Thrale/Thrall history
Waterend Barn, St. Peters Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Tree: UK Thrale family
Notes:
Waterend Barn was operated as a restaurant and entertainment venue by the Thrale family between 1939 & 1978. It is now a Wetherspoons Pub.
In 1938 the barn was no longer needed for its original farming use and the Brocket Estate dismantled it - timber by timber, and re-assembled it on a site they owned in the middle of St Albans and let it as a restaurant. This was completed in 1939 and two brothers, Ralph Thrale 1905-1993 and William Thrale 1900 - 1977, who owned and ran a long-established local business took on the lease. In 1964, the site was enlarged with the addition of the Little Barn, brought over from Little Hormead about 25 miles from St Albans. In 2009 on a (since deleted) blog, John Whiley said:
The best days at the Barn were in 1941 when Thrales had the place. Every Thursday night a dance!In 1978 - after 40 years of Thrale ownership - the Thrale family sold to the Simmons family of Hatfield, another long-established family baking and catering business. Later it was run by the Coles family - Robert Coles is the grandson of the founder, Reg Simmons - using the trading name of Moorsom & Co. Ltd. In 2005, Waterend Barn was refurbished as a Wetherspoons pub and continues to trade as Wetherspoons today.
There are two places known as Waterend that are located 6 miles apart and are sometimes confused:
- Waterend House/Farm AL6 0EA. It was in Sandridge but is now regarded as being in Wheathampstead.
- Waterend Barn, St Albans, AL3 5EN.
Address : Latitude: 51.75260825000001, Longitude: -0.33738800846182126
Media
| Photos |  | Waterend Barn plaque |
 | The postcard appears to feature the Little Barn and, if so, this would date the image to 1964 or later. | |
 | Waterend Barn 1939 plaque |
| Documents |  | Obituary for Richard William Thrale (1931-200) Published in Herts Advertiser on 8 November 2007. |
 | Enthralling tales of Thrale family's colourful past Tribute to Richard W Thrale in local paper after his death |
Occupation
Matches 1 to 1 of 1
Last Name, Given Name(s)  |
Occupation  |
Person ID | Tree | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Thrale, Richard William | Waterend Barn, St. Peters Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire | I197 | UK Thrale family | |