HOW THE PUB GOT IT'S NAME
Frederick ll ( Frederick The Great )
Named after the State of Prussia. A Baltic people, related to the Lithuanians and the Latvians,
Prussia was split into two sections in 1525, Western Royal Prussia, a province of Poland and the
eastern section called the Duchy of Prussia.
The union of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 led to the proclamation of the
Kingdom of Prussia. The Kingdom of Prussia dominated northern Germany both politically &
economically and became a part of the German Empire in 1871.
As far as can be established the pub was originally called "King of Prussia" or
"King of the Prussians" and was named after Frederick ll (Frederick The Great) the King of Prussia 1740 - 1786
the pub was renamed the King of the Belgians after the first world war when in 1918
Prussia was proclaimed a free state, and after the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 the
areas of Eupen and Malmedy that had been a part of Prussia were annexed by Belgium.
The pub for a brief period was also named "The Traitors Arms" as when under the supreme
command of King Leopold lll the Belgian army fought against Germany who invaded Belgium
on 10th. May 1940 and without tanks and very few anti aircraft guns surrendered to Germany
Just eighteen days later. King Leopold lll was arrested and interned in Belgium, later he was
moved to Austria and then to Germany. After the war King Leopold lll was accused of collaborating with Adolf Hitler and a referendum held in Belgium voted against his return to the
country, he was forced to abdicate and his son, Baudouin, became King.
During the years as the Traitors Arms the pub took down the outside sign bearing a picture of the
King and replaced it with a sign displaying the skull and crossbones.
To the present day, and as far as we know there has only ever been two more public houses named King of the Belgians, one was in East Street - Bridport, Dorset where the premises took on the name in 1915, it remained with this name until 1940 when for reasons unknown to us it changed its name to The Lord Nelson, the other was in Leander Drive, Gravesend, Kent, bearing the name from 1914 until May 1960 when it was changed to "The Gravesend Boat" thus rendering the King of the Belgians Huntingdon unique in both name and character.
Prussia was split into two sections in 1525, Western Royal Prussia, a province of Poland and the
eastern section called the Duchy of Prussia.
The union of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia in 1618 led to the proclamation of the
Kingdom of Prussia. The Kingdom of Prussia dominated northern Germany both politically &
economically and became a part of the German Empire in 1871.
As far as can be established the pub was originally called "King of Prussia" or
"King of the Prussians" and was named after Frederick ll (Frederick The Great) the King of Prussia 1740 - 1786
the pub was renamed the King of the Belgians after the first world war when in 1918
Prussia was proclaimed a free state, and after the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 the
areas of Eupen and Malmedy that had been a part of Prussia were annexed by Belgium.
The pub for a brief period was also named "The Traitors Arms" as when under the supreme
command of King Leopold lll the Belgian army fought against Germany who invaded Belgium
on 10th. May 1940 and without tanks and very few anti aircraft guns surrendered to Germany
Just eighteen days later. King Leopold lll was arrested and interned in Belgium, later he was
moved to Austria and then to Germany. After the war King Leopold lll was accused of collaborating with Adolf Hitler and a referendum held in Belgium voted against his return to the
country, he was forced to abdicate and his son, Baudouin, became King.
During the years as the Traitors Arms the pub took down the outside sign bearing a picture of the
King and replaced it with a sign displaying the skull and crossbones.
To the present day, and as far as we know there has only ever been two more public houses named King of the Belgians, one was in East Street - Bridport, Dorset where the premises took on the name in 1915, it remained with this name until 1940 when for reasons unknown to us it changed its name to The Lord Nelson, the other was in Leander Drive, Gravesend, Kent, bearing the name from 1914 until May 1960 when it was changed to "The Gravesend Boat" thus rendering the King of the Belgians Huntingdon unique in both name and character.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE K-O-B
Established in the year 1541 the K-O-B as it is
now called by it's loyal locals is situated only a
stones throw away from the banks of the river
Gt. Ouse so is very popular with both local
residents and holiday makers alike. The bar
is said to be haunted by the friendly ghost of a
headless woman who has been seen on
many occasions by several people. The pub
is said to have been the ''Preferred ale house''
of Oliver Cromwell who was born and lived in
Huntingdon. The public bar is original with
solid oak beams and a copper topped bar, the public bar ceiling and back of the door are covered in aviation stickers, a legacy from the 70s & 80s when the American airbase USAF Alconbury was just up the road, the base is used mainly as offices now although the runway is still intact, in good working order and is one of the longest runways in Great Britain. Over the years the pub has been a firm favorite with visitors from all four corners of the world, many of whom make a special journey to Huntingdon just to re-visit the pub whilst in the UK and will of course always receive the warmest of welcomes.
now called by it's loyal locals is situated only a
stones throw away from the banks of the river
Gt. Ouse so is very popular with both local
residents and holiday makers alike. The bar
is said to be haunted by the friendly ghost of a
headless woman who has been seen on
many occasions by several people. The pub
is said to have been the ''Preferred ale house''
of Oliver Cromwell who was born and lived in
Huntingdon. The public bar is original with
solid oak beams and a copper topped bar, the public bar ceiling and back of the door are covered in aviation stickers, a legacy from the 70s & 80s when the American airbase USAF Alconbury was just up the road, the base is used mainly as offices now although the runway is still intact, in good working order and is one of the longest runways in Great Britain. Over the years the pub has been a firm favorite with visitors from all four corners of the world, many of whom make a special journey to Huntingdon just to re-visit the pub whilst in the UK and will of course always receive the warmest of welcomes.
The ''Olde Worlde'' Public Bar
The Public Bar where locals put the world to right
Over the years the pub has seen many
owners including businesses, banks,
breweries etc. has had many landlords
including Harry Carr - Richard & Masha
Pomfrey - Bernie & Jim Taylor - Hillary &
Jamie Kincaid - Ron & Mary Biddle -
Pearl Chapman & Eddie Ford - Ron & Sylvia Dixon - Gwyneth Davies & Jamie McAulay to name but a few, however as of 2008 the
K-O-B was owned and operated by
Peter & Peggy Reynolds & their live in
managers Di & Nathan. The pub has also
seen it's fair share of both bad and sad
times including near bankruptcy by one
of it's owners, a major kitchen fire resulting in the pub being closed for many weeks for refurbishment, the pub also faced almost certain closure when a recent owner, an unscrupulous
property development company applied for planning permission to de-licence the premises
and turn it into a private dwelling with the ultimate intention of knocking down the pub and
building a small block of flats in it's place. This move was vigorously defended by the landlords at the time, Jamie McAulay and Gwyneth Davies along with lots of loyal customers of the pub
including Peter Jeffries, Mick Rowlands and many more who attended several district & town
council meetings in the dead of winter to support keeping the pub, so overwhelming was the
protest that the planning committee had no choice but to throw out the application and return
the pub to the village, The company realising they had come to the end of the road as far as
development was concerned then sold the premises to businessman Peter Reynolds.
As of early 2010 the lease & licence for the King of the Belgians was acquired by the then live in managers "Diana and Nathan" who then ran the establishment as their own leasehold business until May 2012.
In mid June 2012 the King of the Belgians was purchased outright by Jim and Bernie Taylor and their
daughter Jane Spicer, Jim and Bernie had already succsessfully run the pub as managers in the 1980s.
owners including businesses, banks,
breweries etc. has had many landlords
including Harry Carr - Richard & Masha
Pomfrey - Bernie & Jim Taylor - Hillary &
Jamie Kincaid - Ron & Mary Biddle -
Pearl Chapman & Eddie Ford - Ron & Sylvia Dixon - Gwyneth Davies & Jamie McAulay to name but a few, however as of 2008 the
K-O-B was owned and operated by
Peter & Peggy Reynolds & their live in
managers Di & Nathan. The pub has also
seen it's fair share of both bad and sad
times including near bankruptcy by one
of it's owners, a major kitchen fire resulting in the pub being closed for many weeks for refurbishment, the pub also faced almost certain closure when a recent owner, an unscrupulous
property development company applied for planning permission to de-licence the premises
and turn it into a private dwelling with the ultimate intention of knocking down the pub and
building a small block of flats in it's place. This move was vigorously defended by the landlords at the time, Jamie McAulay and Gwyneth Davies along with lots of loyal customers of the pub
including Peter Jeffries, Mick Rowlands and many more who attended several district & town
council meetings in the dead of winter to support keeping the pub, so overwhelming was the
protest that the planning committee had no choice but to throw out the application and return
the pub to the village, The company realising they had come to the end of the road as far as
development was concerned then sold the premises to businessman Peter Reynolds.
As of early 2010 the lease & licence for the King of the Belgians was acquired by the then live in managers "Diana and Nathan" who then ran the establishment as their own leasehold business until May 2012.
In mid June 2012 the King of the Belgians was purchased outright by Jim and Bernie Taylor and their
daughter Jane Spicer, Jim and Bernie had already succsessfully run the pub as managers in the 1980s.
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