At the weekend we were driving to a little family get together, we had to drive a different much longer route out of the hamlet we live in due to railway works, shutting the main road in and out of East and West Dean. I was talking away to my boys about the difference places my dad’s family have lived. As we drove through West and East Tytherley , passed the old graveyard and The Star public house, my dad’s family ran for nearly 100 years, I was rambling on about whether my ancestors would have been buried in the beautiful old grave yard, more than likely boring them to tears. Some how the conversation got on to the places Estella Rudgely lived, Newtown, Gambledown and Round of Beef, Milton road.
I had alway thought “Round of Beef” was a strange address but hadn’t put much more thought into it, so when we finally got into phone signal I googled the address and discovered it  use to be a public house, in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Unfortunately I could only find limited information on-line so I decided to write a quick question on a Facebook group I am a member of called, Wiltshire OPC Project, I asked if anyone knew any information about the pub, in hopes it may give me a clue into who Estella’s first three children’s father or fathers could be.
Linda Robson kindly offered to do some digging at the reference library in Salisbury for me.
This morning a received a very kind message from her with a few photos attached also a list of all the owners of the public house.
She also informed me that there were once stables at the inn so they would have had customers from all over the country visit.

The Round of Beef Inn was owned by four different people from 1867 – 1904

1867 – John Kinsman
1900 – George Eldon
1902 – Samuel Holloway
1904 – C.P.Lane (Charles Pannett Lane)

I found the Kelly’s Directory for Salisbury in 1875, where Levi Kinsman was publican.

Other publicans found were.

1867 – John Kinsman – Kelly’s Directory.
1889 – John Else – Kelly’s Directory.
1898 – John Else – Kelly’s Directory.
1907 – Charles Pannett Lane – Kelly’s Directory.
1915 – Henry C Few – Kelly’s Directory.
1927 – Henry C Few – Kelly’s Directory.

When I saw that another Kinsman was named as publican my first thought was John Kinsman must be Levi’s father, after looking Levi up on the 1851 Census, I was proven wrong as his Father was Joseph Kinsman born 1972 in Bulford, Wiltshire.
Joseph, his wife Ann and their 3 children, Henry, Levi, Jane and their grandson Joseph were living in Bulford, Wiltshire.

I then looked at the 1841 Census which shed some light on who John Kinsman was.
John is Levi’s older brother born about 1821 in Wiltshire. The family consists of

Name Age Joseph Kimmons 45 Ann Kimmons 65 John Kimmons 20 Henry Kimmons 15 Mary Kimmons 11 Levi Kimmons 7 Jane Kimmons 5

By 1861 John Kinsman is occupying The Round of Beef Inn, living with

Name	Age
John Kinsman	41
Martha Kinsman	39
Fanny Kinsman	14
Mary Ann Archer	18
Leonard Talbot	30
Jacob Lay	26
Henry Young	20
George Merrill	29
James Gromby	23

John is a widower. Martha is John and Levi’s sister and Fanny is a visitor.

John is still occupying  The Round of Beef, in 1871, he has married Mary Ann and Fanny who is now listed as his niece is still living with him. The household consists of

Name	Age
John Kinsman	51
Mary Ann Kinsman	49
Fanny Hawkins	23
Anne Grace	15
John White	53
John Walters	22
Mary Martha Edwards	29
William White	22

By 1881, Levi has taken over as Publican, living with the following including me Great, Great-grandmother Estella, you can read more about here story here.

Levi Kinsman	47
Sarah Kinsman	45
Levi A. Kinsman	18
Isabel Scott	23
Sarah J. Scott	21
Estella Rudgeley	19
George H. Martin	25

Round of Beef, 19 Milford Street, is currently Chas Bakers, classic and contemporary menswear store.

It’s strange to think we have drove past this beautiful building many time never knowing what it meant to our family’s history.
It really makes you think about the history these buildings have stood through, how many people’s life’s have been changed in one way or another just through walking through its doors. It truly fascinates me.

Was this the building Estella fall pregnant in? Is Levi the father of Alice Louisa Rudgely?Or was it some random that took his wicked way with her? Only Estella knows, I just hope that our DNA holds the answers and we can finally know who we really are and whom we came from.