with the offices
of several other firms, were now located in the "old"
restaurant building on the corner.

The 1890 Directory confirms that R. A. Cooper retained
his other premises in Queen Street - Nos. 11 & 17 -
in pursuit of his business as manufacturing
confectioners and biscuit makers
(also with premises in King Street).

Cooper then lived at Aspland House, Thorpe Road.
His Queen Street premises suffered
a considerable fire in 1892.

William Coleman gave up the licence
on 3rd January 1893.

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4. : The Restaurant

Three further licensees, under Coleman's ownership,
take the story as far as July 1904. Notably, in the
Trades Directory of 1905, is the memorable
Number One address.

This was following the transfer of the licence to the
building next to the street corner; now called
Bank Plain Stores.

It is also likely that it was c. 1905 that the
off-licence at No. 9 was abandoned.

5. : The Gundry Era

The 1905 Directory shows Michael Redgrave at the
Bank Plain Stores, No. 1 Queen Street : which is
- in one respect - behind the times.
(He was Gundry's predecessor from February 1902).
The equivalent entry in 1914 restores the name
Bank Plain Restaurant; with White in charge.

Riddington Young (pages 75/76) graphically
describes the nature of the Gundry Era.

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6. : New Owners

Various licensees followed, although March 1958
saw ownership pass to the aptly-named
White's Restaurant Ltd.
Again, Young's book contrasts the Gundry Era
with what was taking place in 1975.

Ownership may have changed in 1976, when
Timothy John Malcolm Voeloker began a
comparatively long reign as licensee from July.
Mainly Tolly - Cobbold beers were sold in 1977.

New licensees arrived in March 1982, which is probably
when the 'proper' name was finally established as
Gundry White's. Sadly it was not established for long,
as in January 1986 it became Drummond's, under new landlords.

Ownerships since the 1970's have been hazy,
but different owners/licensees have been busy
changing the name frequently :-

• back to plain White's in November 1988;
• to City Ale & Wine Bar in 1995;
• to Hogshead in 1996.

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7. : The Future?

In September 2006 the premises finally re-opened as
Indulge. It is a matter of speculation as to whether
this enterprise will fare any better than
the many which have preceded it. [1]

However, for the time being, the important
listed building has been upgraded and has
found a proper use.

[1] It hasn't. See the current pub details.

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