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Stowmarket King's Arms (Two Sisters)
Stowmarket King's Arms (Two Sisters)
North West, 52.18945,0.99946
closed 31st October 2020
Closed 31/10/2020 - planning application awaiting decision
opened about 1850
Station Rd, IP14 1RQ
grid reference TM 051 588
The pub is shown on this OS town plan from about 1880 (larger map).
Lively bar on edge of railway station car-park. A quieter room was located behind the bar area and steps led down to a games room with pool table. The pub had three hand-pumps. Beers were mainly from East Anglia, though some were sourced from other regions. Outside there were various function rooms around the car-park and food which was provided from a catering unit. A marquee provided extra seating on busy nights and space for private functions. The first pub beer festival was held in September 2010 and led to more.
The pub closed on October 31st 2020, when the landlady retired. It has now been converted into a takeaway food outlet.
This opened soon after an earlier pub of same name closed in Ipswich Street. This pub subsequently closed on May 6th, 1958. This pub then re-opened at the beginning of December 2009 after a 51 year closure.
The name by which The Kings Arms came to be unofficially known was "The Two Sisters" derived from Mabel Harriet Southgate and Jessie Hilda Taylor nee Beaumont who ran the place in the first half of 20th century till it closed in 1958.
The pub was listed historically in Stowupland.
(information supplied from Neil Langridge)
The pub was also listed in Stowupland Street in 1891 and earlier and was owned by Cobbold's throughout its early history.
Gallery
Historical interest
Died on the 7th April 1895; George Bewley, landlord of the King’s Arms, Stowmarket, aged 53, surviving his wife by only 10 days. Ipswich Journal, Apr 1895**
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(detailed information from Neil Langridge - and also Brian Southgate - see their book "Stowmarket, Combs and Stowupland Pubs" published by Polstead Press in 2009)
(some old PO directory information courtesy of londonpublichouse.com)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.