BEAR'S PAW, 38 Church Street

BEAR'S PAW  #

38 Church Street

This house changed its' name in the 19th century to The Grapes Inn - about 1881.

In the 20th century it had several names, and late in the century became

the Bear's Paw yet again.

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MINE HOSTS:

1818                 Benjamin Paley

1824 - 31         Henry Hammond

1840 - 41         Henry Taylor

1849 - 59         James Sharrock

1859 - 61         Matthew Worsley

1865                John Yates

1866                Thomas Standing

1866                Timothy Swarbrick

1869 - 71        Thomas Smith

1871 - 73        Mrs Agnes Smith

1874               Christopher Alston

1874               Jonathan Dearden

1877 - 79        Miles Ratcliffe

1879 - 87        James Mason

1888 - 91        Joshua Yates   - owner

1894 - 95        Alice Yates    - then became owner

1897               Thomas Wilson

1898 - 99        William Riley   -   In 1898 Boardman's United Brewery became the owners.

1899 - 1905    John Robert Brindle

1907               Robert Gibson

1909 - 10       John Renshaw

1913 - 17       Joseph Hesford

1926 - 27       Annie Saul

1932 - 36       Ann Horsfield

1940               Robert Doyle
1944               George Lunt
1948               William A. Seager

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Preston Chronicle  29th August 1840

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It would seem from this advert that Henry Hammond still owned the Bear's Paw in 1843
He had been the landlord there some years earlier. I think, also, that he was a
builder who, possibly had built houses in the area - consider 'Hammond's Row'.

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Preston Chronicle  14th October 1843
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This occurred long after Henry Hammond had left
the 'Bear's Paw, but is interesting, nevertheless:
Preston Chronicle  21st July 1849
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 Preston Chronicle 9th May 1857

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Preston Chronicle 12th March 1859

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Preston Chronicle 19th March 1859

Preston Chronicle 5th October 1861

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Preston Chronicle 27th December 1862

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Preston Chronicle  6th May 1865
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Preston Chronicle 2nd September 1865

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Preston Chronicle 27th February 1869

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Preston Chronicle 5th February 1870

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Also, in 1870, the Bear's Paw had been described by the police as
'a resort of thieves'.

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NOTES:

The Bear's Paw' has some wooden beams dating back to 1707, but the

building is older than that. During building work in 1987 some Tudor

brickwork was exposed, and it was incorporated into the alterations.

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Around 1760 it is known that it was the 'Landed Owners' Gentry Club,'

when members drank gin and water, and smoked church-warden pipes.

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It is thought that the cellars at the back were once used by Matthew Brown

Brewery to produce Lion Ales.

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Taken from the P.N.E. Handbook of the 1898 - 99 Season
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CENSUS RETURNS

1841

Henry Taylor                      60 years                       Publican

Grace Taylor                      50                                Wife

1851
James Sharrock                50 years                         Innkeeper

1861

Matthew Worsley              45 years                        Innkeeper                 b. Salmesbury

Jane Worsley                     31                                 Wife                         b. Myerscough

Martha Worsley                  4                                  Daughter                  b. Walton

Mary Worsley                     1                                  Daughter                  b. Preston

Joseph Worsley                   7 months                      Son                                  do

Catherine Worsley             25                                  Servant                    b. Salmesbury

                                                                                 (sister?)

1871

Thomas Smith                   39 years                         Innkeeper                 b. Penwortham

Agnes Smith                     37                                  Wife                         b. Burton, Westmoreland

Thomas Smith                   9                                    Nephew                   b. Preston

1881
James Mason                   53 years                        Publican                     b. Rufford
Eliza Mason                     52                                  Wife                          b. Preston
Elizabeth Mason               26                                  Daughter                            do
Ann Mason                      23                                  Daughter                            do
Mary Jane Mason            19                                  Daughter                            do
Eliza Mason                     12                                  Daughter                            do
Maria Mason                    7                                   Daughter                  b. Broughton

1891
Joshua Yates                    36 years                        Lic. Vict.                  b. Preston
Alice Yates                      30                                  Wife                                do
Ellen Yates                        6                                   Daughter                         do
John Yates                        4                                   Son                                 do

1901

John Robert Brindle          46 years                        Licensed Victualler     b. Preston

Agnes Brindle                   44                                 Wife                                 do1

Mary E. Gibson                24                                 Daughter                           do

Robert Gibson                  35                                 Son-in-law                 b. Lisburn, Ireland

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