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The Males Family: Publicans, Tower Captains and Parish Council Chairmen

The Males family is another family which has played a large part in Codicote’s history over the last couple of centuries, and which still continues in the village today. Many bearing names other than Males are, nevertheless, descended from them. It is interesting how virtually all of Codicote’s pubs have been associated with this family at one time or another. Many of the present day bearers of the name are somewhat distantly related to each other, and, until the History Society started researching their lineage in the 1980s did not even realise that they were connected at all!

The earliest members of the family to be traced lived at Shaw Green in Rushden parish near Baldock. Underwood Males flourished at 'The Robin Hood and Little John' pub at Rabley Heath, Codicote in the latter part of the 18th century, and was followed there by his son John. The same or another John Males kept the Red Lion Inn, now 'The Noggins' at a slightly earlier period.

From this point we will follow three branches of the family, who all achieved prominence in the parish.

George Males lived in the High Street, near the Bull Inn (now 'The Old Bull') in the 1840s. One of his sons, Joseph, was a baker, and became publican of a small beerhouse known as the 'Help Me Through The World', now 'The Globe'. One of his sons, George Charles, succeeded him at the pub, and became a builder. He arranged for his sons to be trained in different branches of the building trade. George Ernest (known as 'Ernie') was a carpenter, and carved the chapel screen and altar rail in the church. He lived opposite the pub in 'Fern Cottage'. Another son, Gerald, was a plumber, and ran the expanded 'Globe' in the 1920s and 30s. His brother-in-law, Robert Rowe, ran the pub during the war, the last of four members of the family, through three generations to run 'The Globe'. One of George Ernest’s sons, Cecil, was Chairman of the parish council and Tower Captain of Codicote’s bell ringers in the 1960s.

William Males took over 'The Plough' pub (now “Plough House”) in the 1870s. He married Susannah Stratton, of Sissevernes, and, after a spell at the 'Roebuck Inn' at Broadwater, returned to Codicote to run 'The Bell Inn'. His wife, and then his son Alfred Stratton Males succeeded him there, the latter marrying Georgina Davies of 'The Goat Inn' and overseeing the rebuilding of 'The Bell' in the 1920s in its present form. A number of his children and grandchildren still live in and around the village, including the present chairman of the parish council, John Warwick.

In c1900 a Mrs.Males ran a laundry in premises halfway along Newtown. Her son was Viv Males, who was Tower Captain of Codicote’s bell ringers in the 1970s and 80s. One of his sons still lives in the village.

 

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