52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

🍺 “At the Sign of the Crown”: A Family of Publicans Across the Generations As I’ve traced my family history, a pattern has emerged — not just one publican, but a whole constellation of them, scattered across branches and centuries. These were men and women who kept the hearth warm, the ale flowing, and the community connected. Their pubs were places where news travelled faster than the post, where travellers found rest, and where neighbours shared both joy and sorrow. Here is the cast of characters — ancestors in my tree who stood behind the bar, along with the world they lived in and the pubs they called home. 🍻 James & Ann Crowhurst of The London Trader , Rye 4th great‑grandfather & 4th great‑grandmother If there is a single story that captures the spirit of this family tradition, it is the partnership of James Crowhurst (1778–1827) and Ann Cottingham (1774–1840) — a husband‑and‑wife team who ran one of Rye’s most historic inns, The London Trader , for more than two decad...