LIME KILN INN, Aqueduct Street

LIME KILN INN    #

100 Old Lancaster Lane

49  (later 288)  Aqueduct Street

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This wonderful image was sent to me by Richard Stirzaker, a descendant of the similarly

named licensee of the period  1877 - 1881. Here he can be seen standing with his mother,

Mary Barnes. The blurred figures with them are his wife, Mary and some of his children.

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RED AND WHITE CHEQUERS
Red and white tiles were used on the fronts of a number
of inns and taverns over the years.

It was formerly a tradition to paint on the door posts of every public house, a
square of red and white compartments like a chess board. This was a very
ancient symbol extending as far back as the Roman Empire; but its meaning
at that time has never been clearly ascertained. It may still be seen in Pompeii.

The Chequers became a common sign for country inns, and the probability is that
the custom was adopted to denote that the house had been duly licensed, a field
'arg' and 'gu' being the arms of the ancient family of Fitzwarren, the head of which
house, in former times, had the privilege of licensing the houses of vintners and publicans.

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The above photograph and the following comments have been contributed by reader Ian Lythgoe. Thankyou.

"Hi, just for your blog . I was told that this is the Original Lime Kiln Inn sign, and that it was found under all the old signage when it was taken down . It is a very old sign and could predate the Stirzikars sign . I originally thought it was the same one in the photo just cut down but I don`t think it is . I`ve looked back and can`t find any photo`s with it on." .
I would suggest that it has been re-furbished, but other than that, very interesting.
 

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MINE HOSTS:

1839                  David Davies - owned by Edward Harrison. Not necessarily correct. Confirmation?

1852                       William Worthington

1852 - 54                John Taylor

1856                       James Norcroft

1856                       Thomas Lund

1857                       Alice Finch

1859 - 61               William Rawlinson

1863                       Mary Nuttall

1863 - 65                Ralph Spencer

1869 - 73                Henry Smith

1873                       James Ridge

1875                       Ellen Ridge

1876 - 81               Richard Stirzaker

1882 - 86               George Pickersgill Bury  (Berry)

1886                       John Thomas Banks

1887                       Ann Brown

1887                       John Ratcliffe

1888 - 90               William Walne

1890 - 92               Thomas Nelson

1892                       Robert Walker

1893                       John James Robinson

1894                       John Ratcliffe

1894 - 95               James Turner

1896                       Thomas Johnson

1897 - 98               Eliza Constantine

1898 - 99               Patrick McGlynn Keefe

1899 - 1901           Thomas McGuiness

1901 - 02               Margaret Ellen Kerr

1904                       Edward Ross

1904 - 17               Robert Taylor

1920 - 21               James McGuire - Ex-Detective Inspector in Preston Borough Police Force.

1926 - 27               Henry Wilkinson

1932 - 48               Richard Danson

1967                      Herbert Dawson     (Is this coincidence, or are this man and the previous one                                                                                         connected?)      

1976 - 82              Jacqueline Miller

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This photograph, courtesy of Pat Bird, is of a fishing party, taken in about 1919 outside the Lime Kiln Inn. The men in the photograph don't all look as though they are going fishing, and it isn't known where they were going to do their fishing. The notice in the right hand window indicates a fishing contest, but whether it was sea-fishing or coarse-fishing isn't known. They were, of course, just 20 yards from the canal, so it could have been there!

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Preston Guardian  17th September 1859

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Preston Guardian  9th October 1875

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GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION IN

A PUBLIC HOUSE  -  A STRANGE CASE

James Ridge and William Kay were brought up for 
feloniously doing harm to the premises of James Nixon,
owner of the Lime Kiln Inn.
Early on the morning of the 24th September 1875,  a
police constable on duty in the neighbourhood of Fylde
Road, heard a loud noise as of an explosion, and looking
in the direction of the sound, he saw a window falling out
of the side of the Lime Kiln Inn into the street. He could
see that the house was filled with smoke, and ascertained
that the explosion occurred as a result of a quantity of
gunpowder being thrown onto the fire. It appeared that
both the accused were implicated.

The wife of one of the accused made a statement, that
if proved truthful, would show that Ridge was innocent.
It appeared that Ridge absented himself some months 
since because of a disagreement, returning about three
weeks since. The witness said the powder which caused 
the explosion was placed by her behind some pots in the 
kitchen. Kay, from something that was said, went to look
for the powder, and when he saw it he could not believe 
that it was gunpowder, although Ridge told him it was.

Kay then, incautiously, placed the cannister over the fire
and scattered a few grains of the powder in the flames; 
and that was how the explosion occurred. Kay was injured
in the explosion.

It would seem that Ridge had had a row with the owner of
the property, but was keen to distance himself with the 
explosion. When charged with causing the explosion he
replied, "I know nowt about it; fetch Kay in."  He then 
said, "Kay, do I know owt about it?" and Kay said, "I put
the powder on the fire." Ridge said, "Do I know owt about
it?" and Kay replied, "Thou knows all about it; thou led
me into it."

The case was adjourned and the men were bailed, each in the 
sum of £50 with two further sureties of £25 each.

Preston Chronicle 25th September 1875

The outcome of this case isn't known, but it seems that
James Ridge had become a no-good, and appeared in
court on other serious charges.
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Preston Chronicle  30th September 1876
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Preston Guardian  31st May 1879
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 Preston Guardian  20th September 1884
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Preston Guardian  15th October 1887
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Taken from the P.N.E. Handbook of the 1898 - 99 Season
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EX-DETECTIVE INSPECTOR
DEATH OF MR. JAS. McGuire AT PRESTON
The death occurred this morning, after a long illness, at his residence, the Lime Kiln Inn, Aqueduct Street, Preston, of which he was the licensee, of ex-Detective Inspector James McGuire, who retired from the borough force in February last year, after nearly 28 years service.
The deceased joined the force on September 21st, 1892. In January 1904, he was appointed a detective officer, and was promoted to the rank of sergeant four years later. In 1909 he received the merit award.
In 1910 he was commended for a smart arrest in a housebreaking case, and the following year again distinguished himself by the plucky act of arresting an armed criminal, for which he received the Police Medal at Buckingham Palace, and was complimented by Mr. Justice Avery at the Liverpool Assizes. He was promoted detective inspector in July, 1913.
He leaves a widow, three sons, and a daughter.
Lancashire Evening Post   28th May 1921
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CENSUS RETURNS

1861

William Rawlinson                  40 years               Publican                    b. Kirkham

Ellen Rawlinson                      40                        Wife                         b. Tarleton

Susannah Rawlinson                2                         Daughter                   b. Preston

1871

Henry Smith                           29 years               Lic. Vict.                  b. Doncaster

Charlotte Smith                       ?                          Wife                        b. Colne

1881

Richard Stirzaker                   41 years               Innkeeper                 b. Clifton

Mary Stirzaker                       41                        Wife                        b. Standish

John Stirzaker                        20                        Son                          b. Preston

Elizabeth Stirzaker                  17                        Daughter                           do

Mary Stirzaker                       14                        Daughter                            do

Richard Stirzaker                    12                        Son                                   do

Henry Stirzaker                      10                         Son                                  do

Ann Stirzaker                          8                          Daughter                           do

William Stirzaker                     2                          Son                                  do

1891

Thomas Nelson                      63 years                Publican                  b. Lancaster

1901

Thomas McGuiness               36 years                Hotel Keeper           b. Dublin

Margaret McGuiness             37                          Wife                       b. Preston

1911
Robert Taylor                        40 years                Publican                   b. Garstang
Elizabeth Helen Taylor           40                         Wife / Assistant        b. Preston
Helen Taylor                          19                      Daughter / Assistant            do
James Taylor                         16                      Son / Cotton Creeler           do
George Taylor                       12                       Son / School                      do
Alice Taylor                           8                        Daughter / School               do  

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