THE PUBLIC HOUSES, BREWERIES AND LICENSED PREMISES OF ...
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THE PUBLIC HOUSES, BREWERIES AND OTHER LICENSED PREMISES OF MARKET RASEN. Brian Ward 2010-2012 Undated photograph of King Street with the former Cary’s Wine & Spirits shop on the left corner, with the ‘Greyhound’ and the former ‘White Hart’ beyond. The No. 3 bus service still runs to Lincoln, but from the opposite side of the road. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
Transcript of THE PUBLIC HOUSES, BREWERIES AND LICENSED PREMISES OF ...
THE PUBLIC HOUSES, BREWERIES AND OTHER LICENSED PREMISES
OF MARKET RASEN.
Brian Ward
2010-2012
Undated photograph of King Street with the former Cary’s Wine & Spirits shop
on the left corner, with the ‘Greyhound’ and the former ‘White Hart’ beyond.
The No. 3 bus service still runs to Lincoln, but from the opposite side of the road.
[source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction. page 3
CHAPTER TWO: Public Houses. page 9
CHAPTER THREE: Ale Houses and similar. page 63
CHAPTER FOUR: Breweries and Maltings. page 78
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS: page 110
REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY: page 112
APPENDIX A: The Market Rasen Brewery Co. Ltd.
Directors & Shareholders.
APPENDIX B: The Market Rasen British Workman &
Commercial Hotel Co. Ltd.
Directors & Shareholders.
APPENDIX C: List and details of main names
mentioned in text.
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.
rewing has been, since the 18th century, a well established and important industry
(to both the local economy and residents) of the town of Market Rasen (known
more usually as East Rasen and also Market Raisin, until the present name became
the common user one during the 19th century). Lincolnshire itself was a great centre for the
growing of barley from which is produced malt, an essential ingredient in the making of
beer. Many early maltings were small buildings in amongst housing, (the production of
alcoholic drinks began as a domestic craft: brewing, fermenting and distilling from a wide
range of vegetable substances), whilst a few small breweries (obtaining their supplies from
the maltings) were to be found attached to an inn or tavern and survived into the early 20th
century. There was originally a tendency to separate the brewing and malting trades,
although we find in the later chapters that some families were involved in both from the
earliest located records. The movement to larger maltings built by the breweries took place
in the 19th century; some later maltings were built beside waterways and, later, the
railways, (e.g. Sleaford) for ease of movement of the barley. The growth of large scale
breweries led them to erect their own large scale maltings as well, witness the rise of towns
such as Burton-on-Trent, where literally miles of brewery railways were laid to service all
the departments.
Malting is the process of allowing the grains of barley to start fermenting, in controlled
conditions of humidity and temperature; the conversion of the starch to sugar is then
arrested by drying the grains in a kiln. To achieve this, the grains are soaked and then left to
germinate, spread over large floor areas over which warm air can flow freely. Maltings by
their very nature therefore tended to be generous sized buildings. The original tendency to
separate the process of malting from brewing resulted in the development of specialized
firms, usually small local independents whose premises were characterized by the pyramidal
roofs with capped vents. On the other hand, in more rural areas or where there was more
limited demand, small malthouses produced malt on a limited scale and went on to
complete the brewing and fermenting processes; we see later some examples of Market
Rasen publicans with allied brewing businesses. The malt itself was used with water to
become ‘wort,’ which was boiled and had yeast and hops added, followed by the
fermentation period. The trade of cooper developed around the need for large brewing
vats and smaller delivery casks. Oddly enough, the development of beer (including stout,
porter, ale, small beer, etc), came about in order to offer an alternative to gin, which has
often been portrayed as the ruin of men as well as ‘mothers.’
Later on, the Victorian Temperance movement (roughly 1840s onwards) developed to fight
the evils of any alcoholic drink! The per capita beer consumption in 1830-34 was 21.6
gallons; in 1880-84 it had grown to 29.1 gallons (despite the growth of the Temperance
movement); in 1900-04 to 30.2 gallons, after which it began to decline, such that in 1930-34
B
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it was down to only 13.0 gallons (Richmond & Turton). The same source tells us that in 1841
there were 171 persons/public house in England & Wales; in 1875 220/pub; in 1906
347/pub, and by 1915 407/pub. The overall population growth obviously had something to
do with this, outweighing fewer licensed premises.
In 1856 it is reported that there were 163 maltsters in Lincolnshire, and more than 50
brewers. By 1913 there are records of 26 maltsters and 32 brewers; only six firms or
individuals were listed as combining the trades. Fewer breweries remained attached to a
public house, but in Market Rasen we find more than one, although the Aston Arms was
probably the last to survive in this way. At the other end of the scale, there existed many
beer- or ale-houses, mostly operating from domestic premises. Details of these will be
found later, in Chapter Three.
Before getting into detail about Market Rasen, it might be useful to consider in a general
way what is meant by the meaning of the various titles given to places which served alcohol:
Public house: the name ‘pub’ became commonly used in the third quarter of the 19th
century, having evolved from a variety of drinking places, over the previous two centuries.
The term does apparently date back to the 17th century when it was in general use, but
tended to generalise in embracing inns and larger alehouses, even to cover all drinking
places. In the 1720s Daniel Defoe distinguished ‘inns and publick houses,’ but also paired
‘inns and ale-houses’ under a more general description of ‘publick houses of any sort.’ As
far back as the medieval period, there are references to three main types of premises which
served alcoholic drinks, which were in declining order of status:
Inns: the inn developed to serve travellers, replacing the earlier hospitality to be found at
religious houses, or the homes of nobility. They formed the elite of English victualling
houses for most of the period before 1800. The term ‘victualler’ is most properly applied to
the landlord/proprietor of those places which provided hospitality other than simply a room
in which to drink. These drinks could be wine, ale and beer, along with the food and
lodging. They also were important rendezvous for the carriers of the locality. When looking
at the names of the licensed premises in Market Rasen, there is often a very general and
inconsistent use of the term ‘inn,’ or later, ‘hotel.’
Taverns: a specialist premises for the sale of wine and also food. They did not usually
provide the accommodation of an inn. Again, in looking at the names of Market Rasen
properties, ‘tavern’ was in quite common usage. Like inns, they were places where business
was done. In major cities, the coffee house later became the place for business and
discussion, but no trace of such places has been found, in Market Rasen. As years passed,
the tavern did lose some of its status as a better kind of establishment, and became
replaced for the gentry by the inn or hotel.
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Alehouses: the most common everyday drinking place for the lower orders. They served
ale or beer, and later perhaps spirits, and could provide basic levels of food and lodging,
primarily to the working classes. We see later that quite a few beer- and/or ale-houses
existed at different times, mainly in the east end of town (East Rasen being the original
name for Market Rasen or Raisin). As literacy was not common in most of the country
amongst all but the clergy and landowners, licensed premises of all orders relied upon a
visual sign as to their identity – a painting was probably the most common, but in the case
of the alehouses, a bunch of hops (which became a quite common name for public houses)
could have been hung above the doorway. This custom was as we know adopted by pubs as
well, using, amongst other sources, local landowners (the Yarborough Arms); local trades
(the Butchers Arms); travel (the Railway); or Royalty (the Kings Head).)
In the early 18th century we find the infamous ‘gin palace,’ being what you might call a
luxury version of the gin or spirit house. It does not appear that Market Rasen ever had any
of these, but it did seem to permit the existence of the others, including Hotel. (From the
mid. 18th century the term ‘hotel’ had come into being, from French origins – the first
English one was built in Exeter in 1768; Innkeepers refurbished their houses, made them
more private and select, and called them hotels). To what extent Market Rasen properties
adhered closely to this principle is not known, but certainly the presence of a turnpike road
running through the town centre (from 1765), with the need to provide for changes of
horses, stabling, meals and accommodation for long distance travellers, must have led to
competition amongst the main inns and to their improvement over time.
Looking now at Market Rasen, we find it had 774 inhabitants (1801); 964 (1811); 1166
(1821); 1428 (1831); 2022 (1841); 2110 (1851); 2563 (1861); 2815 (1871); 2612 (1881); 2497
(1891). Don’t forget, Charles Dickens described it as ‘the (second) sleepiest town in
England’ (versions vary). Earlier than that, the ‘Modern Universal Traveller’ of 1779
described it as a ‘very poor, decayed place.’ (Godfrey).
In addition to the pubs and breweries, there were related trades: Pigot’s 1835 Directory
shows, for example, that the town had: 1 brewer; 2 coopers; 1 wine & spirit merchant; 3
maltsters; 3 inns; 8 taverns or public houses; 10 retailers of beer; 1 malt agent and dealer.
The 1851 Census (EVMT) gave the following information about Market Rasen residents’
occupations connected with the licensed trade: 6 brewers; 3 coopers; 2 maltsters; 4 inn
keepers; 2 licensed victuallers; 1 ale house keeper; 1 publican; 1 innkeeper & farmer; 1
farmer & brewer; 1 temperance hotel keeper (Mrs. Frances Hinds, Temperance Hotel, King
St: the location for these premises has not been confirmed but it may well have been the
Hall shown roughly opposite the White Hart – cf. Fig. 2).
As always in conducting local historical research, the Trade Directories of the time give
much background on the inhabitants. Whilst the earliest located was Pigot’s 1822, which
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listed one Inn, one spirit merchant, and eight Taverns & Public Houses, Slater’s 1849
Directory of Yorkshire & Lincolnshire goes into much detail about this subject, and is worth
setting out here as an early reference point and snap shot of the town as a whole, not just
for the public houses alone.
Incidentally, street names are shown throughout the following chapters as per the Directory
spelling of the period.
Brewers: Barnett Charles,* Queen St Thomas Colley Bland, Queen St
John Nash, Union St Thomas Stephenson, Queen St
John Tateson jnr, John St
*Listed in 1851 Census as Chelsea Pensioner and brewer.
Maltsters: Thomas Colley Bland, Queen St John Tateson jnr, John St
Francis Taylor, Jameson Bridge St
Inns: Thomas Colley Bland, Gordon Arms, commercial & posting, Queen St
Thomas Wright, Swan, Queen St
John Lawrence Thornton, White Hart, commercial & posting, King St
Notes: John Thornton was the owner of the White Hart (see later), and his son occupied
the Saracen’s Head, Lincoln. Most others were generally tenants, judging by the way names
change throughout the records. Mr. Bland was obviously brewing at his hostelry, which we
see was not uncommon at the time.
Taverns & Public Houses: Northing Dixon Lister, Aston Arms, Market Place
William Parker, George, George St
Sarah Broughton, Greyhound, King St
Benjamin Draper, King’s Head, Queen St
Daniel Drakes, Red Lion, King St
Samuel Fillingham, White Lion, Oxford St
Retailers of beer: Barnett Charles, Queen St William Goodyear, Louth Rd
John Holderness, Willingham St James Horton, Will’ham St
Thomas Markham, Louth Rd George Naylor, Oxford Rd
Thomas Stephenson, Union St (continued …)
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Joseph Thorp, Jameson-bridge St
The problem with research is that different reference sources often give conflicting
information, and that has been found with different references to Census details and
different issues of Directories, but at least they both give an overall picture of the town.
Already we can see who were the most important names of the time, and also identify
those premises which are still operating in the same trade today. It would be interesting to
determine whether or not the opening of the railway in 1848 made much difference to the
growth of this trade; the presence in town of the railway navvies during the construction
period prior to that year must surely at the very least have been a fairly major influence on
trade at the ale houses, which were the haunt of the labouring classes! Several of these
premises were located close to the route which the railway finally took through the existing
town centre, crossing Queen St. adjacent to the Kings Head, and were to be found largely in
and around Willingham St. (the early name for the road from Jameson Bridge St. up to about
the junction with Chapman St.; the Town Guide of 1963 was still using the name), Jameson
Fig. 1: a map of Market Rasen, compiled in connection with the Enclosures of 1779. The only
licensed premises noted are two Inns and the specified ‘Greyhound;’ the ‘Red Lion’ could have been
the building shown at the west end of King St., but for some reason it is not noted. [source: Russell,
The Enclosure Act in Market Rasen/ Lincolnshire Libraries].
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Bridge Street and Oxford Street. The town itself had maintained a fairly steady but not
spectacular growth in population in the period embracing the arrival of the railway, as
witnessed by the figures quoted above.
Fig. 2: the town centre as shown in the 1905 surveyed OS Map, published 1906. All the main
hostelries were in existence, but not all marked. [source: Ordnance Survey/ Lincolnshire Libraries].
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CHAPTER TWO: PUBLIC HOUSES
ooking first at the history of each of the Licensed Public Houses in alphabetical order,
the name of the landlord (possibly the owner, this is detailed where known) is shown
to record the persons in that post, according to various Trade Directories over time. In
later chapters, we will look at Breweries, and also those persons who were licensed to sell
wines, beers etc, but not always from solely licensed premises. A point of local interest is
that the Vicar of St. Thomas Parish Church was at one time entitled to collect a tithe of ale
(Slater’s Directory 1849 states: ‘the incumbent is entitled to the unusual tithe of ale brewed
in the parish’). In his 1927 history of the Parish Church, the Rev. E. Battyl Scott says that in
1748 it was reported ‘by tradition Tithe ale has been paid in ye Town about 500 years – it
was first laid upon ye Town (as it is said) by ye Prior of Sixhill.’ The Reverend in his history
also remarks that ‘the oldest houses now existing are two in George St. [the originally
thatched cottages next to the George?] and the Red Lion Inn in King St.’
On the subject of tithes, Rex Russell in his history of the Enclosures in Market Rasen states
the Enclosure Act (1779) made provision for land to be allotted in lieu of great and small
tithes, including ‘Tithes of Maltkilns, Water Mills, Tan Yards, Fellmongers’ Yards and All as
were accustomed to be paid within the Parish.’ In referring to the incumbent Vicar being
the recipient of tithes, including the ale referred to above, we learn that whereas most
tithes are paid in money, ‘there is one custom which is scarcely to be found in other places,
which is tithe ale; [but] the Innkeepers pay sixteen shillings per year at four quarterly
payments and small alehouses pay eight shillings per year; it is an ancient custom now 500
years as it is generally received.’ (He is quoting from ‘a Glebe Terrier dated 1707,’ from
which the Rev. Scott also quoted). The 1709 Terrier confirmed ‘one Tyth wch is not usual in
other Parishes all that sell ale in our town pay Tyth of it, sixteen shillings from an Inn and
eight shillings from smaller houses the yards pay compensation to the Vicar as they have
done in the old time.’ And the third extant Terrier, of 1822, showed that the Vicar still
enjoyed the tithe of ale collected at Candlemas together with ‘Item: For the tithe of mills,
malt kilns, and tanyards 6/8d each collected yearly at Midsummer.’ (Note: a Terrier was a
record of land (Latin: Terra) and other property belonging to the Vicar or the Parish).
In 1852 Barrister at Law John Job Rawlinson was writing after having examined the
commutation of tithes into rent. “I find that the tithes of Maltkilns tan yards Fellmongers
Yards and ale are personal tithes and are not capable of being commuted under this my
Award. And Whereas I find that the tithes of Water Mills are payable in kind … and Whereas
I find that the Vicar of the said Parish is entitled to the tithes of water mills … I award that
the sum of 13/4 by way of Rent Charge [be] paid to the Vicar by way of Rent in lieu of tithes
of Water Mills”
L
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Even the M.R.U.D.C. Guide of 1963 thought to mention this unique matter, saying that ‘the
Vicar’s tithes in Market Rasen were, for many years, partly paid in ale. Contemporary
records confirm that this town was noted for its maltings. To these therefore may be
attributed the beginnings of its rise to prosperity.’
In some cases the pub landlord is also shown as having farming interests; probably neither
profession in early times afforded a really generous living, likewise the alehouses were often
run in the wife’s name. The 1851 Census shows the following detail of such jointly occupied
pub landlords:
N. D. Lister Aston Arms (owner: Sir A. Aston) farmer & innkeeper
T.C. Bland Gordon Arms farmer & innkeeper
L. Thornton White Hart Inn (owner: Thornton) farmer with 121 acres & 4
labourers
E. Ingilby White Swan farmer with 70 acres & 2
labourers
J. Tateson - farmer & master brewer
Incidentally, the same source also shows the Greyhound as owned by Tateson (see Chapter
Four); the Red Lion by Drakes. (An Early Victorian Market Town).
The Directories referred to in this work also show details of the carriers who came into
Market Rasen (Tuesday market day being the busiest by far) from the surrounding villages.
They made use of the yards of the main hostelries (especially the former coaching Inns) as
the destination and return departure point for their wagons; this utilised the space at such
premises and, no doubt, ensured a steady flow of customers on that day at least. A quick
survey of the late 1840/early 1850s shows the Inns were used by the following numbers of
carriers:
Aston Arms: 02 [03] George: 06 [07] Gordon Arms: 12 [14](1)
Greyhound: 19 [26](2) Kings Head: 01 [01] Red Lion: 01 [01]
White Hart: 04 [03] White Swan: 03 [09]
Notes: the figures in [ ] are from details shown in ‘Market Rasen In The 1850s.’
(1): presumably much larger than the space now remaining as the car park; the
outbuildings were demolished to build houses in 2009.
(2): the large rear yard still exists today (The Chase).
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Another interesting use of the various licensed premises was for the Market Rasen race
meetings. The White Hart Friendly Society (1800-1888) was apparently responsible for the
introduction of horse racing to the town, and the records of the Racecourse (which was
located at various sites over the years) include an 1859 race card – the earliest to survive –
which states ‘Jockeys to meet at the White Hart Hotel, Market Rasen, punctually at 10
o’clock, to be shown over the ground.’ A footnote also advises that ‘There will be a DINNER
at the White Hart Hotel, after the Races.’ Apparently other premises were used in turn for
this purpose, and once the railway was opened in 1848, visitors to the race meetings would
have come in greater numbers, and no doubt frequented more of the licensed premises.
The landlords of the main Inns were also often figures of standing in the town. Gas lighting
came to town in 1837; the Stamford Mercury (21.01.1851) reports that ‘on the evening of
the 13th inst. an important and highly respectable meeting of the consumers of gas was held
at the Gordon Arms Inn. The chair was taken by Mr. T.C. Bland ….’ The Parish Vestry
Minutes have recorded that in connection with the letting of land at Tealby for the poor of
the Parish ‘Messrs George Golthorpe, John Nash and Northing Dixon Lister [names that will
be encountered later] were deputed to close with him [William Plumtree] on such Terms as
to rent, management etc. as they should think it advisable to do so ….’ In 1856 the North
Lincs. Agricultural Society held its annual show at ‘the rapidly improving town of Market
Rasen’ when in the evening of this event, a dinner was served ‘in the tastefully decorated
Maltkilns of Messrs Thorpe, a dinner of good old English dishes, seasonal delicacies, and
choice wines provided by Mr. Bland of the Gordon Arms.’ (Market Rasen In The 1850s).
Moving on now to a more detailed study of the history of each public house, inn, hotel etc
(many names are used according to their function and sometimes for the same property),
over the years. The names of known owners or landlords are given, largely taken from
Trade Directories, which of course only show the dates when a person was recorded by the
compilers as being in residence there, so that exact records of the tenure of any one
landlord/landlady are not always easy to locate. Full details of Directories and other
references are given at the end of this work.
Note: as mentioned earlier, the street spelling of the day is used, and where a specific property number is quoted as part of its address below, this was not generally shown until the early 20th Century Directories.
ASTON ARMS 19 Market Place
One of the many long established public houses, and one to have its own brewery for many
years, retaining this facility into the 20th century (cf. Note 6 below). For many years the
publican was entitled to collect tolls from users of the Market Place (cf. Note 4 below). See
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also comments under the Butcher’s Arms and the Dolphin, below, especially in regard to
Mr. Lister.
Lister, Northing Dixon Hagar & Cox 1849(1); Slater 1849; PO 1849;
Fra. White 1851; White 1856; PO 1855(2);
White 1856; PO 1861; Morris 1863; Johnson 1864;
Phillipson, Joseph PO 1868; White 1872;
Sales, William White 1882(3); Kelly 1889 (4);
Fletcher, Robert White 1892; Kelly 1896; Bennett 1898 (5);
Kelly 1900; Kelly 1905 (6); Bennett 1908 (7);
Kelly 1909; Kelly 1913;
Massam, George Hardy Kelly 1919 (8);
Fig. 3: a 1905 view of the Aston Arms and the Market Square when Robert Fletcher was Landlord;
William Cocking is Postmaster and Frederick Daniel Mundy the Wine & Spirits Merchant. [source:
Maurice Higham Collection].
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Kemmery, Edward Kelly 1922; (see also Greyhound).
Clarke, Arthur ECTD 1925; Kelly 1926(9); LGDTD 1926(10);
LGDTD 1928(10);
Walker, C.J. (J.C.?) ECTD 1928(10); ECTD 1930(10);
Walker, John C. (‘Jack’)(11) Kelly 1930; Kelly 1933; LGDTD 1933(10); ECTD
1935(10); ECTD 1936(10); Kelly 1937; LGDTD
1939(10); 1940s (R.M.)(11);
No name LGDTD 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970,
1972;
Skaith, Frank & Grace 1970s (grandson Kevin Skaith, Lincs. Gazette, Vol. 1,
No. 8, August 2001);
Doubtfire, Stephen John WIIFY 1986;
Morrison, Nigel & Mandy 1996 Rasen Mail;
Bradley, John & Chamberlain, today.
Annette
(1): Hagar & Cox show him as ‘victualler and farmer.’
(2): in the Post Office Directory for 1855, Mr. Lister is also shown as being the ‘joint Surveyor
of Highways.’ It was not unusual at that time for people to have more than one string to
their bow.
(3): in White’s Lincolnshire Directory 1882, Mr. Sales is also described as ‘farmer, cattle
dealer & victualler.’
(4): this is the first Directory reference noted to the landlord (the owner being Sir Arthur
Aston) of the Aston Arms also being the ‘lessee of tolls’ for the Market Place. The
entitlement continues to be noted in later Directories for the person named at the Aston
Arms. (NB: cf. under the Butcher’s Arms Agreement of 1843).
(5): Mr. Fletcher is also described in Bennett’s as ‘Proprietor of the Markets.’
(6): Mr. Fletcher is now also described as ‘brewer and lessee of tolls.’
(7): the pub is now described as having ‘accommodation for cyclists,’ as well as ‘good
stabling.’
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(8): Mr. Massam at the ‘Aston Arms Commercial Hotel’ is described as the ‘lessee of tolls &
farmer;’ the property has ‘good stabling & lairage access,’ (obviously his other interest goes
with this) as well as ‘billiards.’
(9): ‘billiards and garage;’ described in ECTD as ‘proprietor.’
(10): described as ‘proprietor.’
(11): Rasen Mail nostalgia article looking back to 1940s: see this note again in later entries.
BRICKLAYER’S ARMS Serpentine St.
The only reference found is in connection with the disposal of the estate of Mr. John Nash in
1870; cf. Union Brewery details, Chapter Four. The sale included ‘two houses and a shop in
Serpentine St. heretofore the Bricklayer’s Arms, bought by Mr. R. Glew for £185.’ Could it
have occupied the site of the original Social Club, at the end of the street, and now have
been itself replaced by the modern day premises which were built on the site of
Cottingham’s bakery? The De Aston School guide states (1986) ‘the Social Club has been
Fig. 4: the Aston Arms undated, but c. 1950s . The attractive Town Hall with Cinema is on the left, whilst across
the Market Place the shops look much better kept than nowadays. [source: Frith Photo./Lincs. Libraries.].
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established over 60 years and moved to new purpose built premises in 1988.’ However,
another well supported and likely theory is that it was iesne of the properties still standing
at the corner of Serpentine St. and Prospect Place, and which shows signs of business
activity.
BUTCHER’S ARMS (probable fore-runner of the Aston Arms) Market Place
Titley, John Pigot 1835;
Smith, Thomas Pigot 1841; White 1842;
Lister, Northing Dixon No reference found in any Directory – but see (1)
below; 1843 Agreement.
Notes: (1): see Fig. 6 giving details of Mr. Lister’s move from the Greyhound to the
Butcher’s Arms in 1843, and Fig. 7 showing his tenancy Agreement dated 24th October 1843
wherein the trustees of Mrs. Mary Smith granted Mr. Lister ‘Tenant’s rights of the Butcher’s
Arms public house in Market Rasen’. He appears at the Aston Arms above as landlord in
Fig. 5: the Aston Arms 1911 and an empty Market Place, showing Warwicks & Richardsons ales
advertisement over Mundy’s wine merchants. [source: Starbuck Collection/Lincolnshire Libraries].
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1849, which suggests the name was changed between these two dates, no doubt in
deference to Sir. Arthur Aston. This Agreement was made in fact between ‘Francis Taylor of
COMMERCIAL Queen St.
Market Rasen, in the County of Lincoln, Maltster, and John Nash of the same place,
Common Brewer.’ The former both ‘resign, relinquish and give up sell assign transfer and
set over’ to Lister the estate, rights and interests in the Butcher’s Arms ‘with the stables
Buildings and Appurtenances … occupied by Taylor and Nash under His Excellency Arthur
Aston Esq.’ The Agreement includes the right to Tolls of the Market Place, also the contents
etc, and ‘Brewing Utensils and the Trap Stalls and other Implements belonging to the said
Fig. 6: Mr. Northing Dixon Lister announces his removal from the Greyhound to the Butcher’s Arms, surely the
forerunner of the Aston Arms, in December 1843. Mr. Lister’s name is only found in any Directory as being at
the latter public House. [source: Maurice Higham collection].
Fig. 7: the 1843 Agreement
between the Trustees of Mrs.
Smith and Mr. Lister.
[source: Lincolnshire
Archives].
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Francis Taylor and John Nash as Lessees of the Tolls aforesaid.’ No price is mentioned but
there was to be an independent valuation of ‘hay and straw.’ Messrs. Taylor and Nash are
seen again in Chapter Four. In 1820 a local advert. was for an Auction at the Butchers Arms,
and in 1834 a theft from ‘the granary on the premises of John Titley at the Butchers Arms’
was reported in the Stamford Mercury, hence it existed prior to the first located Directory
reference.
COMMERCIAL Queen St.
No name ECTD 1907; ECTD 1910;
These are the only Directory entries located in this name format; it may relate to the
Waverley Temperance & Commercial Hotel, or possibly to the Commercial Hotel which was
more properly known as the Gordon Arms. See fig. 12 showing the Commercial Hotel &
Posting House with the name of the current owner (e.g. Chapman) on the name board, a
style which appears to have persisted for many years. However, the name Gordon Arms is
still on display higher up on the frontage, albeit not always visible in the photos. It is most
probable that the Commercial was the local name for one or other of these two properties,
probably the Waverley Hotel, qv., in view of the full title of the owning organization (cf. also
Chapter Three).
DOLPHIN (possible fore-runner of another property) Market Place and/or Queen St.
When the Enclosure Act of 1779 was executed a Vestry Minute dated January 19th 1781
refers to a meeting ‘held at Mrs. Wright’s at the sign of the Dolphin the 18th inst.’ (Source:
Russell). Newspaper adverts. in 1819 and 1820 relate to sales at the premises, so it was
obviously a fairly prominent hostelry. As the last entry in any Directory for this property is
the 1828 Pigot, and the first for the Butcher’s Arms is the 1835 Pigot, it does appear possible
that the Dolphin became the Butcher’s Arms, which in turn became the Aston Arms.
However, it is also possible that the Dolphin was the precursor of the Gordon Arms. An
advertisement in the Stamford Mercury for 21 January 1831 refers to a meeting to be held
at the ‘house of John Lawrence Thornton, now called the Gordon’s Arms Inn (late the
Dolphin).’ Directories show only the following details of Dolphin landlords:
Thornton, Anthony Pigot 1822; White 1826 (1);
Thornton, John L. Pigot 1828 (2);
(1): address shown in White’s as Market Place.
18
(2): John Lawrence Thornton is shown at the Dolphin, Queen St, which is described as
‘commercial inn & excise office.’ It will be seen he appears at the White Hart, (Pigot 1835 et
seq.) and it may be thought that The Dolphin is the original name for these premises, as the
White Hart was to become the centre for the Post Office, Excise Office, and a Bank etc. In
Pigot 1822 we see that Anthony Thornton was at the ‘Dolphin (& Excise Office).’
Interestingly, no address is shown whilst in 1826 it is in Market Place. In Pigot 1828 (cf. 2
above), the details of Coaches interestingly state that the Royal Mail from Sheffield to Louth
and vice versa calls at the Dolphin: it has always been thought in the town’s history that the
coaching traffic used the White Hart; this is listed also in the same Directory, so it was not a
replacement for the Dolphin. Did the trade move from one Inn to another at some point?
However, the White Hart has always been shown as located in King St., and with a landlord
(Joseph Kendall) named as early as 1822 - see details under that property. On the possibility
that the Dolphin was the precursor to the Gordon Arms which was certainly one of the main
commercial properties in town, this also has identifiable landlords at the same time as the
Dolphin: in 1822 it was George Goodall.
More possibly, Anthony was the original member of the family to get into the licensed
trade, and John took over from him, moving to the White Hart in 1835 when John Titley is
named as landlord of the Butcher’s Arms which initially suggested that this was a change of
name for the Dolphin. However, we have seen that it existed prior to that date.
Fig. 8: an 1831 advertisement which shows J.L. Thornton at the Gordon’s Arms, late the
Dolphin. In December 1833 Mr. Thornton announced his purchase of the White Hart. [source:
Stamford Mercury/Rasen Memories].
19
FOUNDRY ARMS Jameson Bridge St.
Believed to be the property situated next to (and owned by but unused) what is now the
Waterloo House Care Home, on the corner of Jameson Bridge St. and Victoria Rd., the
foundry itself having been in Victoria Road (then called Foundry Terrace). The only located
references are between 1865 and 1871, when it was for sale. Maps over the period do not
identify a Public House.
It is perhaps possible that the history of this property is related to one of the beer- or ale-
houses which were located in Jameson Bridge St. according to records discovered (see
Chapter Three). Pigot 1835 shows a George Jackson as a beer retailer in Jameson Bridge St.
THE GEORGE 2 George St.
Another public house which has survived from earliest times under the same name. It may
very well be the Inn shown in the 1779 map (Fig. 1), to the right of the Market Place, in what
became George St. when the east side market place buildings were constructed and George
Street formed. In October 1984 landlord Richard Edrich applied for a licensing extension to
allow him to stay open until 3.30pm on Market Days, in line with the permission granted to
both the White Swan and Red Lion. The Police objected on the grounds the George was too
far from the cattle market (what about the Red Lion?), but the application was granted until
the next Brewster Sessions in April 1985.
The 1986 De Aston Guide states that the ‘George Inn dating back to the 18th Century
maintains its original coach house atmosphere. Offering a choice of quality beers and bar
snacks, it also hosts successful pool, darts and indoor cricket teams. Your host Sally Brett ….’
In 1996 the pub apparently closed in January, before the Rasen Mail reported it re-opening
in July under the guidance of Andy & Pauline Stephenson, as owners, whilst retaining their
positions as licensees of the White Swan at the same time. Coincidentally, at the time of
writing, the Scotts (see below) are also looking after the White Swan under its new owners.
The same article suggested the pub dated back to at least 1780 (which would tie in with the
early Enclosures Map mentioned above), and had been a thatched building, which could
well have been the case as the adjoining cottages were still thatched when photographed in
the early 20th Century.
Parkinson, Thomas White 1822; White 1826(1); Pigot 1828; Pigot 1835;
Parker, William Pigot 1841; White 1842; Hagar & Cox 1849(2);
Slater 1849; PO 1849; Fr. White 1851(1); White
1856(1); PO 1855; PO 1861; PO 1868; (Continued ..)
20
Morris 1863(3); Johnson 1864(3); White 1872;
Fillingham, Robert PO 1876; White 1882(3);
Flintham, Benjamin Kelly 1885(4); Kelly 1889(4); White 1892(5);
Kelly 1896; Kelly 1900;
Flintham, Sarah (Mrs.) Kelly 1905;
Flintham, George Edward Kelly 1909; Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919; Kelly 1922;
Flintham, M.E. (Miss) Kelly 1926;
Fig. 9: details of Mr. Benjamin E. Flintham’s life and family. Note the unfortunate spelling mistake!
[source: Familysearch.org]
21
Boyers, Sarah Elizabeth (Mrs.) Kelly 1930;
Leach, Charles Kelly 1933(6);
Varney, Stanley Kelly 1937(6);
No name Aubrey 1939(6); LGDTD 1937; 1962; 1963; 1965;
LGDTD1966; 1967; 1969; 1970; 1972;
Gale, - (Mr. & daughters) 1940s (Rasen Mail)
Edrich, Richard 1984 Rasen Mail;
Brett, Sally WIIFY 1986;
Stephenson, Andy & Pauline 1996 Rasen Mail;
Scott, Martin & Tina today.
(1): described as the ‘George Tavern.’ (2): described as ‘victualler.’
(3): described as ‘George Inn.’
(4): Mr. Flintham is described as a ‘horse breaker.’ See also Appendix C for more Flintham
family details.
(5): described now as ‘victualler and horse dealer.’ (6): ‘Ye Olde George.’
Fig. 10: the George Inn shown in 1956, with its alternative ‘Ye Olde George’ name also displayed.
The occasion is a meeting of the local Hunt. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
22
GORDON ARMS Commercial Hotel & Posting House Market Place and/or 2 Queen St.
Again, a survivor from early times, albeit re-christened the ADVOCATE ARMS when it was
purchased by developers and, after renovations, re-opened in 2008 in its new identity,
having been bought privately by Darren Lince, MD of Advocate Developments. It did not
take long before it gained 5 rosette AA status as a Restaurant with Rooms.
The original name was after the Conway Gordon family, Lords of the Manor of Linwood, and
the name was possibly adopted when Lady Gordon inherited the Manor (1834?), although
the Directory entries shown below only use the Gordon Arms name. The Manor itself later
passed to Sir Arthur Aston (a relative) and thence to Captain Conway-Gordon, son of the
mistress of Lady Gordon’s husband. The Conway Gordon family bought the Rasen and
Linwood estates from the Trustees of the Aston family c. 1820; almost immediately, they
apparently set about building the Gordon Arms ‘greatly narrowing the entrance to a busy
little street [John St.] which by this time was housing Tateson’s brewery set-up.’ (See
Chapter Four when Tateson’s are first shown, as Maltsters at John St, in Pigot 1841).
The first ‘proprietor’ to be shown as such is Mr. Hodgson (his advertisement in the 1892
White’s Directory, although his listing therein does not show him as the proprietor), so
possibly it was sold to him by the Conway Gordon family whose name it displayed. It had a
young lad employed as a ‘boots’ in the 1851 Census, so was obviously dealing with the
gentry amongst its clientele!
Fig. 11: a flask from the
George during the
Flintham reign.
[source: author/RHS
collection].
23
We see from references to the brewers and maltsters in town (Chapter Four) that Thomas
Gibbons was brewing (1835) and later Thomas Colley Bland; both probably before the
Directory dates shown. Gibbons was a maltster at the Greyhound in 1826, later moving to
the Gordon Arms which is shown as being in the Market Place, correct in that it stands
where the Market Place becomes Queen St. They were apparently brewing at the Gordon
Arms, and later in 1863 George Rowell advertises ‘home brewed ales’ when he is the
incumbent here (see Fig. 13). For the debate about brewing here, refer to the Chapter Four
section on John St. Brewery.
The Gordon Arms also provided a carriage to and from the railway station at some time, see
also the notes on this matter in connection with the White Hart; a 1964 edition of the Rasen
Mail carried the memories of Bill Cash who had died recently, aged 80. He stated that as a
boy (in the 1880s?) he had accompanied the Gordon Arms ‘bus to and from the station, but
that both this service and the White Hart bus stopped the practice of meeting all trains
about that time.’ A failure of memory or did they both decide only to operate when
booked?
A Rasen Mail article in February 1978 refers back to 1915 when the newspaper at that time
paid tribute to the Conway Gordon family, who for sixty years had been Lords of the Manor.
A sale of the estate assets did not include the Market Tolls; the Trustees of the Estates had
entered into discussions with the Market Rasen UDC about their taking over the collection
of tolls, but this had always by tradition gone to the ownership of the Aston Arms ‘hotel.’
The Council was offered the hotel and tolls together, but decided the market tolls would not
be of any great value to the town. The Councillors did debate the issue, as it was felt that if
the town bought the inn, it could always be sold again, but the Clerk (the redoubtable Mr.
Padley – we see him with Mr. Page as Secretary to the Brewery Company as well as the
Commercial & Temperance Hotel Company) – pointed out that the town had no money!
The possibility of the Market Rasen Brewery Co. buying the property was also mentioned
informally, but they would not compete with the Council. In the end, the Council decided to
‘take no action for the time being.’
The De Aston School Sixth Formers on their town quest tell us the Gordon Arms ‘is owned
by Ian Gordon Mawer, also the head chef. [It] dates back to the 17th Century and is arguably
the oldest coaching house in Market Rasen. … the quality of meals has given them a Good
Food Guide Award for the last five years.’ Interesting comments on the property’s previous
history! Perhaps the Hotel had a long and favourable record in this area, as in 1877 the
annual dinner of sheep clippers in the Rasen area was held in the Gordon Arms when they
all enjoyed ‘a great blow-out of stuffed chine.’
Goodall, George Pigot 1822; White 1826(1);
Ingamell, John Pigot 1828;
24
Gibbons, Thomas Pigot 1835; Pigot 1841; White 1842;
Bland, Thomas Colley Slater 1849(4); Hagar & Cox 1849(5); PO 1849;
Fr. White 1851;
Mastin, Julius PO 1855;
Blakoe, Joseph White 1856;
Rowell, George PO 1861; Morris 1863; ‘home brewed ales’ noted
in 1863 (Brewery Soc. records); Johnson 1864;
PO 1868; White 1872; PO 1876; White 1882(1);
Kelly 1885;
Swain, Louisa (Mrs.) Kelly 1889;
Hodgson, William White 1892; Kelly 1896; Bennett 1898(2);
Kelly 1900;
Chapman, Henry Parnell Kelly 1905(3);
Cox, Walter Kelly 1909(2); Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919; Kelly 1922;
ECTD 1925; Kelly 1926; LGDTD 1916; Kelly 1930;
Harrison, Chris ECTD 1935; Kelly 1937; LGDTD 1933(2); 1936(2);
ECTD 1936(2); LGDTD 1939(2);
Bayes, Tom 1940s (Rasen Mail);
No Name LGDTD 1962; 1963; 1965; 1966; 1967; 1969;
LGDTD 1970; 1972;
Mawer, I.G. & A.H. WIIFY 1986; 1992 Rasen Mail(7);
Cooley, Lisa & Halls, Richard 1998 Rasen Mail;
Lince, Thomas Darren today.
(1): shown in White as Gordon’s Arms.
(2): he is shown as ‘Proprietor.’ The final dates for Mr. Harrison may be an error as he is
shown at the Waverley Hotel (q.v.) in 1937, although that in itself could be the error.
25
(3): Mr. Chapman is shown as ‘Proprietor.’ The description now includes ‘motor car
accommodation.’
(4): Mr. Bland is also shown as both ‘maltster’ and ‘brewer, Queen St.’
(5): shown as Bland & Son, victuallers (as well as (6)).
(6): commercial inn & posting house (description used for many years hereafter).
(7): comment has been made that Mr. & Mrs. Mawer were the last “proper” landlords of
the Gordon Arms before it went downhill. This would be Ian Gordon Mawer referred to in
the introductory notes above.
Fig. 12: the Gordon Arms Commercial Hotel & Posting House, shown in a photo. dated c. 1908,
with Henry Chapman still the Proprietor. [source: Maurice Higham collection].
26
GREYHOUND (INN) (now THE CHASE) King St.
Another survivor from early days, when it was very active with the coaching trade, shared
Fig. 13: a 1956 view of Queen Street showing the Gordon Arms’ prominent position facing across to
the Market Place on the left. Also, an 1863 Morris Directory advert. Note the home brewed ales; the
‘Market Ordinary’ Tuesday lunch was provided by many hostelries. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
27
GREYHOUND (INN) (now THE CHASE) King St.
Another survivor from the early days, when it was very active with the coaching trade,
shared with its next door neighbour, the White Hart. It was stated to have been in
existence in 1560 by Bruce Halpenny, in ‘A Lincolnshire Town - Market Rasen’ but without
quoting any authority for this. The Rasen Mail in articles in 2003 and 2004 looking back to
the licensed trade, says ‘the Greyhound’s birth date was 1639. Lovingly carved in oak, on a
fireplace we laid bare. Such wonderful history, so mindlessly destroyed. It was even
rumoured that Oliver Cromwell slept there’ (Dennis Hall); also it said ‘This week (in 1969)
the Greyhound Inn on King St., was reduced to rubble. The Inn, believed to be more than
300 years old, was demolished to make way for a brand new pub – The Chase.’ The original
inn was probably thatched, along with some of the other oldest properties in town, e.g. the
Red Lion, and the cottages in George St. In 1786 there was a reference to a Gervaise Fox
being landlord and (possibly) also brewing (Brewery Society records). See Figure Six
whereby Mr. N.D. Lister informs his customers of his move from the Greyhound to the
Butcher’s Arms (above).
The Rasen Mail in one of the editor’s nostalgia articles in 1979 reports that beer sold by
Thomas and Sarah Gibbons (1820s) got a name for being the best in town. ‘One Pint was as
good as a great coat in Winter; Two Pints and it makes the poor man walk on thrones; Three
Pints and you see everything that can reasonably be seen in a dream.’ The same article
referring to the celebrations for the Coronation of William IV in 1830, tells us that a theatre
company performed in a barn at the back of The Greyhound, ‘which could be seen from the
railway line.’ (Strange, as the line opened in 1848!).
We see later that the White Hart was frequented by soldiers travelling to the battlefields of
Waterloo, and the Mail also reports ‘tradition says soldiers rested at the Greyhound on their
way to the Battle of Waterloo.’ [1815]. Demolition was greeted with dismay by the town’s
elders, feeling the character of the town was being eroded. Messrs Hewitt Bros. Ltd
Brewery stated that “although the premises are to be improved and rebuilt to a great
extent, the front elevation will remain very much as it is now;” they opened their new Chase
pub in March 1970. A claim to fame of the present pub was when the famous racehorse
Red Rum called into the bar, in May 1985. Incidentally, the Town Guide of 1963 stated the
Greyhound ‘is one of seventeen inns of Lincolnshire which the Ministry of Housing and Local
Government has recently scheduled as being of special historic or architectural interest
worthy of preservation’ What happened to that protection, one wonders.
In its latter day guise as The Chase, the De Aston School Sixth Formers tell us that ‘your
hosts are Pat & Chris Ramery. They boast one of the finest selections of casked Bass Ales in
Market Rasen .. .’ In 1999 landlord Mick Pickard reported the best week’s takings apart
from Christmas and New Year, when the Lincs. Rally had brought much trade to all the
28
businesses in town. The Rasen Mail of July 2008 reported that ‘the Chase reopens having
been closed for almost three years. Owners are Kevin and Juren Armes from Nottingham.’
Gibbons, Thomas Pigot 1822; White 1826; Pigot 1828;
Ingilby, Edward Pigot 1835; Pigot 1841;
Lister, Amos White 1842; (see Fig. 6 with N. D. Lister’s card giving
details of his move to the Greyhound; was he landlord between Amos
Lister and Sarah Broughton? Or was Amos an alternative name by which he
was known? Or was it a publishing error?).
Broughton, Sarah (Mrs.) Slater 1849; Hagar & Cox 1849; PO 1849;
Johnson, David Fr. White 1851;
Tateson, J. Census 1851(7);
Scott, James PO 1855; White 1856; White 1861(7);
Robinson, George Morris 1863; Johnson 1864; PO 1868; White 1872;
PO 1876; White 1882(1); Kelly 1885;
Tillett, Arthur John Kelly 1889; White 1892; Kelly 1896(2,3);
Bennett 1898; Kelly 1900;
Winship, William Bradley Kelly 1905;
Kemmery, Edward Kelly 1909; Kelly 1913; [see also under Aston Arms].
Dolman, John Thomas Kelly 1919(4);
Hemmant, James William Kelly 1922;
Allen, Rupert Sydney Kelly 1926(5); LGDTD 1926(5); 1928(5);
ECTD 1928 (5); LGDTD 1929(5); Kelly 1930;
Kelly 1933; Kelly 1937;
No name LGDTD 1937, 1939; Aubrey 1939;
Knapton, Ernest 1940s (Rasen Mail).
No name LGDTD 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970,
1972(6);
29
Fig. 14: the Greyhound Inn when Edward Kemmery was landlord, with the White Hart attached. The corner
entrance was not retained in the re-building. [source: Maurice Higham collection]. Fig. 15 below as The
Chase, possibly in the 1980s. [source: Lincolnshire Life].
30
Sessions, David Rasen Mail Jan. 1969 (there at re-building from
Greyhound to Chase);
Barton, William & Mary 1970s (Rasen Mail);
Cambridge, Ann & Godfrey Rasen Mail Nov. 1979;
Ramery, Pat & Chris WIIFY 1986;
Pickard, Mick 1999 Rasen Mail;
Armes, Kevin & Juren 2008 Rasen Mail;
Sankey, Brian & Jayne today.
(1): described as ‘victualler.’
(2): also ‘Hon. Sec. Market Rasen Angling Association.’
See Mr. Tillett again later at the Market Rasen Brewery Co. Was it his brother at the
White Hart from at least 1882-1885?
(3): shown as ‘Inn.’ (4): ‘Manager.’ (5): ‘Proprietor.’
(6): shown as both ‘Hotel’ and ‘Public House’ throughout these dates.
(7): See references to the Scotts in Chapter Four, at Union St. brewery, also Tateson who
became a town brewery owner.
KING’S HEAD 52 Queen St.
An early property, which may well have lost some of its land when the railway was built
through the centre of the town in 1847/1848. Apparently at one time, access to the rear
was not only possible through the archway off Queen St., but also via the railway arches,
and the pub’s owners paid a rental to BR for this right. The Rasen Mail of March 2006 stated
‘in the last week, the Kings Head, boarded up since Christmas, has been refurbished and
renamed The Goldmine.’ But apparently it did not live up to its name (a suggestion by
Bolton marketing company Provence for prospective buyers) and closed again (later that
year?). It now lies unoccupied and semi-derelict, despite several plans to alter it to
alternative uses. In November 2011, West Lindsey District Council announced it would
enforce action upon the owners to tidy up the property, and at the year end it appeared
that the owners of the Advocate Arms (and now also the George and White Swan) were to
take on the King’s Head.
31
The pub sign visible in Fig. 15 of Queen Street shows the same central letter ‘H’ as also once
displayed at the Red Lion, symbol of Hewitt’s Brewery, Grimsby. Incidentally, the De Aston
School 1986 guide to the town told us it ‘has not been known to cater for food orientated
customers. On the other hand it is the typical Old English Pub. It has accomadition [sic] for
Bed & Breakfast and a Public Bar as well as a Lounge bar and separate Pool Room.’ In
August 1997 the Rasen Mail had mentioned the then landlords as being ‘Flo & Kevin,’ but
without any more detail.
Tatam, Thomas Pigot 1822;
Wheatley, Jonathan White 1826; Pigot 1828;
Draper, Benjamin Pigot 1835; Pigot 1841; White 1842; Slater 1849;
Hagar & Cox 1849; PO 1849; PO 1855; White 1856;
Gresswell, William Kemp PO 1861;
Furst, Edmund Morris 1863;
Birkett, Robert Johnson 1864;
Greenwood, John PO 1868;
Coulbeck, Joseph F. White 1872;
Coulbeck, S. (Mrs.) PO 1876;
Hinds, William White 1882(1);
Hinds, Martha (Mrs.) Kelly 1885; Kelly 1889(2); White 1892(1);
Kelly 1896; Kelly 1900(2);
Fountain, Thomas Kelly 1905; Bennett 1908(3);
Monk, Ernest Kelly 1909; Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919; Kelly 1922;
Sutton, Henry ECTD 1925(4); Kelly 1926(4); LGDTD 1926; Kelly
1930; Kelly 1933; Kelly 1937;
No name LGDTD 1937, LGDTD 1939; Aubrey 1939;
Sims, Frank & Bette 1940s (Rasen Mail)(5);
(1): described as ‘victualler.’ The Rasen Mail for 14 October 1876 carried an interesting item
of news, reporting that Mr. Hinds had retired after 14 years service with the Midland
Railway Co. at Manchester to return to Market Rasen along with his wife, and to take over
32
as landlord of these premises. He was held in such high esteem by his colleagues and
customers at Manchester that his leaving gifts included a purse of gold! Presumably he took
over from Mrs. Coulbeck late 1876 or early 1877.
(2): property described as ‘public house.’ (4): Mr. Sutton described as ‘proprietor.’
(3): Mr. Fountain described as ‘Proprietor.’ Premises described as selling ‘.. ales, wines
spirits and cigars of the best quality.’
(5): Mr. & Mrs. Sims are remembered by one lifelong Rasen resident as the last “proper”
landlords of the King’s Head. They retired in the early 1970s and the pub continued trading
with a succession of landlords until eventual decline and closure.
The first date shows that the premises existed prior to the coming of the railway, which
opened in 1848, but the Queen St. overbridge was commenced in 1847. The railway bridge
arches must have been hard against the pub premises, possibly having been built on its
land.
Plate 16: the King’s Head in trading days, from an undated postcard. [source: Maurice Higham
collection].
33
MANCHESTER SHEFFIELD & LINCOLNSHIRE HOTEL Linwood Rd.
The name bears witness to the name of the Company which opened the railway line
through Market Rasen in 1848. At a property sale conducted by Mr. Mawer in 1902 (the
same event as mentioned in connection with the Railway Hotel), ‘Nos. 1 & 2 Linwood Rd.
consisting of houses and shop together with a frontage of 91’ on Serpentine St. were
secured by Mr. Uriah O’Hara for £500.’ This sounds very much like the property previously
known as the M.S. & L. Hotel. It looks as though the pub may have been converted to
houses and a shop after the demise of Mr. Titley (see below). The building still stands at
the corner of Linwood Rd. and Serpentine Street, but was converted to become two
domestic dwellings (and the shop, see the sale above) at an unknown date.
Wallis, Thomas Johnson 1864; PO 1868;
Warren, Henry White 1872(3); PO 1876;
Favill, Robert White 1882(1);
Plate 17: the King’s Head (late Goldmine) in an abandoned state today. [source: author].
34
Titley, Annie (Mrs.) Kelly 1885(2);
(1): Proprietor/landlord also shown as being part of Favill (George & William) & Son; the
term ‘victualler’ is applied to Mr. Favill. See also Chapter Four, under the Market Rasen
Brewery Co. Ltd., established initially in 1879 as Favill & Co. Ltd.
(2): Very probably the wife of George Titley, who first appears as a brewer in John St. in
Morris 1863 (see Chapter Four). An Agreement dated 15th November 1883 (i.e. in between
the tenancies of Robert Favill and Mrs. Annie Titley, above) was made between ‘Charles
Smith Fieldsend of Belmont, Benniworth, Farmer & Edward Drakes, Sixhills, Farmer, on the
one part (Mortgagees of the Hereditaments hereinafter described) and Charles Titley,
Louth, Innkeeper, Trustee on the other part.’ We discover that ‘under the liquidation
proceedings instituted by George Titley, Wine & Spirit Merchant, Maltster & Common
Brewer and as such Trustee Owner of the Equity of Redemption of the said Hereditaments’
and who has duly obtained his order of discharge under the said Liquidation proceedings,
Charles Titley & George Titley become tenants to Messrs. Fieldsend & Drakes of ‘an Inn or
Public House known by the name of the Manchester and Sheffield Hotel’ [sic]. The annual
rental was £42. See also Chapter Four in connection with the John Street Brewery.
Incidentally, a John Titley is to be seen at the Butcher’s Arms in 1835 and a Daniel Drakes at
the Red Lion in 1849-51, so both families had connections with the licensed trade.
Fig. 18: the former Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Hotel, at the corner of
Serpentine St. and Linwood Rd. today. [source: author].
35
(3): Mr. Warren was also a photographer with a shop in Queen St.
No further entries are found for these premises in any further Directories. Could this be
because of its connection with the Market Rasen Brewery Co.? But if so, why? When did it
cease to trade and eventually be converted into residential properties? (cf. note above in
the introduction to this property).
NEW INN Oxford St.
Marriott, Joseph Fr. White 1851;
Very possibly the first, or even unofficial, name given to the Railway Hotel (see below) upon
its opening; Joseph Marriott is shown as the first landlord there in White’s 1856 Directory.
(SUCCESS TO THE) PLOUGH (probable fore-runner of the White Lion) Pinfold St.
NB: Pinfold (sometimes Pinder) Street was the earlier name for what became Oxford Street,
the name change apparently taking place (reason unknown) around the early 30s.
Sizzer, Samuel Pigot 1822(1);
Ambler, Richard White 1826;
Tidy, William Pigot 1828(2);
Howden, John Pigot 1835(3);
Axe, George Pigot 1841
No further references found for these premises, which appear probably to have been the
predecessor of the White Lion, (see below, which is first noted in 1841 with George Axe in
residence).
(1): named ‘Success to the Plough.’ (2): shown here as Pinfold street.
(3): shown here as Oxford Street.
RAILWAY HOTEL 34 Oxford St.
With the opening of the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway’s line between
Barnetby and Lincoln in 1848, it was inevitable that a prime spot near the entrance to the
station goods yard on this side of the railway overbridge, and to the passenger approach
36
road on the other side of the bridge, should attract a hostelry, and that it should be named
after the railway. See the reference to a New Inn, above.
In 1902 the Railway Hotel was sold (the then owners were not named) by auctioneer Mr.
Mawer, and was described as ‘one of the most important licensed premises in Market
Rasen.’ It had stabling for 40 horses, as well as ‘capacious warehouses, a bar parlour, a
liquor bar, a commercial room, 8 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, a tap room, a dairy, a cellar, boot
house and yard’ as well as a ‘good carriage house.’ The Inn was occupied by Charles Wilson
(presumably as tenant) and the adjoining warehouse, salt and cake houses by Sinclair & Son.
It was bought by the Market Rasen Brewery Co. Ltd. for £2370.
It was still occupied by Charles Wilson and had the quite extensive accommodation
mentioned in the later sale details. The premises were eventually de-licensed, the Rasen
Mail reporting on 09.12.1972 that ‘the last drinks were served at the Railway Hotel on
Saturday night [01 December]. Landlord Walter Cecil Alcott had transferred his license to
the White Swan, for him to take it over from Pete Moss.’ After de-licensing, the premises
were sold for domestic redevelopment, by Messrs George Mawer & Co. on 27th March 1973.
The accommodation and facilities were described as ‘a large substantial brick and slated de-
licensed property formerly the Railway Hotel, comprising three public rooms, kitchen, seven
bedrooms, one residents’ lounge and bathroom.’ The Mail’s report added that the inn
achieved its peak of popularity in the early days of the expansion of the railway, from 1848
to WW 1, when it was a ‘calling point for waggoners bringing their heavy loads over the hill.’
The Rasen Mail looked back in November 1975 to the pub’s history, and informed its
readers that the Railway had been the busiest pub in town from around 1860 onwards, as it
‘catered so much for those coming to the town station both from the Wolds and from the
Wragby side.’ Farm wagons came from ‘all direction is certain seasons.’ A more modern
sign of the pub’s attraction to the men of the town is the still visible collection of their
initials scratched into its brickwork as they stood waiting for the doors to open.
A Rasen Mail article of 1967 said that ‘mine hosts at the Railway Hotel, on the corner of
Chapel St. and Oxford St., are Leonard and Evelyn Croft, who eight years ago swapped their
Navenby smallholding for the beer pumps.’ They were not newcomers to the trade, having
kept the Bedford Conservative Club after Leonard was invalided out of the RAF. “We still
get people using the trains who call in at the house,” said Leonard.
Marriott, Joseph White 1856; PO 1861;
Scott, James Morris 1863; Johnson 1864(1); PO 1868(2);
White 1872; PO 1876;
Scott, Thomas White 1882(3); Kelly 1885(4);
Wilson, Charles Kelly 1889(5); White 1892(6); Kelly 1896; (Cont’d…)
37
Bennett 1898; Kelly 1900; Kelly 1905;
Bennett 1908(7); Kelly 1909; Bennett 1911;
Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919(8); LGDTD 1919/20;
Gardner, Philip Forester Kelly 1922(9);
Cocking, Isaac Edgar ECTD 1925(11); Kelly 1926; LGDTD 1926(10);
ECTD 1928(10); LGDTD 1928(10); LGDTD 1929(10);
Kelly 1930;
Cooper, Thomas ECTD 1931(10, 11); Kelly 1933(10);
Morris, George Kelly 1937;
No name LGDTD 1937; 1939; Aubrey 1939;
Gray, Walley 1940s (Rasen Mail;
Croft, Leonard & Evelyn 1960s (Rasen Mail);
Alcott, Walter Cecil 1972 (Rasen Mail). Closure December 1972.
(1): also shown as ‘brewer, Union St.’ See Chapter Four. (NB: Union St. was originally
known as Brewery St., the brewery having been demolished, to make way for the new
Lincoln Co-Operative store which opened in 1897 on its site; the name change appears to
have taken place before an 1860 map – possibly in the 1830s when Pinfold St. (q.v.) also
altered?).
(2): premises shown as ‘Railway Tavern;’ also again brewer, Union St.
(3): Mr. Scott is shown as both ‘victualler’ at the ‘Railway Inn,’ and also at ‘Union St.
Brewery.’ The Brewery Society records show James and later Thomas Scott as brewers in
Union St. (see Chapter Four).
(4): this entry shows the ‘Railway Tavern, Oxford St.’ and him as ‘brewer, Union St.’
(5): first use of the title ‘Railway Hotel.’ (6): title of ‘victualler’ used.
(7): premises shown as the ‘Railway Hotel Public House.’
(8): selling ‘ales, wines, spirits and cigars of the best quality.’ (NB: this phrase would appear
to be one suggested by the compilers of these Directories, as it appears against more than
one licensed premises).
(9): ‘accommodation for travellers; teas provided; garage & good stabling accommodation.’
38
(10): ‘Proprietor.’ (11): ‘commercial accommodation.’
RED LION 45 King St.
One of the oldest surviving public houses in Market Rasen, having been a thatched property
until the late 19th Century at least. A pinfold was also apparently located nearby, before the
pound moved to the other end of town, in Pinfold St. (see the notes in connection with the
White Lion). What appears to be the Red Lion is shown on the Enclosures Map of 1779 (Fig.
1). The metal inn sign framework until recently in use and hanging over the street, displayed
in the centre a large capital letter ‘H’ (now replaced by the latest owners). This relates to
the pub’s days when owned by Hewitt Bros. Ltd., Tower Brewery, Grimsby. (cf. also the
King’s Head and Chase). Although it suffered closure, re-opening early 2006 under new
owner Tom Wood, a local brewer, and then closure again during 2010-11, it again re-
opened as a ‘gastro pub’ in late 2011 and it is to be hoped that its new guise will ensure the
continued life of such an historic building.
Beech, John see note (8) below.
Fig. 19: the former Railway Hotel today, still standing at the corner of Chapel St., Oxford St. and
Linwood Rd. Its appearance is largely unchanged from its days as a public house. [source: author].
39
Dawkins, Richard Pigot 1822(8); White 1826; Pigot 1828;
Cooper, George Pigot 1835; Pigot 1841; White 1842;
Drakes, Daniel Slater 1849; Hagar & Cox 1849; PO 1849;
Census 1851;
Scott, James Fr. White 1851;
Twigg, John PO 1855; White 1856;
Twigg, Mary Ann (Mrs.) PO 1861; Morris 1863; Johnson 1864;
Cleaver, Mary Ann (Mrs.) PO 1868;
Strong, Edwin (Edward?) White 1872(1); PO 1876; White 1882(1);
Kelly 1885(2);
Hobson, Preston see note (5) below;
Cocking, Charles Henry see note (6) below;
Hall, Robert Kelly 1889; White 1892(7);
Ingram, William Kelly 1896;
Goodyear, Edward Bennett 1898(3); Kelly 1900; Kelly 1905;
Cawthra, Ernest Dawson Kelly 1909;
Savage, Mary Ann (Mrs.) Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919;
Massam, George Hardy Kelly 1922; ECTD 1925;
Bell, Sidney Frederick Kelly 1926; LGDTD 1926(4);
Herriott, Tom ECTD 1928 (4); LGDTD 1928(4); LGDTD 1929(4);
Kelly 1930; Kelly 1933; LGDTD 1933(4); LGDTD
1936(4); Kelly 1937;
No name LGDTD 1937; LGDTD 1939; Aubrey 1939;
Wilson, John 1940s (Rasen Mail);
Nutbrown, Mike & Liz 1996 Rasen Mail(9);
Beard, David today.
40
(1): Mr. Strong is described as ‘victualler,’ but also as ‘Solicitor’s Clerk’ in the earlier edition
and later as ‘assistant overseer and insurance agent.’
(2): first use of term ‘Public House.’ Mr. Strong had probably moved on (see (5) below), but
the Directory had already gone to print.
(3): Red Lion Inn. ‘Good accommodation for entire [?] horses. Cyclists and others provided
for. Ham & eggs at short notice.’ (4): ‘Proprietor.’
(5): An Agreement was dated the 28th October 1884 between the Rev. H. J. Rhodes and Mr.
Preston Hobson of Owmby, (farmer) … ‘for the occupation of the Red Lion Inn.’ The tenant
agreed ‘to take and hire from Henry Jackson Rhodes the Inn Yard Building and
Hereditaments … from the 17th November 1884 until 6th April 1885 at a rent or sum of
£15.10.0 and thereafter annual rental of £39 pa.’ The premises were stated to be ‘now in
the occupation of Edwin Strong or his assignees.’
(6): An Agreement was dated the 12th March 1887 between Mr. G.W. Favill (landlord) and
Mr. Charles Henry Cocking (tenant) for 12 months occupancy as from the 6th April 1887 at a
rental of £39 pa. Mr. Favill is noted in various other sections of this Chapter as a property
owner (he was also an Auctioneer), as is also Mr. Cocking or his possible descendants.
(7): An Agreement was dated 25th September 1889 between Mr. G.W. Favill, Auctioneer &
Valuer (landlord) and Mr. Robert Hall, Innkeeper (tenant), for a period of 6th October 1889
to 6th April 1890 for a rental of £14.10.0. The annual rental thereafter until the Tenancy be
determined to be £29 pa paid quarterly. Six calendar months notice to terminate were
required. The Tenant was to ‘take and buy from the Market Rasen Union Brewery Co. (in
which concern the said George William Favill is a partner) All Beer Ale Porter and Malt
Liquors …’ There had been a similar Agreement dated 2nd November 1888 at a Rental of £39
pa, so it appears Mr. Hall managed to negotiate improved terms in 1889.
(8): An Agreement dated 8th February 1820 was made between Mr. John Beech, victualler,
and Mr. Richard Dawkins, of Langworth in the County of Lincoln also a victualler to allow
occupation of the Red Lion then occupied by John Beech under John Dean Senior. Mr.
Dawkins became tenant as from 6th April 1820 and the sum of £10 was paid over for ‘value
received.’
(We have three Mary Ann …. Did Mrs. Twigg re-marry to become Mrs. Cleaver? Was the
later Mary Ann Savage a co-incidence?).
(9): the Rasen Mail edition of 25th September 1996 carried several adverts for local pubs, as
part of a 140 years of age special feature; Mr. & Mrs. Nutbrown were mentioned as having
been at the Red Lion for over fourteen years by that date. It was also suggested the building
might date back as far as the 14th Century.
41
Fig. 21: Agreements between Mr. G. W. Favill and tenants in the late 1800s (above) and between the
Rev. Rhodes and Mr. Preston Hobson (below), in relation to the Red Lion. [source: Lincs. Archives}
Fig. 20: a flask from Ed. Strong at the Red Lion. [source: Rase Heritage
Society].
42
STILL (THE) Market Place
No licensee details given, and only found in the Eastern Counties Trade Directories, issues
dated 1907/8 and 1910.
SWAN/WHITE SWAN 29 Queen St.
Another property to be found in the earliest Directories, and of course situated on the 1765
Turnpike Road as it passed through the centre of the town so attracting carriers and
coaches. In Note (8) below, we see that the Swan’s rear yard was still used in modern times
for other businesses, and in fact ladies names are noted as trading there although the
nature of their trades has not been located. Across the road from the property, on the
other side of Queen Street, there stood a stackyard in the 1830s-40s period, which may
have had some connection with the pub.
The De Aston School guide tells us it offered rooms at ‘£10.00 per person per night … There
are four rooms which can accommodate eight people. The restaurant serves a variety of
meals which are available to non residents. There is a room which can be hired out for
private functions.’ The pub was known familiarly as the ‘Mucky Duck.’
43
After a period of mixed fortunes in 2011, the pub was taken over by the owners of the
Advocate Arms and the George, and returned to trading in November.
Pennington, Samuel Pigot 1822;
Taylor, Charles White 1826; Pigot 1828; Pigot 1835; Pigot 1841;
Ashton, Joseph Pigot 1841;
Turner, Philip White 1842;
Wright, Thomas Slater 1849; Hagar & Cox 1849(1); PO 1849;
Chester, John 1851 Census – an error or short lived occupant?
Chapman, John Fr. White 1851;
Ingilby, Edward PO 1855; White 1856; PO 1861; Morris 1863;
Johnson 1864; PO 1868; White 1872; PO 1876;
White 1882(2);
Goodson, William Kelly 1885; Kelly 1889(3); White 1892;
Kelly 1896(4); Bennett 1898;
Goodson, Charlotte (Mrs.) Kelly 1900(5);
James, David Kelly 1905; Bennett 1908(6); Kelly 1909;
Bennett 1911; Kelly 1913;
Hind, John William Henry Kelly 1919; Kelly 1922; Kelly 1926(7); LGDTD 1926;
Kelly 1930; Kelly 1933; Kelly 1937(8);
No name ECTD 1935(9); LGDTD 1937; LGDTD 1939;
Aubrey 1939(9);
Hinds, Harry (& daughters) 1940s (Rasen Mail);
Moss, Pete 1960s? (Rasen Mail);
Alcott, Walter Cecil 1972 (Rasen Mail)(10);
Various landlord changes and 2000s;
temporary closures
44
Scott, Tina today (joint Licensee of the George).
(1): first use of the name ‘White Swan.’
(2): described as ‘victualler’ and premises named ‘Swan Inn.’
(3): named ‘Swan Hotel.’ (4): address given as 29 Queen St. also Parsonage
Farm.
(5): this Directory also lists, under ‘Public Houses’ etc, p.819 ‘Swan Hotel, Mrs. Harriet
Hibbitt, 29 Queen St.’ No other reference to her has been found.
(6): Mr. James is listed as ‘Proprietor.’ (7): first listing as ‘Proprietor.’
(8): also shown is Mrs. E. Hutchinson, ‘horse dealer,’ Swan Yard; previously in this Chapter,
we saw three Carriers are listed as operating to and from the Swan’s spacious yard on
Tuesday, Market Day, a carry-over from long before the coming of the railway in 1848. A
Rasen Mail article of 1977 refers to Miss J. Pawson and also a Miss E. Toyne in Swan Yard,
(at the time of David James) but without further detail.
Fig. 22: the White Swan in an undated picture but taken during the period of Mr. James’ occupation in
the 1900s. [source: Maurice Higham Collection].
45
(9): described as ‘Temperance,’ presumably an error carried over from the entry for the
Waverley, which is adjacent in the Directory.
(10): presumably from late 1972/early 1973, after he moved here following the closure of
the Railway Hotel.
TEMPERANCE HOTEL Queen St.
The reference to the 1851 Census in Chapter One includes a ‘Mrs. Frances Hinds,
Temperance Hotel, King St.’ A possible theory is that this was the same premises as here;
King St. may have been confused with the adjoining Queen St. However, the Waverley did
not exist until several years later, unless one of the buildings taken over (see below) was
already a temperance premises.
However, the map of the town centre (Fig. 2) does appear to show a Hall on the north side
of King St., almost opposite the White Hart. Perhaps this was in fact the Temperance Hotel
of Mrs. Hinds.
Fig. 23: another early but undated picture of the White Swan, shown amongst its
neighbours in Queen Street. [source: Rase Heritage Society collection].
46
A Temperance Hotel is also said to have existed in Queen St., in modern times, accessed
through a lane alongside the present Rasen Hardware store (source: a local long term
resident; the present owner of the hardware store confirms there was an entry to the rear
of the building).
THE WAVERLEY (TEMPERANCE) HOTEL 11 Queen St.
This property grew from the good intentions of the Market Rasen British Workman &
Commercial Hotel Co. Ltd, incorporated in January 1878, and which is dealt with more fully
in Chapter Four; its annual returns of shareholders (Appendix B) sometimes use the word
‘temperance’ in place of ‘commercial.’
An interesting property, still intact today but believed to have ceased to be an hotel in the
1940s or 50s. As seen in Chapter Four, the formal opening took place in 1879, with a name
change to the Waverley in 1880. Mr. & Mrs. Naylor were in that year Hosts to a first
birthday celebration, when the whole company ‘partook of an excellent spread.’ Charges of
3d. and 6d. were made for the ‘wonderful tea and entertainment.’ Mr. Naylor appears to
have been a progressive manager, and was advertising week by week in the Rasen Mail
(preferential rates?) at the beginning of 1880 that he was to take down the ‘British
Workman’ sign and replace it with ‘The Waverley Commercial Hotel’ across the frontage.
His announcement was that ‘S. NAYLOR BEGS to thank the Clergy, Gentry, Farmers and the
Public generally for their patronage during the past year and hopes by strict attention to
receive a continuance of the same during the present year. S. Naylor also begs to say the
Hotel will henceforth be called the WAVERLEY HOTEL.’
The early meetings of the Market Rasen U.D.C. were held at the ‘Temperance Hall’
according to Minute Books, from the Council’s formation in 1894 until moving to the Police
Station the next year, and then to the Board Room of the Corn Exchange later the same
year, where they appear to have settled. Many older Rasen residents today can remember
in their younger days having dancing lessons on the function room here, presumably the
actual Temperance Meeting Room or Hall. Today the logo of the Cyclists Touring Club can
still be seen up on the right hand end of the frontage to Queen St., and this emblem also
appears in early photos of the Gordon Arms Hotel; cycling was of course a major Victorian
activity and premises approved by the C.T.C. would have attracted their members to call in
for refreshments during their days out. A photograph in the Francis Frith collection shows
most of the front of the hotel, with its garage frontage and petrol pumps alongside the road,
when that business also operated there, and this business is mentioned in the later
Directory entries, as is seen further on.
The Victorians became more concerned about the problem of drunkenness during the 19th
century, leading to the growth of the Temperance movement. One response was the
47
commercial brewing of non-alcoholic drinks (Market Rasen had its producers of alternatives
e.g. Jevons) such as dandelion & burdock, and the production of artificial ‘mineral waters’
such as lemonade and ginger beers. Bennett & Bennett add to this information by saying
that by the late 20th century all the small malting and mineral water manufacturers (in
Lincolnshire) had closed, like the local breweries before them.
We also see in Chapter Four that the M.R.B.W.& C.H.Co. Ltd. was wound up in 1912 but Mr.
Rose continued to trade for some time under his own aegis, having first appeared as
Proprietor in Bennett 1911, i.e. between the E.G.M. of 1910 to sanction the winding up and
the eventual conclusion of the proceedings in 1912. We see below that his widow ran the
hotel for a while after his death.
Fig. 24: the Waverley Hotel from a 1911 advertising postcard.
[source: Maurice Higham Collection].
48
Landlords were:
Naylor, Sanderson White 1882(1); Kelly 1885; Kelly 1889; White 1892;
Reed, Richardson Kelly 1896; Bennett 1898(2); Kelly 1900; Kelly 1905;
Rose, Herbert Edward Bennett 1908; Kelly 1909(3); Bennett 1911(4);
Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919; LGDTD 1920(11);
Kelly 1922(5);
Rose, H.E. Mrs. LGDTD 1924 (12);
Topliss, L. &. E. ECTD 1925(9); Kelly 1926(6); LGDTD 1926(9);
Campbell, E. Mrs. LGDTD 1929(10);
Campbell, William R. Kelly 1930(7); ECTD 1930(10);
Wilkinson, H. & Suddaby, J. Kelly 1933(8);
Fig. 25: a 1946 car repair bill from the Waverley Garage, in Waterloo St. just
around the corner. [source: Maurice Higham collection].
49
Harrison, Chris Kelly 1937(13);
No name LGDTD 1937; LGDTD 1939; Aubrey 1939;
(1): address given as: Commercial Temperance Hotel, The Waverley, Queen St.
(2): first description as ‘Waverley Commercial Hotel.’
(3): Mr. Rose described as ‘jobmaster’ and the hotel has a motor garage. Premises also first
listed as ‘Temperance Hall.’
(4): first listing of Mr. Rose as Proprietor.
(5): ‘teas and dinners provided; jobmaster & motor garage.’
(6): ‘teas & dinners provided; motor garage; wireless apparatus.’
(7): ‘Manager.’
(8): ‘Proprietors’ of Waverley Garage, no names shown for Waverley Hotel.
(9): L. & E. Topliss shown as ‘proprietors;’ also ‘parties catered for, cars for hire, garage
accommodation for 25 cars.’
(10): shown as ‘Mrs. E. Campbell, proprietress; luncheons & teas.’
(11): ‘good accommodation for commercials & cyclists; liberal tariff; billiards; posting;
quarters for C.T.C; motor garage’
(12): this Directory shows Mr. Rose as ‘hairdresser,’ in Queen St., and Mrs. Rose as
‘proprietress’ of the Waverley Hotel.
(13): Kelly 1937 shows Chris Harrison here at the Waverley, but also at the Gordon Arms,
and many other Directory entries show him there.
NB: other references to temperance properties:
Mrs. Frances Hinds, Temperance Hotel, King St. (PO 1861) and 1851 Census.
‘Thomas Watson, Tobacconist & temperance Hotel, Market Place’ (Johnson 1864).
White’s 1882 also lists a Mr. Thomas Watson amongst the town’s population as
‘bookseller, stationer, newsagent, tobacconist and temperance hotel’ with a Market
Place address. (Could this be the same property as Mrs. Hinds, being that King St.
joins the Market Place at the west side?). See Appendix C for known details of Mr.
Watson.
50
WHITE HART King St.
Adjacent to the Greyhound, and a long standing important building in town. The early
Directories from 1822 show that it also contained the Post Office, banking and insurance
offices etc. A Rasen Mail article in 1978 looked back to the Inn’s early days: ‘a Post Office of
sorts had been located at the old White Hart from the early days of the stage coaches
onwards. Some sorting of mails long took place at the White Hart and Grimsby letters from
the Midlands came via Market Rasen and were then sent by horse and trap over the hills by
way of Thorganby.’
Fig. 26: the Waverley Temperance Hotel in an undated photo; would that be Mrs.
H.E. Rose in the doorway? [source: Maurice Higham collection].
51
The White Hart was certainly one of the first successful Inns in town, as it found itself at a
convenient point on the 1765 Bawtry to Louth Turnpike road. The Brewery Society records
a Mr. John Cousins at the inn, possibly also with an attendant brewery, but without a date.
Coaches would have needed to change horses at regular intervals in order to maintain
consistent high speeds, and the White Hart, located in Rasen which was a cross roads to all
points of the compass, met the needs of the coaching trade. In an article (07.01.1978) the
Rasen Mail wrote that ‘the White Hart already had the right amount of stabling when the
first stage coaches came along, more or less the right number of ostlers, convenient public
rooms. So it was said “let’s change horses at little East Rasen.” An open space opposite the
White Hart later became the Market Square.’ We also see from the trade Directories how
the Royal Mail coaches regularly used the White Hart as their port of call in Rasen; in 1841
for example, we see them listed as follows (cf. note also in connection with the Dolphin):
to Boston: daily at 11.15am. to Hull: daily at 1.45pm (via the New Holland ferry).
to Louth: daily at 5.00pm to Sheffield: daily at 7.00am.
Fig. 27: the Waverley Hotel was a popular place for meetings; this may be an early
meeting of the Town Council. Known persons are: back row 5th from left: A.J. Tillett;
front row: 2nd from left: Jas. Casterton, 3rd. A.A. Padley. [source: Maurice Sentance/ RHS
Collection].
52
The adjacent Greyhound Inn (the original building, demolished in 1969) also benefitted
from the coaching trade, and its large rear yard was to play host to many carriers who came
into Rasen on the Tuesday market day, as time went on. The large yard remains to this day,
behind what is now The Chase. (see references above).
The hotel would have been used by local businessmen for their meetings, and in May 1801
the Caistor Canal Co. agreed to press ahead with plans for a navigation as far as Hambleton
Hill, serving Market Rasen. A meeting was called to discuss this but Market Rasen was only
represented by William Rawson, miller & trader, and Richard Clark, mercer & draper. A
follow up meeting was called for July the same year, but there is no further evidence of
action - perhaps the lack of interest by the dignitaries of Market Rasen caused it to die a
death? The White Hart did however play host to meetings in 1823 and 1827 when local
solicitor John Vane was supporting the ‘intended canal and railway from Bishop Briggs in the
Parish of Glentham to near the town of Market Rasen …’ Nothing came of that either, and
the arrival of the railway in 1848 was what finally connected Rasen to the outside world.
From an early time after the arrival of the railway in Market Rasen (1848), a horse drawn
carriage link was provided to serve train passengers, firstly apparently by Edward Towler,
grocer & draper (noted in 1853); the 1939 reminiscences of a John William Watson (born
1855) were published in the Rasen Mail in November 1977: he refers to “Towler’s Bus.” The
service was also provided by the Gordon Arms, as well as the White Hart, to and from the
railway station. (However, the 1892 advertisement by the White Hart refers to the omnibus,
so possibly more than one was provided by the competing Inns in early days). In 1919 the
Great Central Railway Co. was charging Mrs. Smith the sum of 1/-pw for the privilege of
‘plying for hire’ from the station; a charge for this purpose had been paid by Mr. Chapman
at the Gordon Arms from 01 October 1901 until 26th May 1906, so perhaps Mrs. Smith took
over on her own at that time. Had both hotels been offering the omnibus service for several
years? An article in the Rasen Mail in more recent times, looked back to the closure of the
White Hart in June 1940, and brought forth a reader’s reminiscences ”… curiously no
mention is made of the horse-drawn coach belonging to the hotel which without fail met
every passenger train arriving at the station. This was indeed a coach – not a trap, or a
gig,or a fly, or a brougham – and though by then it had lost some of its elegance, in the pre-
railway and motor car age it may well have attracted the attention of a certain Mr. Turpin,
or others of his kind on the highways of England.” Apparently the horse had a bad temper,
but was not averse to accepting sugar from the reader as a boy. Whilst at the station, it was
“tethered to a ring in the external wall of the station between two enamel-plated signs, one
advertising ‘Petter Oil Engines’ and the other ‘Mazawattee Tea.’ Only once do I remember
the coach being taken. This was by an elderly couple from the train travelling on the Lincoln
to Grimsby line … they had an air of somewhat faded elegance which harmonized well with
the interior of the coach.”
53
Mention has also been made in the Rasen Mail of graffiti from Napoleonic times being
scratched on a window pane at the White Hart: ‘Turn us, O God, and we shall be turned.’
Beneath was an ornamental cup with monogram letters B.T.S. and date 11 March 1814.
Another pane read ‘Prepare to meet your God’ and a signature Col. O’Dinner[?]. The whole
was thought to be the work of two Officers of the 14th Hussars when they stayed in Market
Rasen en route from York to Boston, to sail to France towards the end of the war with
Napoleon.
An attractive detached house in Jameson Bridge Street bears the inscription ‘J F T’ and the
date 1902; we see Mr. Tillett was in residence at the White Hart when the property was sold
in 1883, below, and the 1881 census gives details of the household at that time:
John F. Tillett age 40 Ellen Tillett age 37
Annie Taylor age 24 Annie Gadsby age 19
Sarah Brown age 20 Harriet Brown age 18
Robert Hall age 34 he was a single man, an Ostler
Fig. 28: an item in the Rasen Mail of 2001, looking back at the White Hart’s
history, the photo being taken c. 1900. [source: Rasen Mail].
54
The Thornton family finally decided to sell their Rasen interests and concentrate on running
the Saracen’s Head, High St., Lincoln, where son Laurence was in charge. An Auction held
on the White Hart premises on 6th March 1883 resulted in a figure of £1650 being realized.
The Auction detailed the property as follows:
Lot 1: ‘substantially built and old established inn … yards, stables, coach houses, brew
houses and other outbuildings,’ all ‘in the occupation of Mr. J.F. Tillett’ – which confirms him
as the tenant landlord at that time.
Lot 2: Mr. Tillett’s garden – 272 yards of ‘eligible building land’ on the other side of Mill St.
The general sales description was ‘This hotel has been established, and well conducted, for a
great number of years. It has a fixed and lucrative trade attached to it and the house and
premises are in a good state of repair ….‘ The new owner was a publican from Rugby, so
presumably he was content to permit John Tillett to continue as landlord.
The White Hart Hotel finally called time in 1940, and the property was sold (by order of
brewers Warwicks & Richardsons, so presumably they had by then become the owners) on
27th June by Messrs. Nettleship & Lucas (see Fig. 30). The premises were again sold at
Auction in 1996, bought by Hugh Bourne Developers for £49,000 against a guide price of
£50,000. The property was at that time the last to be held by the Spencer Trust, and had
Fig. 29: an advertisement for the White Hart, from White’s 1892 Directory. [source:
Lincolnshire Libraries].
55
been an eyesore for many years, no doubt after the Plastic Box Co. which had ceased to use
some of it. In January 1997 a £125,000 facelift was announced, the building now converted
into eight self-contained flats.
A minor point of interest – across the corner of Mill St. from the still occupied flats stands an
Indian restaurant; in the days of the flourishing White Hart Hotel, this same property was
the ‘India & China Tea Company Ltd.’
The records of landlords and landlady are as under:
Cousins, John Brewery Society (no date);
Kendall, Joseph Pigot 1822(1); White 1826; Pigot 1828(2);
Thornton, John Laurence Pigot 1835(3); Pigot 1841; White 1842; Slater 1849;
Hagar & Cox 1849(4); PO 1849; Fr. White 1851;
Goodson, William PO 1855; White 1856; PO 1861; Morris 1863;
Johnson 1864; PO 1868;
Atkins, George Joniss White 1872;
Limbird, George PO 1876;
Tillett, John Frederick White 1882; Kelly 1885(6);
King, William Kelly 1889; White 1892; Kelly 1896(5); Bennett
1898; Kelly 1900;
Smith, Caroline (Mrs.) Kelly 1905; Kelly 1909; Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919;
Kelly 1922; Kelly 1926; Kelly 1930; Kelly 1933;
Kelly 1937;
No name LGDTD 1937, 1939; Aubrey 1939; LGDTD(7) 1962,
1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972;
(1): referred to as ‘Inn.’ (2): ‘Inn and Posting House.’
(3): referred to as ‘Hotel.’ John Laurence Thornton was born 1801, father of Laurence T.
Thornton (b. 1828) who at the 1881 Census was described as ‘Hotel Keeper & Carriage
Builder,’ residing at the Saracen’s Head Hotel, High St, Lincoln St. Peter At Arches.’ See also
Chapter Three reference the Alehouses.
56
(4): ‘Commercial & Posting Hotel (licensed to let post horses, post office, excise office,
county court office, magistrates meeting and Lincoln and Caistor branch bank office.)’ See
also earlier reference to the Dolphin.
(5): Kelly 1896: ‘family and commercial hotel and posting house and agent for Warwick’s
and Richardson’s Ltd. Brewers Newark.’ The Minutes of Market Rasen U.D.C. show an
application from Mr. King for alterations, approved, in September 1899, but without giving
details.
(6): John F. Tillett was born in Bungay, Suffolk, in 1841 and appears to have been in the
licensed trade in Wymondham, Norfolk, as he wrote from the White Hart on February 5th
1884 to suppliers in that town to apologise for being in debt to them. We find Arthur J.
Tillett becomes Manager of the Market Rasen Brewery Co. by 1905 and is possibly his son.
An 1879 account for the use of a fly and driver by John Tillett, late of Wymondham, suggests
this is possibly when he first moved to the town.
(7): As far as is known, the White Hart did not resume trading as licensed premises after
being sold in 1940, so the presence of these entries is presumably an error.
When the adjoining Greyhound was demolished apart from the frontage, the barber’s shop
at the front of the White Hart next to the Greyhound’s walls was damaged, and even though
rebuilt later never returned to its former use.
The Rasen Mail of 17 February 1999 had an item by former Editor ‘Teddy’ Sharpe looking
back at the White Hart’s long term landlady, Mrs. Caroline Fanny Smith. He recalls her from
personal experience as ‘both a matriarch and martinet. Her customers were the best in the
district.’ Apparently when she was a girl she went abroad to visit her uncle who was
engaged in building the railway line from Denmark to Germany, and ‘on one occasion when
she was as light as a feather and a delight to behold she danced a quadrille with the then
King of Denmark.’ Quite a character! She married a gentleman farmer at no more than 18
years of age, had 15 children and clearly was in total command of the running of the White
Hart, ‘from the sounding of the brass bell for the market ordinary luncheon on a Tuesday to
the proclaiming of a decision which she regularly reached that Mr. So-and-so, sitting in one
of the great Windsor chairs which were ringed around in her smoke room, should drink no
more because it would not be good for him.’ She ran the hotel from her bedroom until the
end, presumably until the sale of the property in 1940 (see Fig. 30), and died at the age of
94. Apparently her ‘private room,’ in which she ruled the roost with canaries for
companions, became the Managing Director’s office when the Plastic Box Co. occupied the
more modern factory to the rear, in Mill St.
57
Fig. 30: the White Hart from the west, an unusual viewpoint, undated. On the right hand corner is the
India & China Tea Company, now an Indian restaurant. [source: Maurice Sentance/Rase Heritage Society
collection]. Below: Fig. 31: an 1896 billhead. Note the Masonic and other symbols. [source: Maurice
Higham collection].
58
WHITE LION 8 Oxford St.
Another very old property (see comments on the Plough, above, where George Axe was the
last landlord), as the buildings in Pinfold/ Oxford Street are known to date back to the 18th
century. The name Pinfold St. was used in the references of the 1779 Enclosure Act. The
name has last been seen in print in relation to an Agreement dated 20th July 1830, being the
21 years lease on a ‘messuage shop and premises abutting North on Queen St. and East on
Pinfold St. with the outbuildings Yard Garden and Appurtenances …’ so the re-naming
probably occurred shortly after that year. The White Lion property, by then unlicensed, was
Fig. 32: the 1940 Sale of the White Hart. [source: Rase Heritage Society collection].
59
purchased by the present owners in 1967 for residential use; their Deeds show the property
to have been in existence in the early 1700s.
Axe, George Pigot 1841; White 1842;
Fillingham, Samuel Slater 1849; Hagar & Cox 1849; PO 1849;
Fr. White 1851;
York, Charles PO 1855; White 1856; PO 1861; Morris 1863;
Johnson 1864; PO 1868; White 1872; PO 1876;
White 1882;
Wilson, Charles Kelly 1885(1);
Robinson, Ann (Mrs.) Kelly 1889;
Robinson, George White 1892;
Lunn, Thomas Kelly 1896(2); Kelly 1900(3);
Knott, John Henry Kelly 1905; Kelly 1909; Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919;
LGDTD 1920; Kelly 1922; LGDTD 1924(4);
ECTD 1925; Kelly 1926;
Holmes, Joseph Kelly 1930; Kelly 1933; ECTD 1935;
Goodson, William & Lily ECTD 1936(4); LGDTD 1936(4); Kelly 1937;
Rasen Mail (1940s);
No name LGDTD 1937, 1939; Aubrey 1939;
Fig. 33: the 1870 sale
of the former
‘Plough,’ now the
‘White Lion.’
[source: Stamford
Mercury].
60
(1): referred to as a Public House. (2): ‘sole agent for Burton & Lincoln Breweries
Ltd.
(3): ‘White Lion Public House, T. Lunn sole agent for T. Salt & Co. Ltd. Burton-on-Trent for
Market Rasen & District.’ (4): Shown as ‘Proprietor.’
The Minutes of the Market Rasen U.D.C. show an application approved in September 1904
for alterations to the White Lion, but no further details; this could have been from either
Mr. Lunn or Mr. Knott presumably.
YARBOROUGH ARMS 11 Oxford St.
In early Directories, this property is usually only found in the street listings of addresses and
is not found as a public house, but the people shown are listed as ‘beer retailers,’ or similar.
Later, it became identified as a beerhouse or alehouse, usually just by its address, but the
Fig. 34: the White Lion (right) and the Yarborough Arms (left) in Oxford St. in the 1890s. Beyond on
the left are the offices of the Market Rasen Brewery Co. Ltd. and beyond that, their malthouse; traces
of this building can still be seen at ground level in the extant building now in use as Messrs. Rhodes
spare parts department. [source: M. Higham collection].
61
Yarborough Arms name appears in 1898 as shown below (Note 2), then becomes more
usual in the 20th century listings. It was of course opposite the White Lion public house, on
the other side of the road. NB: cf. beer retailers 11 Oxford St. in Chapter Three, with which
these names should be read. Earlier names of people are included here as well as in
Chapter Three in order to show a more complete history of this property.
Naylor, George Slater 1849(1);
Greenwood, George PO 1855; White 1856;
Drayton, Charles White 1892; Kelly 1896; Bennett 1898(2);
Johnson, James Kelly 1905(3);
‘Yarborough Arms,’ no publican name. Bennett 1908; Bennett 1911(4);
Walker, George Kelly 1913 (no pub – beer retailer); Kelly 1919;
Kelly 1926;
No name ECTD 1910; ECTD 1907; ECTD 1928; ECTD 1935;
LGDTD 1937; Aubrey 1939(5);
Sutton, Frank Kelly 1930; Kelly 1933 (beer retailer);
(1): Mr. Naylor is shown as a beer retailer in Oxford Rd., but does not appear again.
(2): first reference to Yarborough Arms is in Bennett 1898, and the address corresponds
with previous landlord names at 11 Oxford St.
(3): Mr. Johnson is shown as a ‘beer retailer’ at 11 Oxford St, but no ‘pub’ name applies.
(4): the entries in any Bennett’s Directory are only addresses, no names shown for people,
but use the Yarborough Arms name.
(5): included with listing of ‘inns.’
62
Fig. 35: the White Lion in Oxford St., the Yarborough Arms having stood on the right with the
archway; undated but probably c. 1960s. The white painted house to the left has now been
demolished (No. 10 Oxford St.). [source: Frith Collection/Lincolnshire libraries].
Fig. 36: an advert from the 1898 Bennett’s Directory. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
63
CHAPTER THREE: ALEHOUSES & SIMILAR
ere we look at the small ‘ale house,’ ‘beer retailer,’ and similar premises; see
the definitions given in Chapter One. Licensing legislation for these liquor
providers for the ‘lower orders’ had been in operation one way or the other
since Anglo Saxon times, imposed by the State or Church. The licensing system
began in 1495 but did not really take effect until the passing of another Act in
1552, after which statutory licensing of ale houses was enforced by local JPs. For many
years, they were very basic places, which governments over the years sought to control and
improve by legislation. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries, alehouse premises
became less rudimentary than in the past, with improved facilities, but in rural locations
such as Lincolnshire and towns such as Market Rasen, it seems most likely that very basic
standards remained in place probably until Victorian times, given that the town’s own
facilities were very rudimentary. In 1830 the Beer Act introduced beershops or houses
which only required a certificate from the Excise, and their conduct was regulated by
statute. The changing occupancy and/or ownership which appear in the listings below
suggest that many were quite transitory businesses, with often the wife running this
business whilst the husband was employed elsewhere; in some cases it was a source of
income for a widow.
Jennings tells us ‘public houses (the term having by the close of the 18th century come into
common usage to cover inns, alehouses and taverns) were licensed to trade by local
magistrates. Second, but a much smaller group, was a variety of other establishments
licensed for the consumption on the premises, which included hotels, restaurants, concert
halls and railway refreshment rooms. Third, were the beerhouses under the 1830 measure,
which received a license direct from the Excise. Legislation in 1869 now placed the
beerhouses also under the authority of the justices.’ In 1830, the Government Tax of 10/-
per barrel on beer was abolished, but the duty on malt remained until 1880, having been
sharply raised in the 1790s – Government tax measures! Outlets to retail beer almost
doubled in less than a decade. Common brewers benefited by being able to increase
production but no doubt trade at alehouses also expanded. Publican brewers were more
common in the Midlands, Eastern Counties and the North than in London and the
Home/Southern Counties.
We’ve seen that beerhouses and suchlike had been in existence for many years previously,
as simple places selling beer to be consumed on or off the premises. They were mainly
domestic properties, at which the beer was often brewed as well. An advert. in an 1883
Rasen Mail for a ‘Beer House and 1 acre of Garden land to let’ gave a Mr. J. Taylor, Brewer,
as the contact – possibly the Joseph Taylor seen as Brewer, and later Brewery Manager, of
the M.R.B.Co. in Chapter Four. According to the W.E.A. studies for ‘Tudor Market Rasen’
‘there would have been at least a dozen alehouses in Market Rasen in that period. Nineteen
H
64
are recorded in the town in 1633.’ (Where they were recorded is not stated; the study is
based upon analyses of Probate Inventories). We have seen in Chapter Two that it is
believed the Greyhound dated from 1639, perhaps as a beerhouse or perhaps that was the
first inn or tavern to enter the scene, as better quality establishments started appear.
We’ve also seen that the ale- or beer-houses were the haunt of the labouring classes, largely
illiterate, hence the use of signs by which they could be identified (very often a bunch of
grapes – a popular pub name in more recent times), and that they must surely have been
favoured by the railway navvies when they came to town, from 1846 or 47, until leaving
after the line was opened towards the end of 1848. It is believed (Clark) that
itinerant traders as well as vagrants, drovers and those who travelled with their work would
be customers of the alehouse. The latter would doubtless be those who would seek them
as places to rest overnight as well as to find refreshment, not being able to afford anything
better, such as an inn. It seems safe to assume that there would have been few creature
comforts and little in the way of hygiene in them either.
Fig. 37: a typical Ale House as depicted in Clark’s History. The symbol on high above the doorway
was the identification of these premises in the days when most of the population was illiterate.
[source: Clark : the English Alehouse].
65
Other factors relating to alehouses were the concerns that they fermented dissenters and
rivalry to the chapels; their success also lent encouragement from the 1840s onwards to the
growth of the Temperance movement. In both 1577 and 1686 the Government of the day
made enquiries as to the facilities for quartering troops in times of war, at alehouses across
the country.
A collection of early ‘Recognizances’ for the year 1806 exists in Lincolnshire Archives, where
the alehouse applicants appeared before the local Magistrates and these show how two
applicants, one of whom may or may not have been the person running the establishment,
were recognized in the sum (generally £10 each at that time) for the orderly running of the
premises. Some of these documents are shown in Fig. 35 but their details, illustrating how
the system operated, are as under:
Applicants Resident Licensee
1 Thomas Parkinson Market Raisin Thomas Parkinson
Edward Pennington Market Raisin
2 Edward Pennington Market Raisin Edward Pennington
Thomas Parkinson Market Raisin
3 Thomas Sallett Market Raisin Dorothy Sallett
John Fisher (?) Tealby
4 John Danby Market Rasen John Danby
Thomas Swanack (?) Cadney
5 William Bell Market Rasen William Bell
Samuel Gibson Market Raisin
6 Samuel Gibson Market Raisin Samuel Gibson
William Bell Market Rasen
7 Anthony Thornton Market Raisin Anthony Thornton (1)
John Lancaster Market Raisin
8 John Watson Market Raisin Ann White
William England Market Raisin
66
9 John Watson Market Raisin Gowans (?) Fox
William England
The variations put an interesting light on how the system operated at that time.
(1): would this be the start of the Thornton family’s career in the licensed trade, prior to
tenure of the Dolphin, and then later the White Hart? (See also Appendix C).
Fig. 38: a selection of 1806 Alehouse Recognisances for premises in Market Raisin.
[source: Lincolnshire Archives].
67
Details of Alehouses or Beer Retailers identified in the various Directories are as follows,
starting with the first such entries to be shown (there being no public records earlier than
the Directories to consult):
Pigot 1835: James Baxter beer retailer King St.
Elizabeth Hutchings do Queen St.
George Hutchinson do Willingham St.
George Jackson do Jameson-Bridge St.
Friday Partridge do Willingham St.
(see also his entries in ‘Breweries,’ Chapter Four).
Not one of the above names appears again in subsequent years. Many of the following
remain in business for some time to come.
Pigot 1841: Thomas Brown do Willingham St.
William Goodyear do Louth Rd.
John Holderness do Willingham St.
Thomas Stephenson do Union St.
Joseph Thorp do Jameson-Bridge St.
John Wood do Willingham St.
P.O. 1849: Barnett Charles brewer & beer retailer Queen St.
William Goodyear beer retailer Sand hills
John Holderness do Willingham St.
Thomas Markham do Sand hills
Thomas Stephenson do Queen St.
Thomas Thorp do Jameson-Bridge St.
Slater 1849: Barnett Charles do Queen St.
William Goodyear do Louth Rd.
John Holderness do Willingham St.
James Horton do Willingham St.
68
Thomas Markham do Louth Rd.
George Naylor do Oxford Rd.
(cf. Yarborough Arms).
Thomas Stephenson do Union St.
Joseph Thorp do Jameson-bridge St.
Fr. White 1851: Jno. Holderness beerhouse Willingham St.
T. Markham do Sand hill
Joseph Sharp do Bridge St.
P.O. 1855: William Goodyear beer retailer No. 5 Sandhill
George Greenwood do Oxford St.
John Holderness do Willingham St.
Robert Mager do Sandhills
Joseph Marriott do & coal dealer Oxford St.
John Read beer retailer & brewer Queen St.
Joseph Thorpe beer retailer Jameson Bridge St.
White 1856: William Goodyear beerhouse Wellington St.
G. Greenwood do Oxford St.
J. Holderness do Wellington St. [Willingham?]
John Read do Queen St.
Jph. Thorpe do Jameson Bridge St.
P.O. 1861: Geo. Greenwood beer retailer Oxford St.
John Holderness do Willingham Rd.
Robert Mager do Sandhills
John Read do & brewer Queen St.
Joseph Thorp beer retailer Jameson Bridge St.
69
Geo. Townend do Serpentine St.
(was this the Bricklayer’s Arms mentioned in Chapters One and Four?)
Morris 1863: William Brown do Serpentine St.
Uriah O’Hara do Oxford St.
John Proctor do Willingham Rd.
John Read do & brewer Queen St. brewery
Robert Thorpe beer retailer Jameson Bridge St.
Johnson 1864: James Atterby do Jameson Bridge St.
William Brown do Serpentine St.
G. Greenwood do Oxford St.
Richard Hargrave do Willingham Rd.
J. Holderness do Willingham Rd.
Uriah O’Hara do Oxford St.
Thomas Prescott do Serpentine St.
J. Proctor do Jameson Bridge St.
Robert Thorpe do Jameson Bridge St.
Thomas Wallis do Linwood Rd.
P.O. 1868: William Blakey do Oxford St.
Chas. Favill do Oxford St.
(cf: Chapter Four, Market Rasen Brewery Co. Ltd.).
Samuel Fitch do Willingham Rd.
Wm. Goodyear do Willingham Rd.
Mrs. Elizabeth Holderness do Willingham Rd.
Thomas Pepper do Welsby [Walesby?] Rd.
Thomas Prescott do Serpentine St.
70
White 1872: Samuel Fitch beerhouse Willingham Rd.
John Read do Queen St.
White 1882: Tom Bonnett grocer & beerhouse Willingham Rd.
Benjamin Flintham beerhouse & horse breaker Oxford St.
Kelly 1885: Tom Bonnett shop keeper & beer retailer Willingham Rd.
Geo. Boyers saddler (Qn. St.) & beer retailer Oxford St.
Kelly 1889: Tom Bonnett shop keeper & beer retailer Willingham Rd.
Mrs. Fanny Woolhouse beer retailer Oxford St.
White 1892: Tom Bonnett grocer & beerhouse Willingham Rd.
Kelly 1896: Charles Drayton beer retailer 11 Oxford St.
(cf. Yarborough Arms)
Kelly 1900: Chas. Drayton do 11 Oxford St.
Kelly 1905: James Johnson do 11 Oxford St.
(NB: ECTD 1907 shows J. Johnson as wine & spirit mcht.)
Kelly 1913: George Walker do 11 Oxford St.
Kelly 1919: George Walker do 11 Oxford St.
Kelly 1926: George Walker do 11 Oxford St.
Kelly 1930: Frank Sutton do 11 Oxford St.
Kelly 1933: Frank Sutton do 11 Oxford St.
This suggests that by around the start of the 20th century, the beerhouses had been
replaced by public houses in the form in which we know them today. The premises at 11
Oxford St. appear to have continued in business as a beer retailer, in the identity of the
Yarborough Arms and/or perhaps as an off license.
71
Another category which receives mention across the period studied is that of WINE & SPIRIT
MERCHANT. Once again, we see that trades people had more than one string to their bow.
Fig. 39: impressions of the Market Place, and the interior of an alehouse, in the 16th C. [source:
Tudor Market Rasen, author’s collection].
72
Another category which receives mention across the period studied is that of WINE & SPIRIT
MERCHANTS. Once again we see that trades people had more than one string to their bow.
The details located as are follows:
Pigot 1822: R. Clark & Son linen & wool drapers, spirit merchants (no address)
& tallow chandlers
White 1826: J.J. & A. Clark spirit merchants, tallow chandlers Market Place
& brick makers
Pigot 1828: John, James & wine & spirit merchants and Market Place
Adam Clark tallow chandlers
Pigot 1835: Adam Clark wine & spirit merchant Market Place
& grocer & tallow chandler
John, James Clark grocer [?] & tallow chandler Queen St.
Pigot 1841: Richard Pendrell Howe wine spirit & porter merchant Market Place
Hagar 1849: Thos. Colley Bland wine & spirit merchant Market Place
(also brewer, & Gordon Arms)
Nash & Son spirits only Union St.
(but cf. Chapter Four)
John Lawrence Thornton wine & spirit merchant King St.
(White Hart)
P.O. 1855: Joseph Nash wine, spirit & hop merchant Union St.
(also ale & porter brewer)
Morris 1863: James Strugnell spirit merchant (& maltster, brewer) Union St.
George Titley spirit merchant (& brewer, maltster) John St.
P.O. 1868: George Titley wine & spirit merchant (etc) John St.
White 1872: G.J. Atkins wine & spirit merchant King St.
Jos. F. Coulbeck wine & spirit merchant Queen St. (Cont’d ..)
73
Wm. Holgate wine & spirit mct. (agent W&A Gilbey) Queen St.
(an Agreement dated 31st December 1883 sold the ‘Aerated or Mineral Water
Manufacturing’ business of William Holgate to John Peatfield, for the sum of £950).
George Titley wine & spirit merchant John St.
White 1882: Charles Reeve wines & spirits, ale & stout mcht. Market Place
(agent W&A Gilbey)
Michael Robinson wholesale & retail grocer, provision Union St.
dealer & wine merchant
George Titley maltster, brewer, wine & spirit mcht. John St.
Kelly 1885: Thos. Nettleship jnr. wine & spirit mcht., ale & porter Market Hall
agent, agent W&A Gilbey
Charles Reeve wine & spirit mcht., ale & porter Market Place
mcht., & bottler
Kelly 1889: Wallis Byron Jevons wine & spirit mchts., agent W&A King St.
Gilbey, chemist & druggist
Charles Reeve wine & spirit ale & porter mcht. Market Place
White 1892: Charles Reeve agent for W&A Gilbey’s wines & Market Place
spirits, and ale & stout mcht.
Wallis Byron Jevons wines & spirits, W&A Gilbey agent King St.
Kelly 1896: Mrs. Martha Hinds wines & spirits (Kings Head) Queen St.
Wallis Byron Jevons wines & spirits etc, chemist & King St.
druggist
Charles Reeve wine & spirit ale & porter mcht. 23 Market Place
Bennett 1898: C. Reeve wine & spirit merchant King St.
Kelly 1900: Frederick Daniel Mundy wine & spirit mcht. 23 (?) Market Place
Charles Reeve wine spirit ale & porter mcht. (?) Market Place
74
Kelly 1905: Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit mcht., ale & porter 11 Market Place
bottler, merchant & agent
Fred. Daniel Mundy wine & spirit mcht. 23 Market Place
ECTD 1907: F.D. Mundy wine & spirit merchant Market Place
James Johnson wine & spirit mcht. (Yarboro’ Arms) Oxford St.
Bennett 1908: R.R. Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1909: Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Fred. Daniel Mundy wine & spirit merchant 23 Market Place
ECTD 1910: F.D. Mundy wine & spirit merchant Market Place
James Johnson wine & spirit merchant Oxford St.
Bennett 1911: R.R. Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1913: Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1919: Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Fred. Charles Burrell wine & spirit mcht., chemist, sheep King St.
dip, cattle medicine & mineral water manfr., potato sprayer
LGDTD 1919: Carry, R.R. wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1922: Fred. Charles Burrell now only shown as chemist King St.
Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
LGDTD 1914 Carry, R.R. wine & spirit merchant -
ECTD 1925: R.R. Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1926: Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1930: Rd. Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
ECTD 1928/29: R.R. Cary now shown only as tobacconist 11 Market Place
Kelly 1933: Richard Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Kelly 1937: Rd. Robins Cary wine & spirit merchant 11 Market Place
Aubrey 1939: R.R. Cary wine & spirit merchant Market Place
75
Many of the names are recognized from previous sections, and show the diversity of the
persons concerned, not always within the licensed trade. In order to tie together some of
the previous information, let us take a look at just one selected address and the history of
the named occupants, from the details given above:
23 Market Place:
Early Directory entries are not specific about the number of the property – in fact, it
probably did not have a number when first recorded. Thus we find the probable sequence
of occupiers of this shop to have been:
Pigot 1822 R. Clark & Son linen & wool drapers, spirit merchants & tallow chandlers.
White 1826 J.J. & A. Clark spirit merchants, tallow chandlers & brick makers.
Pigot 1828 John, James & wine & spirit merchants, & tallow chandlers.
Adam Clark
Pigot 1835 Adam Clark wine & spirit merchant & grocer & tallow chandler.
Fig. 40: examples of Wine & Spirit Merchants’ flasks. [source: Rase Heritage Society collection].
76
Pigot 1841 Richard Pendrell Howe wine, spirit & porter merchant.
(Hagar 1849 Thomas Colley Bland wine & spirit merchant, brewer, Gordon Arms).
In all probability this entry related to the Hotel which faces the Market Place and was
usually known as Queen St.
White 1882 Charles Reeve wine & spirits, ale & stout merchant.
(Kelly 1885 Thos. Nettleship jnr wine & spirit, ale & porter merchant, & bottler).
What does the description ‘Market Hall’ signify – cf. the lists above?
Kelly 1896 Charles Reeve wine & spirit, ale & porter merchant; 23 Market Place.
Kelly 1900 Frederick Daniel Mundy wine & spirit merchant; 23 Market Place. (cf. Fig. 5).
Charles Reeve wine, spirit, ale & porter merchant.
Had he left but the Directory published his name as well as his successor’s, in error?
Kelly 1905 Fred. Daniel Mundy wine & spirit merchant; 23 Market Place.
This was the year that R.R. Cary opened at 11 Market Place, which was adjacent to the
Greyhound, where King St. joins the Market Place.
ECTD 1910 F.D. Mundy wine & spirit merchant. FINAL ENTRY.
Fig. 41: Cary’s Wine Merchants at No.11 Market Place, with the Greyhound and White
Hart, to the rear in King St. [source: Capes Collection, Lincolnshire Libraries].
77
CHAPTER FOUR: BREWERIES & MALTINGS
Fig. 42: pages from the Account Books of Cary’s Wines. An interesting variety of customers was
supplied! [source: Rase Heritage Society collection].
78
CHAPTER FOUR: BREWERIES & MALTINGS
ere we look at the Brewers and Maltsters of the town. Bennett & Bennett write
that village breweries did remain at some places and were sometimes attached
to pubs, such as the Aston Arms in Market Rasen; they were though the last of
a dying trade. The processing of barley for beer had always been an important
Lincolnshire trade, and by 1856 there were 163 maltsters in the county. Most
were in towns and several villages in Kesteven, and the north and west areas of Lindsey,
with very few in the Wolds or Fens. (Would lack of easy transport have been a factor
here?). Also, by 1856, there were 166 breweries in Lincolnshire, of which nearly 50% were
also malting for their trade. By 1913 only six businesses were still involved in both trades;
apart from these six, there were only 32 brewers and 26 maltsters in Lincs.
In ‘Tudor Market Rasen’ reference to Probate inventories tells us that ‘the glover
Christopher Sowden of East Raysen deceased 18 of July 1601, had … wheat and barley
worth £7, 2 quarters wheat at £3, 20 quarters of malt valued at £20.’ The authors of the
book go on to state that ‘The last two plus the existence of a Malthouse indicate that
Sowden was also a maltster.’
The previous chapter showed that several of the ale or beerhouse retailers were involved
with brewing as well, including one subscription brewery (see note for Mr. Friday Partridge,
below). Details of the Brewers and Maltsters who were so described in the various
Directories are as follows:
Pigot 1822: Francis Taylor maltster Linwood
White 1826: Thomas Scott maltster King St.
Thomas Gibbons maltster Greyhound King St.
Francis Taylor maltster Bridge St. [Jameson?]
Friday Partridge subscription brewery Bridge St. [Jameson]
(a Subscription Brewery would probably be formed by raising capital from several publicans
subscribing to the venture, presumably to allow a reliable supply of beer to their premises, rather
than rely on breweries who supplied a wide range of public houses).
Pigot 1828: Thomas Gibbons maltster King St.
Francis Taylor maltster George St.
Friday Partridge subscription brewery Jameson Bridge St.
Pigot 1835: Thomas Gibbons maltster Gordon Arms Market Place (cont’d ..)
H
79
Edward Ingilby maltster King St.
Francis Taylor maltster Jameson-Bridge St.
William White brewer Back Lane
Barnett Charles malt agent & dealer Queen St.
Pigot 1841: Thomas Gibbons maltster Market Place
Edward Ingilby maltster King St.
Francis Taylor maltster Jameson-Bridge St.
John Tateson & Son maltster John St.
John Tateson & Son brewer John St.
(J.T. also shown as Brick & Tile Manufacturer, Queen St., Pigot 1828; J.T. & Son, Brick
& Tile Maker, John St. in Pigot 1835. EVMT shows John Tateson, master brewer and farmer
(38 at 1851 Census) died 1863).
John Nash brewer Union St.
(John Nash also shown as Brick & Tile Manufacturer. He was reported in 1855 as
having invented a new process for making malt by hot water pipes “the vapour being entirely free of
sulphur so productive of the asthmatical shortness of breath … consequent on the use of the old
system.” Although the product was of good quality its poor colour made it unacceptable to the
trade. Both he and John Tateson competed with each other in their advertisements in 1832 for their
brick making processes).
P.O. 1849: Barnett Charles brewer & beer retailer Queen St.
John Nash & Sons brewer Union St.
Francis Taylor maltster Willingham St.
Slater 1849: Barnett Charles brewer Queen St.
Thomas Colley Bland brewer & maltster Gordon Arms Queen St.
John Nash brewer Union St.
Thomas Stephenson brewer & retailer Queen St.
John Tateson jnr. brewer & maltster John St.
Francis Taylor maltster Jameson Bridge St.
80
Hagar 1849: Thos. Colley Bland farmer, maltster, brewer, spirit Gordon Arms,
& coal merchant Market Place.
John Tateson jnr. maltster John St.
Francis Taylor maltster Jameson-Bridge St.
Fr. White 1851: Barnett Charles brewer Queen St.
T. Stephenson brewer Union St.
Tateson J.H. & Son brewer & maltster King St.
G. Taylor maltster East vil. [Mkt. Rasen?]
(William Rawson, 1851 Census, miller & maltster, East Cottage, Willingham Rd –
not found mentioned in any Directory or other source)
P.O. 1855: John Bett maltster & farmer Jameson Bridge St.
Joseph Nash ale & porter brewer, wine, spirit & Union St.
hop merchant, also guano & manures
(John Nash his brother was described as brewer and brick & tile maker
in the 1851 Census)
Fig. 43: advertising card for John Nash & Son. [source: Maurice Higham Collection].
81
John Read brewer & beer retailer Queen St.
John Tateson brewer & maltster John St.
John & James Thorpe maltsters Serpentine St.
White 1856: Jph. Nash brewer & spirit merchant Union St.
John Read brewer Queen St.
(Mr. Read placed an advert on the front page of the first edition of the Rasen
Mail, in 1856, for his ‘Queen St. Brewery’ - see Fig. 48).
John Tateson brewer John St.
P.O. 1861: John Bett maltster & farmer Jameson Bridge St.
John Nash jnr. wholesale ale & porter brewer Union St.
John Read brewer & beer retailer Queen St.
John Tateson brewer & maltster John St.
James Thorp maltster Serpentine St.
Morris 1863: John Bett maltster & brewer Jameson Bridge St.
John Nash wholesale ale & porter brewer, ale Oxford St. (error?).
& stout merchant
John Read brewer & beer retailer Queen St. brewery
James Strugnell maltster, brewer, spirit merchant Union St.
James Thorpe maltster Serpentine St.
Geo. Titley ale & porter brewer, maltster & The Brewery, John St.
spirit merchant
Johnson 1864: John Bett brewer & maltster Jameson Bridge St.
John & Geo. Gilstrap maltsters Union St.
William Metcalfe wholesale ale & porter brewer Oxford St.
John Read wholesale & retail brewer Queen St.
James Thorpe maltster Serpentine St. (continued ..)
82
George Titley brewer maltster & spirit merchant John St.
P.O. 1868: John Bett maltster & farmer Jameson Bridge St.
Joseph Marriott maltster & corn merchant Oxford St.
John Read brewer Queen St.
John & James Thorpe maltster Serpentine St.
George Titley wine & spirit merchant, maltster John St.
& brewer (cf. M.S.& L. Hotel)
John Nash maltster Union St.
James Scott Railway Tavern & brewer Oxford St.
John Tateson maltster John St.
White 1872: Robert Favill & Son brewer Queen St.
(cf. Market Rasen Brewery Co.Ltd.)
James Scott brewer Union St.
George Titley brewer John St.
Frederick Madison maltster Jameson Bridge St.
Joseph Marriott maltster Oxford St.
James Thorpe maltster Serpentine St.
White 1882: Market Rasen Brewery Co. ale & porter brewers Oxford St.
Joseph Marriott & Son maltster Oxford St.
Joseph Thorpe maltster Serpentine St. & Union St.
George Titley merchant (& insurance agent) maltster, John St.
brewer, wine & spirit
Kelly 1885: Market Rasen Brewery Co. - (advert.) Oxford St.
Joseph Marriott & Son maltster & manure merchant Oxford St.
Kelly 1889: Market Rasen Brewery Co. – (advert.) Oxford St.
Joseph Marriott & Son maltsters & manure merchants Oxford St.
83
John Westerby Tasker brewers’ agent Prospect Place
Union Brewery Co. (Geo. Wm. Favill, Man. Director) Union St.
White 1892: Richard Limon brewer Oxford St.
Market Rasen Brewery Co. (Wm. Pilgrim Mgr.) Oxford St.
Joseph Marriott & Sons maltsters & corn merchants Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St.
Union Brewery Co. brewers Union St.
Kelly 1896: Market Rasen Brewery Co. (advert.) Wm. Pilgrim, Mgr. Oxford St.
Joseph Marriott & Sons maltsters & manure merchants Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St.
Bennett 1898: Market Rasen Brewery Co. (W. Pilgrim late J. Taylor, Mgr.) Oxford St.
Marriott J. & Sons maltsters Oxford St.
Thorp[e] & Son maltsters Serpentine St.
Kelly 1900: Market Rasen Brewery Co. - (advert.) Oxford St.
Marriott Jos. & Son maltsters & manure merchants Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St.
Kelly 1905: Market Rasen Brewery Co. (Arthur J. Tillett, Mgr.) Oxford St.
Marriott Jos. & Son maltsters Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St.
Arthur Wolfe managing maltster 39 Union St.
ECTD 1907: Market Rasen Brewery Co. (A. J. Tillett, Mgr.) Oxford St.
Bennett 1908: Thorp[e] & Son maltsters Serpentine St.
Kelly 1909: Market Rasen Brewery Co. – (advert.) Oxford St.
Marriott, Joseph & Son maltsters Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St. (cont’d ..)
84
George Wolfe managing maltster 39 Union St.
ECTD 1910: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers Oxford St.
Bennett 1911: Thorp[e] & Son maltsters Serpentine St.
Warwicks & Richardsons Ltd. brewers (no address)
(cf. Fig. 5 of their shop in Market Square. They were the vendors of the White Hart in 1940).
Kelly 1913: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers & ale & porter bottlers Oxford St.
Marriott, Joseph & Sons maltsters Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St.
Kelly 1919: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers etc. as above Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons maltsters Serpentine St.
LGDTD 1919: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers Oxford St.
Kelley 1922: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers etc. as above Oxford St.
LGDTD 1924: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons brewers [?] Serpentine St.
ECTD 1925: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons brewers [?] Serpentine St.
LGDTD 1926: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons brewers [?] Serpentine St.
Kelly 1926: Gilstrap, Earp & Co. maltsters Serpentine St.
Market Rasen Brewery Co. (A.J.Tillett JP, MD) Oxford St.
Warwicks & Richardsons Ltd. brewers Oxford St.
ECTD 1928: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers * Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons brewers [?] Serpentine St.
LGDTD 1929: Market Rasen Brewery Co. brewers * Oxford St.
Thorpe & Sons brewers [?] Serpentine St.
85
Kelly 1930: Gilstrap, Earp & Co. maltsters Serpentine St.
Kelly 1933: Gilstrap, Earl [?] & Co. maltsters Serpentine St.
ECTD 1935: Thorpe & Sons brewers [?] Serpentine St.
Gilstrap Eard [?] & Co maltsters Oxford St.
Kelly 1937: Gilstrap, Earl & Co. maltsters Serpentine St.
Aubrey 1939: Thorpe & Son brewers [?] Serpentine St.
Gilstrap, Eard & Co. maltsters Oxford St. [?]
ECT Register Phipps Brewery Ltd., Watney Mann Depot Oxford St. (no date)
(reference has also been noted in the Rasen Mail in modern times of a Watney Mann depot
in Pasture Lane). * we see later that the M.R.B.Co. was voluntarily wound up in 1927, so presumably
these are not updated entries.
THE MARKET RASEN BREWERY CO. LTD. 17 Oxford St.
The Company’s origins began on the ‘Twenty First Day of March 1879’ when various persons
signed a Memorandum of Association to form ‘Favill & Company Limited,’ whose objects
were:
‘(a): To purchase from Robert Favill, of Market Rasen, in the County of Lincoln, Brewer, and
take a Conveyance and Assignment of a Brewery there situate, with the Brewing plant,
horses, wagons, carts, and other materials and things, now used in connection with the
business of a Brewer, now carried on at the said Brewery, by the said Robert Favill, to
purchase and take a Conveyance from the said Robert Favill of certain Inns and Beerhouses,
land and real estate, situate in the County of Lincoln, heretofore connected with the said
Brewery.
[cf. Note under Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Hotel].
‘(b): To carry on the Trades of Brewers of Ale and Porter, and Maltsters and Vendors of
Wine and Spirits.
‘(c): To purchase or otherwise acquire any land or real estate, or any interest therein, and
any plant, machinery, implements, appliances, and things, for the business of the Company,
and to sell the same, or any part thereof, as may from time to time be deemed expedient by
the Board of Directors, for the time being, of the Company.’
86
Unfortunately, the exact address of Robert Favill’s brewery is not mentioned in any of the
documents, but we have a clue from the entry in White’s Directory 1872 showing ‘Robert
Favill & Son,’ brewer, Queen St. It has also been seen however (e.g. re. Butcher’s Arms) that
Mr. Favill was involved in the ‘Market Rasen Union Brewery.’ An 1886 advertisement in the
Rasen Mail for the Union Brewery Co. (also shown in the Directory entries listed above), was
over the name of G.W. Favill, Managing Director. The Memorandum continues with all the
other legalities, and shows the Capital of the Company as £25,000, divided into 2,500 Shares
of £10.00 each. The list of Subscribers is:
Charles Knowles Tomlinson, Lincoln, Chemist Fifty shares
Thomas Martin, Lincoln, Gentleman Fifty shares
William Tomlinson Page the younger, Lincoln, Gentleman Fifty shares
Robert Favill, Willingham Rd, Market Rasen, Brewer One hundred shares
Hosea Campion, Faldingworth, Farmer One hundred shares
George William Favill, George St, Market Rasen, Auctioneer Fifty shares
Joseph Taylor, Queen St, Market Rasen, Brewer One hundred shares
The Company became Incorporated on the Fourth day of April 1879. The first Directors
were named as: Robert Favill, Charles Knowles Tomlinson, and Thomas Martin. Messrs Page
& Padley were appointed the Solicitors and Secretaries to the Company.
The ‘List of Persons holding Shares’ as at the 31st December 1879 now included Joseph
Marriott, Market Rasen, Maltster; other minor points of interest are that both the Favills are
shown as Auctioneers, and Joseph Taylor as ‘Brewers Manager.’ The total value of shares
taken up is shown as 936, all at £10 each.
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company was held on 30th March 1881, when a
Special Resolution was passed, and duly confirmed at another EGM on 19th April 1881, that
the name of the Company be changed from “Favill and Company, Limited” to “The Market
Rasen Brewery Company, Limited.”
The Lincs. Rutland & Stamford Mercury of 30th January 1885 reported the opening of the
Company’s new office in Oxford St. The office buildings, bearing the date stone 1884 above
the front doorway, remain in Oxford St., in use today by a firm of Solicitors. The adjacent
yard and buildings, occupied by a builders merchants until late 2011, was part of the
brewery premises, (see Fig. 41) whilst further down the road (until April 2012 the site of
Rhodes Electrical spares department) was a malthouse building, see below.
87
Fig. 44: looking into the former Brewery Yard, with the Offices to the right. The
painted wall sign can just be made out in this 1970s view. [source: Mal Jones].
Fig. 45: the Oxford
Street malthouse of
the Market Rasen
Brewery Co.
[source: Rasen
Mail/ Lincolnshire
Libraries].
88
The size of the brewery premises was extensive, and an Agreement dated 19th June 1878
between Mr. Robert Favill, Auctioneer, and Mr. Thomas Torr Dawson, blacksmith, leased to
the latter the ‘brick and tiled building used as a blacksmith’s shop and shoeing shed …
situate in Oxford Street’ already occupied by Dawson, but now it became necessary to allow
a right of way for Mr. Favill to his adjoining property. What this actually was is not known,
but the present day Blacksmiths Court (flats) stands on the site of the blacksmith.
The number of shareholders varied after the formation of the new Company, and, for
example, at 31st March 1884 there were 836 issued £10 Shares (less than at the formation
of Favill & Co). To compare with the above, the full list is shown for the Market Rasen
Brewery Co. Ltd. Annual List of Members at this 1884 date as:
Joseph Taylor Market Rasen Brewery Manager 200 Shares
Charles Knowles Tomlinson Lincoln Chemist 119 do
Thomas Martin Lincoln Gentleman 95 do
William Tomlinson Page Lincoln Solicitor 152 do
Hosea Campion Scrawsby [?] Farmer 50 do
Joseph Marriott Market Rasen Maltster 62 do
William Hinds Market Rasen Innkeeper 3 do
Charles William Bryan Lincoln Innkeeper 4 do
George Oliver James Lincoln Builder 7 do
George Massam Normanby by Spital Innkeeper 3 do
Edwin Brown Lincoln Bank Sub Manager 25 do
Isaac Alfred Hattersley London Clerk 15 do
Thomas Ethelbert Page Godalming Gentleman 10 do
Henry Scupham Market Rasen Builder 10 do
Charles Bamford Market Rasen Coal Merchant 10 do
Joseph Broughton Lincoln Clerk 7 do
Mary Jane Hattersley Lincoln Spinster 2 do
Marie Louise Tomlinson Lincoln Married Woman 18 do
89
William Tomlinson Page Lincoln Gentleman 50 do
What do we see? The main item is the absence of both George and Robert Favill – did they
fall out with their new partners? (According to the records of the Brewery Society, a Mr.
G.W. Favill was Managing Director of the Union Brewery Co (q.v. below) in 1892; see also
Kelly 1889 above. It looks as though they set up again as independent brewers after
withdrawing from the Market Rasen Brewery Co). Joseph Taylor has obviously decided to
put his money where his job is! (He died in April 1915). Did the innkeepers amongst the
shareholders represent customers who wanted to keep a close eye on their suppliers? Did
the tradesmen etc. want to get the best deal on their beer? Some of the small holdings
were probably encouraged to purchase by fellow shareholders, possibly related to them.
Was Joseph Marriott the main supplier of malt? He appears as apparently the first landlord
or owner of the New Inn/Railway Hotel (q.v.) in 1851/56. Mr. Henry Scupham was also a
shareholder in the Temperance Hotel Company – a foot in both camps! (See Appendices A
and B). Messrs Page & Padley were Solicitors to both this company and that below; Mr.
Page in the M.R.B.Co, and Mr. Padley in the M.R.B.W.C.H.Co. Ingenious!
Mr. Arthur John Tillett (at the Greyhound from at least 1889 to 1900) is shown as manager
at the Brewery Co. in the Shareholders list as a Director from 1911. Mr. J. Pilgrim appears as
Fig. 46: the Company was not
afraid to look beyond local
boundaries for its business. Left
is one of its Agreements with
Messrs. Guinness of Dublin,
permitting it to bottle Guinness
under Licence.
[source: Mr. Tony Bradford].
90
Manager in 1901. Mr. Joseph Taylor, shown as being at Queen St. brewery in the
Incorporation details and investing in 100 shares, now owns 200 as Brewery Manager.
The List of Shareholders continues on a regular basis, and they give an interesting picture of
the changes, or otherwise, over the years. For example, referring to Chapter Two, we see
that the landlord/owner of the King’s Head was William Hinds (who is a M.R.B.Co.
shareholder listed in 1884 above), according to White 1882, then in the 1894 List of
Shareholders we find Mrs. Martha Hinds, a widow, and the holder of three shares, which
suggests she took over the running of the pub by 1885 (Kelly) and then assumed his
shareholding on his death, when that occurred; she is shown at the Kings Head until the
1900 reference. We have also seen a reference in the 1851 Census to a Mrs. Frances Hinds
at a Temperance Hotel. Full details of the Directors and Shareholders of the Company
throughout its career are to be found in Appendix A; there were two lists prepared at
different dates in 1879.
It is suggested by the (scanty) records of the Brewery Society that in 1884 (when the new
Offices were opened), the Company bought out Betts Brewers of Normanby, and in 1906
Messrs. Coltons of Nettleton. No other information has been located, but the following
advertisement does refer to other locations:
Fig. 47: advertisement from Kelly’s Directory of 1913. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
91
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company was held in Lincoln on 28th January 1927,
when a Special Resolution was passed, and duly confirmed on a further EGM held 14th
February 1927, to resolve ‘That the Company be wound up Voluntarily.’
Harold Ethelbert Page, Lincoln Solicitor, was appointed Liquidator of the Company (he had
also of course been a Director since 1916), completing the process on May 14th that year.
The Company became part of Hole’s Brewery of Newark, as is seen from the story below.
It is suggested by the (scanty) records of the Brewery Society that in 1884 the Company
bought out Betts Brewers of Normanby, and in 1906 Coltons at Nettleton. No other details
have been located.
A Rasen Mail article on local personages, dated 13 August 1977, stated that A. J. Tillett had
pushed the Market Rasen Brewery Co. to the fore from the period at the turn of the
Fig. 48: a posed photograph of the MRBC Oxford St. maltings staff, c. 1907. Whilst the original was
obtained from a descendant of the Fieldsend family, the same photo appeared in the Rasen Mail in
August 2003 when the staff were listed as follows: ‘Standing (L-R?): Fred Bartram, J. Good, Herbert
Fieldsend, George Fieldsend (Foreman), Charles Atkin, Wm. Creasey, Wm. Aisthorpe, John “Pig
Mutton” Smith (so called because he could never decide what he wanted from the butchers), & K.
Smith. Seated: A. J. Tillett, W. Bletcher (Owner), Samuel Bamford (Brewer). Front: “Banker” Smith.’
[source: Mrs. Phyllis Doughty].
92
century. Between wars ‘he engineered the move, so it was always said, which resulted in
the Company being taken over by James Hole of Newark.’ It was stated that at the time
Market Rasen lacked a sufficient water supply to secure adequate brewing development for
the Company. At closure, the M.R.B.Co. owned 33 licensed houses all over the district. Mr.
Tillett retired from public life in 1921; his large detached house in Jameson Bridge St. bears
his initials and the date 1902.
The book by Richmond & Turton states that the M.R.B.Co. Ltd. was taken over by James
Hole & Co. Ltd, Castle Brewery, Newark in 1926. This could mean that the 1927 winding up
proceedings referred to above were in fact a formality after the Company had ceased to
trade under its own name in the previous year. James Hole’s Castle Brewery had been
founded in 1870, becoming a Limited Company in 1890. Holes themselves were taken over
Fig. 49: the malt kiln staff with their spades to turn the malting barley. They are
(left to right): unknown; George Fieldsend, Foreman (in bowler hat); William
Bottomley; John “Pig Mutton” Smith. Undated, but early 1900s. There are no
bare feet, unlike Fig. 48! [source: Mrs. Phyllis Doughty].
93
by Courage, Barclay & Simmonds Ltd. in 1967; Castle Brewery in Newark was operated by
John Smith’s Tadcaster Brewery but ceased brewing in the early 1980s. The building on
Northgate is now apartments.
From an early date the Company needed storage space over and above that available at the
Oxford Street premises, and the Rent Roll of Market Rasen station (in effect, a record of the
rents charged for premises, warehouse space, advertising sites, open storage and so on),
shows, inter alia, that the M.R.B.Co was, with effect from 29th September 1888, using five of
the arches of the Queen Street bridge for storage purposes. In 1910 they were paying £19pa
for ‘arches and land.’ From 1930 to 1935 they paid £15pa, indicating a rate reduction or
reduced storage needs. Interestingly, the Newark brewers J. Hole & Co. were shown as
paying £1pa for land in Chapel Street w.e.f. 01 July 1927 – the year in which they acquired
the business of the M.R.B.Co. They were also suppliers of beer to various Market Rasen
pubs.
Fig. 50: some advertising for the Company and its products. a): Operatic Society programme 1910.
b): Whittingham’s Compendium 1913. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
94
THE MARKET RASEN BRITISH WORKMAN & COMMERCIAL HOTEL COMPANY LTD. Queen St
This business is not strictly relevant to the brewers and maltsters of the town, except that it
represents the opposite side of the coin, and has a connection to the previous section, in
that it explains the development of the Waverley Temperance Hotel (see Chapter Two).
A meeting was held in town in 1877 (presumably not in a public house?) when a speaker
said ‘we need to change our ways, to follow the path of thrift and temperance.’ The then
Vicar, Mr. Talbot-Hindley and Mr. Thomas Glew agreed to lead the new enterprise, along
with Mr. Thomas Hulme Whittingham, owner of the Market Rasen Mail, and William
Watson, a Wesleyan Minister.
The Memorandum of Association of this Company (Registered Office address was given as
Mill St., Market Rasen), states that the object for which the Company as established is ‘to
acquire by purchase certain land, dwellinghouses, and hereditaments, situate at Market
Rasen, in the County of Lincoln, and to alter and convert the same and to make additions
thereto so as to render the same suitable for the purposes of an Hotel and Boarding House
and as Refreshment Rooms, with Rooms available for Clubs, Public and Private Meetings,
and Entertainments, and to carry on the business of Hotel and Boarding House Keepers, but
in such manner that no intoxicating liquors shall be sold therein, either by wholesale or
retail or be consumed upon or about the said premises.’ It is dated the 31st December 1877.
The Company was incorporated on the 11th January 1878. The formal opening took place in
1879, and the name was changed to the Waverley in 1880, see Chapter Two.
The whole site, running from Queen Street through to Church Street (and possibly beyond)
was owned by Mr. Glew (his initials can still be seen on the present day apartments – a
former warehouse - on the corner of Church St.). The building then existing on the site,
adjoining what became the GPO, was taken over, also leaving sufficient land at the rear to
provide stabling for 40 – 50 horses. Hotel rooms were to be provided for farmers and
others from out of town. The Temperance Hall was built behind the Hotel, becoming the
Rasen Mail offices in later years. Mr. Glew received the sum of £1000 for the transaction.
The Capital of the Company was £2000 divided into 2000 shares of £1 each, with a
maximum shareholding of £100 per person; presumably the intention was to make
shareholding available to as many of the local persons as possible: the Victorian temperance
movement no doubt thought this would forward its aims. The initial subscribers whose
signatures accompanied the Memorandum of Association, were listed as:
Joseph Wilson, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Draper & Grocer. 50 shares.
James Casterton, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Chemist. 50 do
Thomas Glew, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Corn Merchant. 50 do
95
Thomas Hulme Whittingham, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Printer. 25 do
William Holgate, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Chemist. 5 do
Henry Payne, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Chemist. 5 do
James Dent, Queen St, Mkt. Rasen. Boot & shoe maker. 25 do
The first Summary of Capital and Shares dated 16th February 1878 shows that of the
Nominal Capital of £2000 in £1 shares, 972 were bought. The detailed listing of
shareholders shows that the initial signatories owned the number of shares shown above.
Full details of Shareholdings are shown in Appendix B.
The first time a list of Directors is found on file is when the following were shown as the
Company’s Directors, for the Accounts dated 1903:
Thomas Brooke, Linwood Rd, Market Rasen. Agricultural Implement Maker.
James Casterton, Queen St, Market Rasen. Chemist & Druggist.
Peter Page Dent, Willingham Rd, Market Rasen. Insurance Agent.
John Green Glew, King St, Market Rasen. Corn Merchant.
Gothorpe Musgrave, Fulnetby, Lincoln. Farmer.
Joseph Wilson, Albion House, Market Rasen. Draper & Grocer.
On 29th November 1893 the Company’s Solicitors, Messrs Page & Padley (again – also for
Market Rasen Brewery Co. Ltd) were obliged to write to the Registrar of Joint Stock
Companies, confirming that the Company is still carrying on business and in operation, and
stating that as ‘no lists of shareholders has [sic] been filed for some time’ they will be
prepared and filed ‘without delay.’ Mr. Joseph Wilson signs the Returns as Secretary.
Details obtained from the lists subsequently filed are included in Appendix B.
The only financial details located are the Balance Sheet made up to the 9th February 1909,
which showed Assets and Liabilities of £97.1.3. The Statement contains the Note: ‘The Rent
of the Hotel is the only fixed asset.’ This rent is shown in the Assets as £60.0.0, along also
with ‘Income from Temperance Hall’ of £36.9.9, - possibly letting fees for meetings and
functions.
A Special Resolution passed on 20th June 1910 at an Extraordinary General Meeting held on
that day, and confirmed on 6th July 1910 stated: ‘That the Company be wound up voluntarily
under the provisions of the Companies’ Acts, 1862 to 1908, and that Mr. James Casterton, of
Market Rasen, be hereby appointed Liquidator for the purposes of such winding-up.’ The
Notice is signed by said James Casterton (long a Director – see Appendix B), as Chairman.
96
He signs the final sworn Affidavit verifying the Liquidator’s Statement of Account, before a
Commissioner for Oaths at Market Rasen on 24th October 1912, the winding-up proceedings
having apparently taken two years to complete. The sticking point appears in the annual
Statements made each year from 1910, and involves the property itself; the documents
record ‘The only asset of the Company is a margin in the freehold property known as the
‘Waverley Hotel’ over and above the charges shown thereon for £1400. A Contract has
been entered into with the tenant for its purchase for the sum of £1600.’ The causes of
delay are shown as ‘Difficulties in connexion with the title to the freehold premises which
have arisen since making the Agreement to purchase.’ These same difficulties were
recorded again the following year.
This would appear to agree with note (4) in connection with Mr. H. E. Rose at the Waverley
Hotel. As the Hotel continues to appear in the Directories long after the winding-up date, it
continued trading, initially under the ownership of Mr. Herbert Edward Rose, whose name
appears for the years 1908 to 1922 in Chapter Two; he is first shown as ‘Proprietor’ in
Bennett 1911 (cf. Chapter Two).
Teetotalism had reached Market Rasen by 1840, probably even many years earlier, as the
Press carried two reports in 1840 to the effect that some 100 people had by then signed the
pledge. Various documents (EVMT re. 1851 Census) had already reported the existence of a
Mrs. Frances Hinds at a Temperance Hotel, in King St. (see previous references in Chapter
Two). The Stamford Mercury did not make any reference to Rasen’s temperance activities
until 1854 when three small news items showed the movement was alive and active.
As an interesting diversion, within the lists of Directors and Shareholders of the previous
two Companies, we see many names which became part of the Rasen ‘Establishment.’ Also,
in 1875 an Act was passed to dissolve the Market Rasen Waterworks Co. Ltd. and a new
Waterworks Company was formed, with as its first Directors: Henry Robert Boucherett;
Thomas Drakes; Robert Favill; Edward Enos Jevons and Joseph Marriott. These men and/or
other members of their families can be found in Appendices A and B. Furthermore, as a
matter of interest, Market Rasen Urban District Council established in 1894 had the
following persons of the town elected to the Board at the initial Meeting of 20th December:
Joseph Kendal Croft; James Casterton; Thomas Nettleship; Arthur John Tillett; Joseph
Wilson; Jesse Wilson; Joseph Taylor; Henry Scupham; William Hodgson; Benjamin Hardy;
James Dwyer.
JOHN STREET BREWERY.
Reference to this has surprised some local historians, so was it a stand-alone brewery or was
it that associated with the Gordon Arms, which in all probability would have been accessed
from the adjacent John St., which runs beside the pub? Would it have been realistic for two
97
brewers to have shared the pub premises for any length of time? Could it in fact have been
connected with the Greyhound? The Gordon Arms is mentioned in the earliest references
of 1822, but the first mention of brewing at the premises is Thomas Gibbons in Pigot 1835 –
he most probably began before that date (he is listed as a maltster whilst at the Greyhound
in 1826.) Thomas Colley Bland is brewing at the Gordon Arms by 1849. We then find
landlord George Rowell advertising his home brewed ales, in Morris 1863 (see Fig. 13).
As detailed below (John Tateson & Son), a John Tateson is listed as brewer & maltster in
John St. (1855 Post Office Directory). George Titley first appears, in Morris 1863 (see his
advertisement in that Directory, Fig. 48), as a spirit merchant as well as brewer and
maltster, again in Johnson 1864, and in P.O. 1868 alongside the entry for Tateson. He
remains in evidence until 1882 as ‘maltster, brewer, wine & spirit merchant’ and also in that
entry as ‘insurance agent.’ This is also the last entry located anywhere for a John St.
Brewery. Presumably it was forced to close down, as in Chapter Two we saw that Mr. Titley
appears to have had to undertake liquidation proceedings in 1883 and (his brother?) Charles
Titley, an Innkeeper in Louth, rescued him to secure their joint tenancy of the M.S. & L.
Hotel, although in fact it is the name of his wife Annie which appears in 1885; after that
date this public house is no longer listed in any Directory.
A summary of the brewers and maltsters identified with John St. is as under:
Pigot 1835 John Tateson & Son brewer
Pigot 1841 John Tateson & Son brewer & maltster
Slater 1849 John Tateson jnr. brewer & maltster
Hagar 1849 John Tateson jnr. maltster
Fig. 51: George Titley’s advert from Morris 1863 Directory. [Source: Lincs. Libraries].
98
White 1856 John Tateson brewer
Post Office 1861 John Tateson brewer & maltster
Morris 1863 George Titley ale & porter brewer, maltster, and
spirit merchant
Johnson 1864 George Titley brewer, maltster and spirit merchant
Post Office 1868 George Titley brewer, maltster, wine & spirit merchant
do John Tateson maltster (a Directory error?)
White 1872 George Titley brewer
White 1882 George Titley brewer, maltster, wine & spirit merchant,
(& insurance agent)
(See also Note 2 in connection with the Manchester Sheffield & Lincs. Hotel).
The liquidation proceedings of Mr. Titley (see Chapter Two) appear to have brought about
the end of the John St. Brewery, as no further references to it appear.
JOHN TATESON & SON.
As seen in the previous section, we find the first references to the Tatesons as maltsters and
brewers in John St., in Pigot 1835; their other trades as brick & tile manufacturer and
builder, Queen St., appear earlier (Pigot 1822), and also timber merchants (Pigot 1835). We
find a J. Tateson is also landlord at the Greyhound in the Census of 1851. John Tateson jnr.
is a brewer & maltster in John St. in Slater 1849, and maltster in Hagar 1849. J.H. Tateson &
Son are listed in Francis White 1851 as brewer & maltster in King St. (presumably an error;
was the John St. brewery near the junction with the Market Place, which could inaccurately
be called King St.?). In the 1855 Post Office Directory we find a John Tateson as brewer &
maltster in John St., continued (as brewer) in White 1856, P.O. 1861, and also in P.O. 1868
as maltster – an error perhaps, bearing in mind we find that ‘The Brewery, John St.’ is
occupied by George Titley earlier, in 1863. It would appear from the dates below that the
Tatesons abandoned the brewery trade around 1861 - 63 when George Titley was in John St.
There are no references to their building trade activities after White 1851. John Thomas
Tateson had become an Auctioneer.
Appendix C gives more family detail of the following Tatesons:
99
John jnr. born 1815 (est.) 1841 Census.
John snr. (born 1790) (widower) married Mary Wright in 1819.
Charles born 22 February 1822 to John & Mary. In an 1883 Rasen Mail he is advertising his
‘Timber Yard & Steam Saw Mill, (at the) Railway Station.’
John snr. (joiner, cabinet maker, builder) Pigot 1822.
John & Son (brewer, John St., timber merchants) Pigot 1835.
John & Son (brewer & maltster, brick & tile manufacturer) Pigot 1841.
John H. & Son (as above) Francis White 1851.
John (& Son? or jnr.?)(brewer & maltster John St.) Post Office 1849.
(shown as John jnr. in Slater 1849).
John Thomas born 1850 (to Charles & Mary).
John jnr. Greyhound 1851 Census.
John snr. dies 1853.
John jnr. (brewer & maltster, John St.) Post Office 1861.
John jnr. (maltster, John St.) Post Office 1868. (an error?).
John Thomas (auctioneer & valuer) 1881 Census.
QUEEN ST. BREWERY, QUEEN ST.
No location has been found for this business, first noted in Pigot 1835. We see that John
Read advertised it (see below) in that street. Various other references are also seen
amongst the listings of brewers above, although in some cases the reference to the Gordon
Arms can presumably only be taken to refer to the premises of that name, rather than to
mean a separate Queen Street Brewery. So whereabouts in Queen St. was this brewery, if
in fact it was not one and the same as that of the Gordon Arms?
SERPENTINE STREET MALTHOUSE.
1: THORPE & CO., MALTSTERS
This name first appears in the Post Office Directory of 1855, under the name John & James
Thorpe. James Thorp (no ‘e’) appears in P.O. 1861, as Thorpe in Morris 1863; Johnson 1864;
100
John & James Thorpe (P.O. 1868); James alone again in White 1872. In White 1882, we see
a Joseph Thorpe listed as maltster in both Serpentine St. and Union St. (cf. Union St.
Brewery, below). The next entry located is for Thorpe & Sons, maltsters, in Serpentine St.
alone, in White 1892, followed by Kelly 1896, Bennett 1898 (Thorp & Son); Kelly 1900; Kelly
1905; Bennett 1908; Kelly 1909; Bennett 1911; Kelly 1913; Kelly 1919; then the ECTD 1925-
26 where they are shown as ‘brewers,’ again in ECTD 1928-29; ECTD 1935, and the final
entry is in Aubrey 1939. This may not of course have been the end of their career, merely
the end of the line for most of the Trade Directories, which did not resume publishing after
the War.
A Rasen Mail reader’s letter published 12 June 1982 referred to the death of the writer’s
father in an accident at the Serpentine St. maltings, in 1915. No details are given but
obviously life there was not all plain sailing, witness the collapse of the front wall, allowing
tons of grain to cascade onto the street. The writer names a Mr. Bill Hart as Manager of the
Maltings in the WWll years.
2: GILSTRAP, EARP & CO. (variously spelt Earl, Eard …).
Maltsters, of Newark, Notts. Presumably the successors to Thorp/Thorpe & Co, above.
Note the listings at the start of this Chapter, for Kelly’s 1930 to 1937, ECTD 1935, and
Aubrey 1939, for the variety of spellings of the Company name. The latter Directory shows
them at Oxford St., but this may just be an error. However, the 1930s period includes
Fig. 52: John Read’s advertisement for his Queen Street Brewery, appearing in the 1st
issue of the Rasen Mail, in 1856. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
101
references to both Companies. The earliest origins noted are John & Geo. Gilstrap,
maltsters, recorded in Johnson 1864 in Union St. Their names are not seen again. In White
1882, Joseph Thorpe is shown at Serpentine St. and Union St.
The Company owned the Serpentine St. malt kiln, being used mainly as a grain store when
the front wall collapsed (at 7.20 am on 4th July 1960) and some 400 tons of barley fell into
the street. The Rasen Mail reported that ‘work on clearing the street went on all day.
Hundreds of sacks were filled by hand and the barley was taken away to another part of the
premises. Later a screw conveyor was brought up, enabling grain to be fed direct to waiting
lorries. Parts of Serpentine St. were deprived of electric power for a time as the result of
the occurrence.’ (See Fig. 50). A resident reported that “the barley came above the level of
the top of windows opposite the kiln.” In 1967 the building was reported as being ‘closed
and quiet.’
In April 1984, the Rasen Mail reported that the building’s then owner, Mr. Harwood Tate,
who had owned it for fifteen years and been using the premises in connection with his
antiques business, wanted to convert it into flats which retained its character, rather than
sell it and risk it being demolished for modern housing. The same person later went on to
develop the Church Mill housing complex for older people.
Fig. 53: the collapse of the front wall of the Serpentine St. maltings in July 1960. [source: Mrs.
Sandra Jenner].
102
Fig. 54: rear view of the Serpentine Street maltings, taken from Lammas Leas Rd. in the 1970s,
when the new. [source: Mal Jones]. Fig. 55: Gilstrap Earp 1940 account. [source: Maurice
Higham collection].
103
JAMESON BRIDGE STREET MALTHOUSE
References to a maltings or malthouse in this street first appear with the mention of Mr.
Friday Partridge and his Subscription Brewery in White 1826 (see earlier part of this
Chapter). The same Directory also lists Francis Taylor, maltster, Bridge St., but Mr. Taylor is
listed vaguely in Pigot 1822 at ‘Linwood,’ and is the earliest reference to a brewer or
maltster as such (see the start of this Chapter). This could indicate that the Jameson Bridge
Street malthouse was the earliest in town. Maps show a malthouse close to the ‘Ranters’
Primitive Methodist chapel, still standing. The site would be that now occupied by the tyre
company (see below).
Assuming this has been the only location in Jameson Bridge St., we find mention of a Francis
Taylor (Pigot 1835 & 1841). In the P.O. Directory for 1849 he is shown as a maltster in
Willingham Street – we have seen earlier that this was the section of what is now all known
as Willingham Rd, from the crossroads near the railway bridge, as far as about Prospect
Place. However, this may well have been an error at the time, as he is again shown in
Jameson Bridge St. in Slater 1849 and Hagar 1849, but is never mentioned again. John Bett
Fig. 56: a view of the former malthouse in Jameson Bridge St. in the 1970s, and before conversion
and rebuilding to the tyre company premises seen today. [source: Mal Jones].
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(maltster and farmer) appears in the P.O. Directory 1855 in Jameson Bridge St. so
presumably succeeded Taylor; he continues to be listed in P.O. 1861, Morris 1863, Johnson
1864, PO 1868, but is replaced by Frederick Maddison in White 1872, the final reference to
the trade in this road.
JOSEPH MARRIOTT (& SON), MALTSTER Oxford St
We have seen in Chapter One and also in this Chapter that Joseph Marriott became a
prominent figure in the licensed trade within the town. He has appeared as the first
landlord of the New Inn in Oxford St (1851) which then appears to have been re-named the
Railway Hotel within a few years. In the listings of brewers and maltsters at the start of this
Chapter, he is first mentioned as a maltster in the P.O. Directory of 1868 and thereafter in
other later Directories (including also a ‘manure merchant’ in Kelly 1885 and others, and
sometimes as ‘corn merchant.’).
In Appendix ‘A’ we see him as a Shareholder in the Market Rasen Brewery Co. Ltd., from its
formation in 1879 until 1899, after which he died. Other Marriott shareholders in this
enterprise were Henrietta Sophia (spinster) and Henry William, his son. He is shown above
as a Director of the re-formed Market Rasen Waterworks Co. in 1875. He also appears to
have been a man of property, witness the following brief details:
Deed of Gift 13 May 1891 Mr. Joseph Marriott (merchant) to Mrs. Elizabeth Lill: a shop in
the Market Place (described as ‘a messuage, Tenement or Dwellinghouse and shop etc. …
fronting Market Place on the North … ’ (very detailed listings of adjacent properties). Mrs.
Lill is one of his daughters, married to Mr. Stephen Parkinson Lill of Owersby, Farmer (we
see him listed in the Shareholders of the Market Rasen British Workmans & Commercial
Hotel Co. Ltd. from 1878 – firstly as a Market Rasen plumber, so perhaps he met Elizabeth
locally before moving to Owersby as a farmer?). An 1883 Rasen Mail shows a John Lill as
‘Corn Coke Flour Salt & Coal Merchant. Corn Drying done for hire at Crane Bridge Kiln.
Office & Warehouse Oxford St.’ The Linwood Rd. sawmill was also a Lill business.
Research into the Marriott family by Caroline Foster of the Rase Heritage Society has shown
the following details of Joseph’s life and times, and other details are shown in Appendix C:
1841 – living in Bourne Union Work House; (born 1816).
1845 – married Mary Hobson, son Henry William born.
1851 Census – living in Oxford St., Market Rasen, working as coal merchant (but see also above).
1861 Census – running the Railway Hotel.
1865 – Mary died.
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1868 – maltster and corn merchant. Re-married at some time.
1871 Census – Joseph, Hannah and family, Elm Tree Cottage, Linwood Rd, Market Rasen, trade as above.
1872 – Kelly: corn, oil cake, seed & manure merchant, maltster & farmer; The Villa, Linwood Rd.
1881 – address given as 7 Elm Tree Cottages, Linwood Rd; farmer employing 4 men, 1 boy, with 182 acres.
Joseph & Hannah, three children, two servants or relatives.
1882 – first reference to J. Marriott & Son.
1889 – he is a member of the Local Board.
1891 Census – Joseph, Hannah, Jane, Helen and two servants at 27 Linwood Rd.; maltster and farmer.
1899 –Hannah died
1900 – Joseph died.
1913 – last reference to the family business, Kelly’s Directory.
Appendix C gives more family details.
UNION BREWERY CO., UNION STREET
References are found (Brewery Society records) to Thomas Stephenson brewing in Union St.
in 1842, but in 1850 their records show him as being in Queen St. Slater 1849 shows him as
brewer and retailer, in Queen St, but Francis White 1851 lists him as brewer in Union St. (an
error using old data perhaps?).
Fig. 57: 1863 advertisement for James Strugnell at Union Street
Brewery. [source: Lincolnshire Libraries].
106
Like the Tateson family (see above), and James Strugnell (Fig.57) the Nash family also
appear early on as brick & tile manufacturers, and John Nash is first listed as a brewer in
Union St. in Pigot 1841. Further details of both families can be found in Appendix C.
John Nash & Sons appears in 1849 (Post Office); John Nash, brewer Union St (Slater 1849),
and in the 1851 Census as brewer and brick & tile maker. Joseph Nash is found in Union St.
as ale & porter brewer (also wine, spirit & hop merchant, hop & guano manures) in the 1855
P.O., and as brewer and spirit merchant, Union St., in White 1856. John Nash appears at
Union St. in P.O. 1861 (wholesale ale & porter brewer). However in Morris 1863 he is listed
as ‘wholesale ale & porter brewer, ale & stout merchant’ in Oxford St. and a James Strugnell
now appears in Union St. as maltster, brewer and spirit merchant. Mr. Strugnell may not
have traded long in Union St. however: a John Nash reappears in Union St. as a maltster in
P.O. 1868, but this may also be an error, using old data, bearing in mind the Obituary for
John Nash who died in 1867. No more references to the Nash family appear. In White
1882, Joseph Thorpe (see above) has Union St. as one of his business addresses.
The Stamford Mercury (17.12.1854) reports that ‘Mr. Jos. Nash, brewer of Market Rasen,
was proceeding along Queen St. with a load of barrels. The dray accidentally came into
contact with another vehicle .. the dray was thrown over and Mr. Nash pitched on the
ground: the barrels and dray partly fell on him.’ In the churchyard of St. Thomas’ Market
Rasen, is a grave slab with the following information: ‘In Memory of Joseph Nash, who
departed this life January 17th 1841 aged 75 years [line] also James son of the above Joseph
Nash who died April 20th 1839 Aged 28 years.’
Fig. 58: Gravestone in
memory of Joseph and
James Nash.
[source: author].
107
An article in the Rasen Mail in December 1977 looked back to ‘Our No. 1 Builder.’ It was an
Obituary for John Nash who died in March 1867 and stated ‘Early in the 1820s a stout
handsome stranger appeared in this town with dark curly hair and a bold, inquisitorial
countenance. His first appearance was in a velveteen coat and leather gaiters and had the
air of a foreman of labour contracts.’ Uneducated (‘innocent of school learning though he
could read and write’), sharp witted, he made bricks and built property, erecting houses on
any vacant piece of land when he could not sell bricks elsewhere, his property being valued
at nearly £40,000 at the time of his death! Another Rasen Mail article about him, in January
1983, stated that ‘John Nash died and then disappeared from view.’ An earlier article in
1979 mentioned that his tombstone was inscribed ‘To the superficial observer, things are
created but to die. To the patient and humble man, however, who wishes to know his
nature we can with a trumpet call reply: We change but still we are.’ He was attributed with
being to a great extent the founder of Market Rasen.
The Rasen Mail reports the property sale held in the Corn Exchange in 1870, in connection
with ‘the disposal of the estate of Mr. John Nash, builder and property owner;’ Mr. Robert
Favill, Auctioneer, Rhodes & Sons, Solicitors; liquors were supplied by Mr. Coulbeck of the
Red Lion. Amongst the properties sold were:
The Union St Brewery in occupation of Mr. James Scott was bought by him for £720.
The Union St. malting offices in the occupation of Mr. Joseph Marriott bought by Mr.
Thorpe for £1000.
Two houses and a shop in Serpentine Street, heretofore the Bricklayer’s Arms,
bought by Mr. R. Glew for £185.
Post wind corn mill in Willingham Rd. with miller’s house and land adjoining, bought
for £400 by Mr. Hill.
Six houses in Dear St. bought for £360 by Mr. Gothorpe, Linwood.
The Post & Telegraph Office, with messuage and shop adjoining, in the tenure of
George Sharp Young, bought by Mr. Rhoades for £1000.
The King’s Head Inn, Tealby, gardens and other ground and cottages, bought by Mr.
Morrell for £650.
James Scott, who is shown at the Red Lion in 1851, the Greyhound from at least 1855 to
1861, Railway Hotel from Morris 1863 to the Post Office Directory 1876, (and Thomas Scott
follows on at the Railway until 1885), was during his time at the Railway Hotel also shown as
‘brewer, Union St.’ (which had apparently previously at some time been known as Brewery
St. – however that name has not appeared in connection with the Nash family). Johnson’s
1864 Directory shows a ‘John & Geo. Gilstrap’ as maltsters in Union St, (the sole reference
108
to this name on its own) and their name is linked (see above) with Earp to form Gilstrap,
Earp & Co. later. As mentioned, Thomas Scott appears in White 1882 until Kelly 1885, as
publican (Railway Hotel), again with entries as ‘brewer, Union St.’ As the Brewery Society
quote a James Scott & Son (1877), then in 1884 Thomas Scott, the latter is probably the son,
with James confirmed as buying the site he rented (see above), in 1870. The final entry for
James Scott in the brewers listed in previous pages, was for White 1872. Ten years later in
White, we find Joseph Thorpe in Union St. as well as Serpentine St. Did he take over for a
period? (See Thorpe & Co. above).
Going back in time, in White 1826 we find a Thomas Scott, maltster, in King St; possibly the
father of James? Possibly also the founder of what became the Tateson’s business in John
St.? See Appendix C for details of the Scott family.
It appears that the Scotts may have brewed in Union St. for their own purposes only, as they
do not appear in many of the Directories as ‘brewers, ’ being only found in P.O. 1868 and
White 1872 in that capacity.
Thomas Scott entered into a Mortgage of the Union St. Brewery on 8th May 1883. He is
described as Innkeeper and Brewer, and his mortgagees were Alexander Samuel Leslie
Melville and Arthur Henry Leslie Melville, both partners in the Lincoln bank of Smith Ellison
& Co. with whom Scott banked. The property was described as ‘.. messuage or
Dwellinghouse with the Brewhouse adjoining and the Cottage Stables Cart House and other
buildings … situate and being bounded on or towards the East by … Union St. upon which it
has a frontage of 77’ or thereabouts … towards South and part West by hereditaments late
of John Nash deceased but now of the Hon. Rebecca Tournour … towards remaining part
West by land late of George Morris deceased but now belonging to his representatives …
towards North hereditaments of William Shepherd now or late of Robert Fall in tenure or
occupation of John Nash late of James Scott deceased but now of Tom Scott.’
A Conveyance dated 6th July 1894 of the Union St. Brewery ‘and premises subject to a
mortgage’ was made between the Bankers already detailed and Messrs Louis Rhodes,
Solicitor, and George William Favill, Auctioneer & Valuer. In this document, reference is
made to use of the property passing after the death of James Scott (which occurred on 7th
June 1881) to his son Tom Scott. Mr. Favill’s involvement is mentioned previously, above.
According to the Brewery Society, in 1895/1900 a Union Brewery Co. is noted, (although we
see below that the premises were sold to the Lincoln Co-Op) with in 1892 G. W. Favill (MD).
We have seen the latter details confirmed in Kelly (1889) earlier in this Chapter, and White
1892 shows the Union Brewery Co. in Union St., but with no personnel named. This is the
last reference to the Union Brewery Co. It does correspond closely with the arrival of the
Lincolnshire Co-Operative Society shop in Union St., opened in 1897, and for which planning
and land purchase, with the demolition of the brewery, must have commenced some years
109
previously. The Lincoln Co-Op purchased the site for their shop for £575.00, i.e. less than
James Scott paid (above).
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Of the other names shown in the listings by Directory/date at the start of this Chapter, we
find the following not yet accounted for in any more detail, except for their residences at
the relevant Inns, and in some cases Queen St. Brewery, and the details shown in Appendix
C:
Barnett Charles malt agent & dealer 1835 Queen St.
brewer & beer retailer 1849 Queen St.
brewer 1851 Queen St.
Thomas Colley Bland maltster, brewer 1849 Gordon Arms, Market Place
Thomas Gibbons maltster 1826 Greyhound, King St.
1828 King St.
1835 Gordon Arms, Market Place
1841 Market Place
Edward Ingilby maltster 1835 King St.
(appears to have replaced Thos. Gibbons at the Greyhound)
William Rawson miller & maltster 1851 Willingham Rd.
John Read brewer & beer retailer 1855 Queen St.
G. Taylor maltster 1851 East Village [Market Rasen?]
William White brewer 1835 Back Lane
110
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Front cover: King St., showing Wellow Wine Co., Greyhound Inn and
White Hart Hotel.
Figure:
1 18th C. Enclosures map of Market Rasen town centre.
2 1906 OS map of Market Rasen town centre.
3 1905 view of Aston Arms and Market Place.
4 1950s view of Aston Arms and Market Place.
5 1911 view of Aston Arms and Market Place.
6 1843 advertising card for Mr. Lister’s move to Butcher’s Arms.
7 1843 Agreement for Butcher’s Arms tenancy.
8 1831 advertisement for the Gordon Arms, late the Dolphin Inn.
9 Details of Mr. Benjamin E. Flintham.
10 1956 view of George Inn.
11 Beer flask from the George Inn.
12 1908 view of the Gordon Arms.
13 1956 view of Gordon Arms, and an 1863 advertisement.
14 1900s view of Greyhound Inn.
15 1980s view of the Chase.
16 Postcard view of the King’s Head.
17 2011 view of the former King’s Head.
18 2011 view of the former Manchester Sheffield & Lincs. Hotel.
19 2011 view of the former Railway Hotel.
20 Beer flask from the Red Lion Inn.
21 19th C. Agreements with landlords of the Red Lion.
22 1900s view of the White Swan.
23 Undated early view of the White Swan.
24 Advertising postcard for Waverley Hotel.
25 1946 Waverley Garage bill.
26 Undated view of Waverley Hotel.
27 Undated view of group seated outside Waverley Hotel.
28 1900s view of White Hart coach and horse.
29 1892 advertisement for White Hart Hotel.
30 Undated view of White Hart from the west.
31 1896 billhead from the White Hart.
32 1940 advertisement for the sale of White Hart Hotel.
33 1870 sale details of the White Lion Inn.
34 1890s view of White Lion and Yarborough Arms.
111
35 1960s view of White Lion.
36 1898 advert. for Gordon Arms, also showing Yarborough Arms.
37 Early sketch of typical Ale House.
38 Selection of Ale House Recogniscances.
39 Impressions of Market Rasen in 16th C., and Ale House interior.
40 Wine flasks of Messrs. Cary and Page.
41 Undated view of Cary’s Wine Merchants.
42 Account Books from Messrs. Cary’s Sales Ledgers.
43 Early advertising card for John Nash & Son.
44 Residual advertising on walls of former Market Rasen Brewery Co.
premises.
45 Former malthouse of M.R.B.Co. Ltd. In Oxford St.
46 M.R.B.Co. Agreement with Messrs. Guinness & Son.
47 1913 advertisement by M.R.B.Co.
48 1907 photo. of M.R.B.Co. maltings workers and Co. Managers.
49 1900s view of four M.R.B.Co. maltings workers.
50 Two M.R.B.Co. adverts. from 1910 and 1913.
51 1863 advertisement for George Titley at John St. Brewery.
52 1856 advertisement for Queen St. Brewery.
53 1960 collapse of front wall at Serpentine St. malthouse.
54 1970s rear view of Serpentine St. maltings.
55 1940 account from Messrs. Gilstrap Earp & Co.
56 1970s view of former Jameson Bridge St. malthouse.
57 1863 advertisement for James Strugnell at Union St. Brewery.
58 Gravestone for members of the Nash family.
112
REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
Bennett, S. & An Historical Atlas of Lincolnshire University of Hull Press 1993
Bennett, N.
Clark, P The English Alehouse – a Social Longman 1983
History 1200-1830
Friar, S. Sutton Companion to Local History Sutton Publishing 2001
Gibson, J. Victuallers’ Licences: Records for Family History Partnership 2009
Family & Local Historians
Halpenny, B.B. A Lincolnshire Town–Market Rasen Anzio Group 2009
Hey, D. (Ed.) Oxford Companion to Local & Family History O.U.P. 1996
Fowler, S Researching Brewery & Publican Family History Partnership 2009
Ancestors
Lucas, J Market Rasen Races Sporting & Leisure Press 1989
(rev. 2005)
Publisher Town Guide Market Rasen U.D.C. 1963
Richmond, L The Brewing Industry, A Guide to Manchester University Press 1990
& Turton, A Historical Records
Russell, R. The Enclosures of Market Rasen W.E.A. Market Rasen branch 1969
1779-1781
Scott, Rev. E. Battyl History of the Parish of St. Thomas Pub. by Author? 1927
Various What’s In It For You – Town Guide De Aston School 1986 (rev. 1989)
W.E.A. Tudor Market Rasen Workers Educational Association 1985
W.E.A. An Early Victorian Market Town Market Rasen Local History 1971
- Market Rasen in the 1850s. Group (2nd. Ed. 1996)
Wright, N Lincolnshire Towns & Industry Soc. for Lincs. History & 1982
Archaeology
113
Directories:
Bennett: Bennett’s Business Directory of Lincolnshire.
ECTD: Eastern Counties Trade Directory.
Francis White: General Directory & Topography of Kingston-upon-Hull etc.
Hager: Hager & Co’s Directory of the Market Towns in Lincolnshire.
Johnson: Johnson & Co’s Lincolnshire Directory.
Kelly: Kelly’s Directory of Lincolnshire.
LGDTD: Lincoln, Grimsby & District Trades’ Directory
Morris: Morris & Co’s Directory & Gazetteer of Lincolnshire.
Pigot: Pigot & Co’s Directory of .. (several counties inc. Lincolnshire).
P.O: Post Office Directory of Lincolnshire.
Slater: Slater’s Directory of Yorkshire & Lincolnshire.
White: White’s Lincolnshire Directory.
Maps:
Market Rasen 1905 OS map Alan Godfrey edition Lincolnshire Sheet 45.12
1905 OS map 1:25,000 edition
1972 OS map 1:25,000 edition
1860 map produced locally.
1779 Enclosures Map
Magazines & Periodicals:
Jennings, P. The Local Historian Vol. 39, No. 1 (February 2009);
Vol. 40, No. 2 (May 2010);
Vol. 41, No. 2 (May 2011).
Soc. for Lincolnshire History Lincolnshire Past & Present Issue 44, 2001
& Archaeology
The Rasen Mail: various
Stamford, Rutland & Leicestershire Mercury: various
114
References:
National Archive sources ref: BT 31/14622/12951 M.R. Brewery Co. Ltd.
BT 34/2480/11960 M.R. British Workman & Commercial Hotel
Co. Ltd.
The Brewery Society: various outline references to Market Rasen premises.
Lincolnshire Archives: DIOC/TITHE/AWARD/H 665 Tithe apportionment & map.
LQS/D/9/1/11 Alehouse recognizances 1792-1818.
BRA 2192 Mortgage & Conveyance (Scott/Melville);
Joseph Marriott Deeds etc.
4-BM/16 Misc. estate documents.
