PRINCE ARTHUR INN, Avenham Lane

PRINCE ARTHUR INN (HOTEL)

1 or 2  (later 94)  Avenham Lane

1 & 2 Hudson Street  / 94 Avenham Lane.

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MINE HOSTS:

1842 - 67                James Dougal(l)  It was said in his obituary - see below- that he'd lived here for 20 years. He was  actually here for 25 years at least.    Mary, his wife, died 19th January 1867, aged 50 years.  Josiah Clair owned the property 21st July 1855.

1867                        R. Lofthouse

1869 - 81                Joseph Lofthouse

1882 - 87                Frederick William Dickinson

1887 - 89                William Clitheroe

1890 - 91                Ellen Clitheroe

1891                       Christopher Charnley      d.

1892                       Hannah Charnley 

1892 - 1905            Robert Butler

1907 - 11                Isaac Frederick Clark

1913 - 17                William Henry Wray
1924 -                      Mrs. Angelina Bickle

1932 - 44                Mary A. Metcalfe

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Preston Chronicle  8th July 1854
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 Preston Chronicle  30th October 1858
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Preston Chronicle  27th November 1858
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 Preston Chronicle  18th June 1859
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 Preston Chronicle  3rd December 1859
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Preston Chronicle  25th February 1860
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Preston Chronicle  28th April 1860
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Preston Chronicle  22nd December 1860
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Preston Chronicle  5th January 1861
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 Preston Chronicle  20th December 1862
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Preston Chronicle  5th March 1863
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DEMISE OF A FORMER MEMBER

OF THE FIRE BRIGADE -

James Dougal, last of 82, Hudson Street, Preston,

died on Sunday 9th January, at the age of 77 years.

He was a native of Preston, born in Crown Street.

He attended Parish Church School in Avenham Lane,

where the children were taught to write in sand spread

on their desk, a piece of stick serving as a pencil.

He was the first landlord of the Prince Arthur Hotel,

and lived there for 23 years. He had also been a 

members of the local Fire Brigade for 20 years.

He had been a widower for 25 years, and had

since lived with his daughter.

Preston Chronicle  16th January 1892

Below is the complete obituary:

Preston Chronicle  16th January 1892

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CENSUS RETURNS

1851
James Dougal                     36 years          Aerated Beer Manufacturer    b. Preston
Mary Dougal                      34                             Wife / Milliner              b. Kendal
John R. Dougal                   11                             Son / Scholar               b. Preston
Mary Jane Dougal               9                          Daughter / Scholar                    do
Thomas Dougal                   4                               Son / Scholar                       do

1861

James Dougal                    47 years                     Innkeeper                     b. Preston

Mary Dougal                     45                              Wife                             b. Kendal   d. 19.1.1867

John Robinson Dougal       21                              Son                              b. Preston

Mary Jane Dougal             19                               Daughter                               do     d. 8.7.1866 age 24.

Thomas Dougal                 14                               Son                                       do

Elizabeth Ann Dougal          5                               Daughter                               do

Sarah Ann Dougal               2                               Daughter                               do

Mary Robinson                 65                               Mother-in-law             b. Glasgow

1871

Joseph Lofhouse              46 years                       Innkeeper                    b. Lancaster

Elizabeth Lofthouse          47                                Wife                                      do

Edward Lofthouse            17                                Son                             b. Preston

Margaret A. Lofthouse     15                                Daughter                              do

Elizabeth Lofthouse          24                                Daughter                              do

Sarah A. Lofthouse          13                                Daughter                              do

Eleanor Lofthouse             11                               Daughter                              do

1881

Joseph Lofthouse             56 years                       Innkeeper                     b. Lancaster

Elizabeth Lofthouse          57                                Wife                                        do

Edward Lofthouse            27                                Son                             b. Preston

Margaret Lofthouse          25                                Daughter                               do

Sarah A. Lofthouse          23                                 Daughter                               do

Eleanor Lofthouse            21                                 Daughter                               do

1891

Ellen Clitheroe                 50 years                        Lic. Vict.                     b. Preston

Mary E. Clitheroe            24                                 Daughter                              do

Roger Clitheroe               20                                 Son                                      do

1901

Robert Butler                   52 years                        Publican                      b. Freckleton

Ann Butler                       56                                 Wife                            b. Walton-le-dale

John E. Butler                  20                                  Son                            b. Preston

Gertrude B. Butler           18                                  Daughter                             do

1911
Isaac Frederick Clark     68 years                         Publican                      b. Preston
Sarah Clark                    66                                  Wife                                    do
Florence Clark               27                                   Daughter                             do

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CROOKED BILLET, Green Street

CROOKED BILLET

Green Street
The anecdotal evidence for this establishment seem to be 
related to quarrels and fighting. The area was densely populated
with Irish immigrants, so it's perhaps no surprise to learn that 
a "Billet" was a colloquial word for a 'cudgel', and that a few
of them were being swung here?! 
Halliwell (no relation), 'Archaic and Provincial Words - Volume 1)
It was perhaps known by a different name after 1841?

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MINE HOST:

1832                 Mr. Hordley (or Bordley)

1841                 Thomas Slater  (possibly)

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 Preston Chronicle  19th May 1832
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Preston Chronicle  14th July 1832
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Preston Chronicle  25th July 1840

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CENSUS RETURN

This record is not 100% certain

1841

Thomas Slater                      30 years                            Retail Brewer

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CASTLE HOTEL, Market Place

CASTLE HOTEL

a.k.a. CASTLE AND COMMERCIAL HOTEL.

29 Market Place.

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This image was taken in about 1906. The bay windows are still a feature of the hotel, but there
have been a number of other changes down the years.

MINES HOSTS:

1623    First built

1680                 Mrs. Langton, widow.

1785                 John Nightingale

1805                 Matthew Fisher 

1810 - 14         Thomas Scott

1815 - 17         Peter Sharples          -    had been at the "Swan Inn" New Street.

1818                Joseph Ditchfield

1821                James Towers     -  d. 11.12.1821 aged 45 years

1821 - 25         Rebecca Towers - Thomas, 18 year old son, d.22.4.1830.

1828 - 41         Benjamin Smith   [d. December 1841]

1842 - 43         Mrs. Smith

1849 - 54         William Glade  [d. 7.1.1864 aged 64 years]

1857                 Charles Bannerman

1857 - 71         Elizabeth Bannerman

1873 - 75         Charles Rich  [d. 11.10.1875 aged 43 years] #

1875 - 91         Mrs. Mary Rich

1891 - 99         Harry Thornton Isherwood

1900 - 1901     Annie Sophia Kendall

1901                Annie Sophia Smith 

1904 - 05        William Ramsden Smith

#  Owned by Charles Frederick Rich (provision Dealer), Stanley Croft, Ansdell Road, Lytham.

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NOTES

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THE "CASTLE  INN"

by  Paul D. Swarbrick

Originally known as the Castle Inn and was built in 1623, the Castle Hotel was situated in Cheapside opposite the Market Square.  It was very much a favourite hostelry in the centre of the town for many Prestonians. This was also the chosen establishment for the meeting place of many building societies and insurance companies of Preston and the surrounding areas.
The whole building, especially the interior had a style of grandeur about it and Peter Whittle in his ‘History Of Preston’ (1837) wrote…“The Castle Inn, in the Market Place was erected in 1623 and was at that time deemed to be an elegant building. A fine chimney piece was placed in a room over the gateway, consisting of a frontispiece (over the fireplace) carved with a mass of miniature columns, arches, niches and caryatids, piled up to the ceiling. The columns were after the Grecian style of architecture. This piece of work was executed by Lawrence Winstanley, carver in Preston.”

The Castle and Commercial Hotel Watercolour by Edwin Beattie

One of the notable events held at the Castle Hotel in 1865 was on the completion of Preston’s new Town Hall when one hundred and fifty of the workmen involved with the Town Hall construction were entertained to a considerable lunch paid for by the Corporation and the contractors. I hesitate to think that this could happen in this day and age.

Around 1910 the Castle Hotel was purchased by the Refuge Assurance Company, was transformed into commercial premises and was then known as ‘Castle Chambers’. During the years following the change of use companies and shops were to occupy the various units the building was divided into. In  the early part of the twentieth century the Football League were to take up tenancy in part of the premises and remained there for some years. In the main photograph above of the Castle Hotel, it can be seen that the premises on the lower right of the image is the Argenta Meat Company based in Oldham who, interestingly, eventually became Dewhurst’s The Master Butchers. Also in this image the underpass to the left of the butchers that would originally lead to the courtyard behind the hotel and eventually became a narrow thoroughfare leading to the premises of the Lancashire Evening Post for use of their vans to collect newspapers from the presses for delivery.

In the early 1990′s, following the closure of Castle Chambers in 1989, the whole of the building was remodeled and was replaced by shops as it is today. One small feature still remains though and that is a small ‘spur stone’ at the junction of two of the shops and this is illustrated in the image below. I wonder how many people pass this every day on Cheapside in Preston and never really notice it.

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This is a useful plan. It shows the Castle Hotel's position on the Market Place,

directly opposite the Harris Museum and Art Gallery, and if you draw an imaginary 

line, it stretched back to a point level with Guildhall Street.

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 Manchester Mercury   22nd March 1785

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Lancaster Gazette  23rd March 1805

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Date on leaflet / poster 13th September 1805

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Fee

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 Lancaster Gazette  13th August 1814

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Lancaster Gazette  29th July 1815

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Lancaster Gazette   22nd March 1817

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Preston Chronicle   27th January 1821

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MATTHEW ENNIS

Begs to inform the Public, and his Friends in general that he will commence 

Running his COACH every day (Sunday excepted), on Monday next, 4th

April, to Preston and back, leaving the Clifton Arms Hotel, Lytham, at half

past eight o'clock, and the CASTLE INN, Market Place, Preston, every 

evening at a quarter before four, except Saturday, which will be a quarter

before five.

Preston Chronicle  2nd April 1831

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R. BOOTLE

STAY AND CORSET MAKER

No. 6 St. Ann Street, Liverpool

Respectfully informs the Ladies of Preston and its vicinity, that 

Mrs. Bootle will be at the CASTLE INN, Market Place, on the

20th November, where she will have an Assortment of 200 Pairs 

of the most Fashionable French and English STAYS, for their

inspection, from 15s to 20s per pair.

Mrs. B will remain at the above place a week.

Preston Chronicle  10th November 1832

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 Poster from 1841

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NOTICE

ALL persons who have any claims or demands against the late 

Mr. Benjamin Smith, of the Castle Inn, Market Place, Preston,

are requested to send in their accounts and the nature of their

securities (if any) to Mrs. Smith of the Castle Inn, aforesaid,

in order that the same may be examined previous to being

discharged; and all persons indebted to the said Mr. Benjamin

Smith, are requested to pay their accounts forthwith, to the said Mrs. Smith.

Preston Chronicle  18th December 1841

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Preston Chronicle  17th December 1853

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Preston Chronicle    February 1859

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 Preston Chronicle  10th July 1880

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CENSUS RETURNS

1841

Benjamin Smith                      35 years                   Publican               b.

Alice Smith                            35                            Wife

1851

William Glade                        50 years                   Hotel Keeper       b. Yarcombe, Devon

Alice Glade                           45                            Wife                     b. Goosnargh

            Was this Alice Smith of 1841?

1861

Elizabeth Bannerman             40 years widow        Hotel Keeper       b. Preston

Jane McKie                          35                             Assistant                       do

1871

Elizabeth Bannerman               48 years                   Hotel Keeper       b. Preston

1881

Mary Rich                            46 years                    Hotel Proprietor   b. Salford

Annie S. Rich                       20                             Daughter              b. Manchester

Ellen B. Rich                        19                             Daughter                       do

Charles F. Rich                    15                             Son                               do

James S. Rich                      10                             Son                               do

1891

Harry I. Isherwood              29 years                    Hotel Proprietor   b. Oldham

James S. Rich                      20                             Brother-in-law     b. Manchester

1901

William R. Smith                 36 years                     Grocer                b. Scotland

Annie S. Smith                    40                              Hotel Keeper      b. Manchester

           I think that this is Annie S. Rich of 1881

Kathleen Kendal                 17                              Step-daughter     b. Preston

Gladys May Kendal            16                              Step-daughter             do

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