The Globe sits in a prominent position just around the corner from the Quay in Harwich next to the old Royal Naval dockyard on the junction of Kings Quay Street and Castlegate Street. Its official address today is in Castlegate Street but it has its foot, not to mention a door, in both camps and in some census returns it is 5 Kings Quay Street.

When the Globe was built as a house Kings Quay Street did not exist and it is difficult to fathom the building’s relationship with the shipyard and defences that existed at the time.

The time in question is the early 17th century, a time when the old defences in Harwich in Harwich, particularly the old town wall, were being removed in favour of expansion for Harwich was a busy and growing place.

What we see in the Globe is a prestigious and fashionable house of its time – similar to the ones that were becoming numerous in London and would be featured on the panorama of London drawn in 1647 by Wenceslas Hollar. The houses had multiple gabled storeys and were designed to be uniform and imposing, whilst providing density of housing.

The Globe’s corner of town was once a distinct part known as Castlegate Parish, containing a castle and the town’s main fortifications. The castle was eventually lost to the sea but we know that the wall was maintained during Elizabethan times and the building possibly went up as the defences started to be reduced and reused.

The house was originally jettied on two sides, facing east and south, and had a cellar, two storeys and attics. The ground floor has been much altered over the years but the original dragon beam is still visible in the main bar, although the post was removed at some stage to provide a canted entrance door into the pub. On the first floor the chambers have moulded plaster ceilings and the front chamber is now more open than it originally would have been.

The stack is contained within a central bay within the timber frame and goes down to the cellar where there is a large opening which could have been used as a cooking hearth.

Although much altered over the years the Globe retains strong elements of all its former identities – even the original house that would have looked out over the shipyard around 1600.

In 1659 we begin to associate a public house owned by Richard Hankin with “Langes Fort” (what we call Languard Fort at Felixstowe today) and with the sign of the Crown in Harwich. We can follow the property via indentures and wills to Joan Jewers (nee Hankin) and numerous reference to the property being in the north east of town, next to the Munt family’s block making business and near the Kings Quay.

In 1769 the Crown changes its name to the Globe and we find reference to Francis Pulham as landlord. Pulham was a Freemason in the St. Nicholas Lodge in Harwich and in 1784 he is listed in Bailey's British Directory as a blockmaker and shipbuilder in Harwich. In the 1790 electoral register he is noted as a gentlemen.

Francis Pulham died in 1806 and whilst it isn’t clear if he owned the freehold to the pub we know that it was acquired by Thomas Cobbold at some stage because when Cobbold retires in 1837 the Globe features as a part of the freehold estate of the Harwich Brewery, which originally stood very close by where the Pier Hotel stands today. In the brewery sale document the pub was listed as having a Bar, Wash-house, Pantry, good Tap Room, Parlor, two large Cellars under, spacious Club Room over Parlor, Bed Room and Loft; another front Bed Room, and Soldiers' Room, approached by separate staircase, two good Attics, Yard and Pump of Water.

John Etherden was the landlord at the time of the sale in 1837 and stays on until at least 1839 when he appears in the Pigot’s Directory of that year.

Robert Orvis is listed as landlord in 1848 and we find him on the 1851 census at the Globe with his wife, Eliza, nephew Philip Scott, a mariners son, Sarah Chipperton, a servant, and three lodgers, including shipwright David Cork.

Robert and Eliza Orvis are still at the Globe in 1861 and Philip Scott is still resident, listed as a “tide waiter and boatman”. They now also have niece Elizabeth Campion, aged 11, living with them and two servants, James Standard who is a “pot boy”, and Elizabeth Potter a “general servant”.

In 1871 we find Robert and Eliza Orvis again but now with two nieces, Elizabeth and Emma Campion, and nephew Robert Campion, living with them.

In 1881 William and Elizabeth Kettle have taken over the pub and live there with their four young children, Elizabeth’s sister Emma Campion and a servant, Angelica Felgate. We can deduce from this that Elizabeth Campion has married William Kettle.

In 1891 William and Elizabeth Kettle are still running the Globe and their family has expanded to seven children ranging in age from 17 to 1 years old. They also have a servant, Jane Carne, and a boarder, William Ward, who is a tailor’s assistant.

In 1901 William and Elizabeth Kettle are still at the Globe with four of their children and two servants, Edith Mills and Maud Howe.

The 1911 census tells us that Herbert and Ethel Larke have taken over the Globe. Their three young children and grandmother are living with them and no less than fourteen boarders. The boarders are from the Royal Navy or Royal Marines so we assume they are transient and not living on the premises long term.

In 1920 Herbert Larke died and on 10th August 1921 Ethel married James Phillips at St. Nicholas church. Ethel continued to run the Globe with her new husband and they are still there in 1939.

The Globe was surveyed and interpreted as part of the Harwich Architectural Survey Project which was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

An interpretation of the Globe by Brenda and Elphin Watkin is available for download here.