8 Holloway Road - a Quakers Meeting House since 1978
© John Hall taken 26th Mar 2010 some rights reserved
The earliest reference that I have been able to locate for the Union Arms is 1839 when it was in Cuckold's Row. The Parish Baptism Registers of St Georges Church Fordington made on 13th Nov 1881 (image available on ancestry.com) states " Cuckold's Row to be called in future 'School Street' or School Lane". This was a reference to the school at the start of the street where the road diverged from Fordington High street, but by 1891 it was being referred to in the Census as 'Part of the parish of Fordington known by the name of Holloway & Cuckold's Row'. By 1901 it is shown on the ordnance survey map as 'Holloway Road', The building is located at number 8 just before Pound Lane enters the street and was bought in 1978 for use as a meeting house for the Quakers.
It seems clear that it was in constant use as a tavern or public house from at least 1839 until after 1931. Philip Pearce was Innkeeper from 1839 until after 1861 when he seems to have concentrated upon his print compositor business and handed over day to day running of the tavern for a time to William Pearce, probably a relation. By 1871 George Pitfield was Innkeeper and when he died in 1874 his widow Caroline continued to run the tavern until her death in 1885. It then came under the control of Elias (William) Mayo, a chimney sweep by trade until he died in 1910 when it passed to his spinster daughter Mary Elizabeth Mayo (bap F StG 8th May 1855). She married at the age of 46 to George Thomas but continued to run the Union Arms until after 1931.
I have located the following references to the 'Union Arms' :-
1839 - Roberts Directory - 'Union Arms' Philip Pearce
1841 - Census under 'Cuckolds Row Fordington' Philip Pearce age 45 victualler born in Dorset with his wife Eliza etc
1844 - Pigots Directory - under Taverns and Public Houses - 'Union' Philip Pearce
1849 - Post Office Directory - Philip Pearce Union Arms Fordington
1851 - Census under 'Cuckolds Row Fordington' Philip Pearce age 57 born Sherborne a printer compositor but wife Eliza is shown as a victualler and his son Francis as a brewer
1852 - Slater's Directory under taverns and Public Houses - 'Union' Philip Pearce Fordington
1861 - Census under 'Union Arms' Cuckold's Row - Philip Pearce age 67, Victualler born Sherborne, with his wife Eliza
1865 - Harrods' Directory - William Pearce 'Union Arms' and a shopkeeper East Fordington
1871 - Census under 'Union Arms' Cuckolds Row - George Pitfield publican age 56 born at Stinsford.
1875 - Post Office Directory - 'Union Arms' Fordington - Mrs Caroline Pitfield
1881 - Census under 'Union Arms' Cuckold's Row Caroline Pitfield a widow aged 60 'Innkeeper of the Union Arms'
1889 - Kelly's Directory - Union Arms Public House - Elias Mayo Senior
1891 - Census under Cuckold's Row 'Union Arms' - Elias Mayo age 58 a Chimney Sweep? born Upway
1895 - Kelly's Directory - 'Union Arms' Public House 8 Holloway road, East Fordington Elias Mayo Senior
1901 - Census under 8 Holloway Road 'Union Arms' Elias Mayo age 68 Licenced Victualler (Publican)
1910 - Probate of Elias Mayo of the Union Arms Fordington Dorchester licensed victualler died 4th Sep 1910 with probate to Mary Elizabeth Mayo spinster and John Richard Peach saddler effects £145.19s9d
1911 - Census under 8-9 Holloway Road 'Union Arms' Mary Elizabeth Mayo unmarried age 45 Licenced Victualler (Innkeeper)
1912 - 25th Apr George Thomas age 57 a widower , parish clerk, resident at 43 Dukes Avenue Fordington, father Esau Thomas deceased also a Parish clerk married Mary Elizabeth Mayo aged 46 a spinster resident at the Union Arms Fordington father Elias mayo deceased a licenced Victualler
1915 - Kelly's Directory under Union Arms Public House; 8 Holloway Rd, East Fordington Mrs Mary Elizabeth Thomas
1920 - Kelly's Directory - Mrs Mary Elizabeth Thomas Union Arms P.H.8 Holloway Road East Fordington
1927 - Kelly's Directory - Mrs Mary Elizabeth Thomas Union Arms P.H.8 Holloway Road East Fordington
1931 - Kelly's Directory - Mrs Mary Elizabeth Thomas Union Arms P.H.8 Holloway Road East Fordington