The Queen Victoria - Tudor Street, Exe Island

This public house is the last one to be still trading on Exe Island. The red sandstone old Exe Island doss house is on the extreme left out of the frame which was demolished in the 1960's.

The publican Mrs Parkin requested that the Mayor as magistrate adjudicate when an army surgeon accused her of neglect in 1855. A soldier was billeted with her who had trouble with his knee. He asked her to fetch some hot water and bathe it, which she refused, beleiving that it was not a duty required of her. The Mayor stated that he did not know if the law required such care for a billeted soldier, and advised her to consult a lawyer.

In 1875 a deed stated that the inn comprised the main public house "...together with the Brewhouse, Cellar, Skittle Alley and other premises." In 1877, the landlord, Edward Smallridge, was fined 5s for not allowing a police officer onto the premises. A smoking concert was held in 1900 for the purpose of presenting a 'handsome clock' to Robert Stone who was retiring – not an event that could take place today with the smoking ban.

It became a City Brewery house in September 1905. In 2005, Punch Taverns invested £265,000 into the Queen Victoria, with a major refurbishment. It also offers wireless access for surfing the internet.

Some trade directory entries for the Queen Victoria:

1844 - Victoria Tavern, Isaac Parkin - Pigot's
1850 - Queen Victoria, Isc. Parkin, Exe Ild - White's
1871 - Short. J., queen victoria p.h. exe island - Pocket Journal
1878 - Queen Victoria, Edward S. Short, Exe Island, Exeter - White's
1897 - Queen Victoria, William Preston, Exe Island, Exeter - Kelly's
1900 - Queen Victoria Inn - Robert Stone retired - Flying Post
1906 - Queen Victoria, Parr, F., Exe Island - Besley's
1919 - Queen Victoria, Frederick Samuel Parr (new landlord) - Kelly's
1923 - Queen Victoria, Fredk. Samuel Parr, Exe Island, Exeter - Post Office
1945 - Samuel Parr ceased as landlord.
1956 - Queen Victoria, Edward J. Gorman, Exe island - Kelly's
2005 - Queen Victoria, Mrs S Thorne, manager

Source: Flying Post and trade directories