Ancestors and York pubs….1
My great uncle Derrick Gosley’s family was from the West Cottingwith/Holme on Spalding Moor area. Many of his relatives were in the pub trade. The Gosleys married into the Hairsine family. Charles William Hairsine was publican at the Anchor Inn, Holme on Spalding Moor in 1911. By 1913 he was a farmer at Land of Nod.
One of Derrick’s uncles, James Horace was licensee of the Spotted Ox at Tockwith from 1929. This originally belonged to Robert Brogden who had a brewery in Tockwith. I think it was joined onto the Spotted Ox and the pub has more recently been extended into what was the brewery. Robert’s son Thomas took over and later lived at Heworth Hall in York, which was demolished in the 1930’s for housing. The Spotted Ox was taken over by Cameron’s brewery in 1954. Margaret Mary, James’ second wife took over as licensee in 1959 when he died and ran it until 1964.
Derrick Gosley’s grandfather Charles had a brother called George. He was the publican at the Old White Swan, Goodramgate in 1900 before moving to the Black Lion pub in Leeds. The Old White Swan was originally a coaching inn with stables. At about the time of the First World War the stables were converted to shops, including a green grocers (Simpson’s) which later became Myers hairdressers.
The Brogden family also had the Bay Horse in Tockwith. One of mum’s sisters married into the Puckering family. John Puckering was licensee at the Bay Horse in the 1880s. He did this as well as being a joiner.
Other Brogden pubs included The Golden Lion, St Samson’s Square, The Golden Lion and Ebor Vaults, Church Street and the Woolpack, St Saviour’s Place.
My great grandad was Jack Neale. One of his cousins, Maud Bellerby had worked at Rowntree’s before her marriage in 1919 to George Walker. By 1939 she was the licensee at the Woolpack. The Neales married into the Strangeway family. Thomas Strangeway was publican at the Coach and Horses on Jubbergate from about 1869. By 1881 he had moved to the Leeds Arms on Haymarket, across the road from the Woolpack.
Jack’s wife was Alice. Her mother, Elizabeth, had been a Houlgate before her marriage. Elizabeth’s uncle George Houlgate was the licensee at the Coach and Horses on Nessgate from around 1868 until his death in 1873. He had been mentioned in the York Herald newspaper in 1872 when he had been granted permission to open later for race goers. When he died, one of his executors was Thomas Houlgate, his nephew. Thomas was publican at the Golden Lion Hotel, St Sampson Square. He was there about 1873 to 1885. This was a change in occupation as he’d previously been a cabinet maker, like his father, William. The Golden Lion is now part of Brown’s.
The Slip Inn on Malton Road was another Brogden pub. This was remembered fondly by my mum’s family. They used to walk from their house near Elmfield Avenue. Entertainment included playing darts there. My grandparents, Jim and Millie Cooper had their silver wedding party there in December 1955. 26 people attended and had a lovely time. In the early 60’s a pint of beer and a Babycham was 2/6 in old money. The gent’s toilet was in the side garden. Hugh Murray in his Directory of York Pubs noted that when it closed in July 1968 it was heated and lit entirely by gas.
John Joseph Hunt who owned the Ebor Brewery a well-known Aldwark landmark until the 1970s, took over the Brogden’s business in 1904. He lived 17 – 19 Aldwark, also known as Oliver Sheldon’s House. He was later knighted. He opened York City Football club’s ground at Bootham Crescent in 1932.
From a family history point of view, you can look at details of some West Riding alehouse licenses on Ancestry.co.uk in their card catalogue.
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