Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

I've just come across this walk leaflet listing the public house from Church Commercial to the Black Dog whilst clearing out an old set of drawers. I don't have the date it was drawn up, although I think it is around 1983, judging by the present uses of some of the buildings. I guess not many people will remember ALL of the pubs but a few may know of some. I found it quite fascinating. No pictures though unfortunately.
1. Commercial Hotel, built in 1834
2. Conservative Club, moved to roughly the present site in 1896 when they obtained a lease on the stone building at the rear, which was formerly Mrs Jacksons school (note angle bracket on wall). Pesent building dates from 1927.
3. Greyhound Inn, 45 Market St, Church. Built in the 1850's, with a number of typical victorian features, (note ashlar facade)
4. Rose Bud, 53 Market St, Church. Demolished end of 1960's
5. Musicians Inn, 61 Market St, Church. One of the licensed premises that few can recall. Original building lease 1820 shown on 1848 map, lost it's license between 1906 - 9 remained as a house until at least 1937.
6. Railway Hotel, 63 Market St, Church. A very substantial building erected in the 1850's by a local builder. Closed in the 1970's.
7. Railway Inn, 77 Market St, Church. Original building lease 1852, shown as a beerhouse in 1906, lost it's license prior to WW 1.
8. Royal Arms, 6 Union Rd, Oswaltwistle. This was built just after the turn of the century on the site of the old Thwaites Arms.
9. Fishermans Arms. 7 Union Rd, Oswaldtwistle. On corner of Clayton St, building shown on map of 1848, lost it's license prior to WW 1.
10. The Startled Fox, 17 Union Rd, Oswaldtwistle. A mid 19th Century beerhouse, now Famenco Cafe, lost it's license prior to WW 1.
11. Castle Inn, 23 Union Rd. A substantial three storey building only reduced to it's present state in 1980. (Water shot stone coursing).
12. The Printers Arms, 47 Union Rd. Early 19th century, shown as licensed premises in 1840 rate book. Owned at some by James Simpson, Calico Printers, Foxhill Bank. Story handed down that he paid his workers, when possible, in sovereigns-so that they had to change them in the Printers! Rear is Duncan Square, properties built by the Peel family to house there workers. (Named after Admiral Duncan, a colleague of Nelson's) Later known as The Green when property cleared.
13. Cricketers Arms, 52/54 Union Rd. Site now occupied by Badge Brow Service Station.
14. Carters Arms, 61 Union Rd. Now A second hand shop, note substantial buildings to the rear. Possibly stabling facilities for horses used at Moscow Mill, (or horse drawn tramway that passed down Collier St next to pub?)
15. Skinners Arms, 74 Union Rd, Built 1820's as speculative building by John Barlow, in 1837 shown as a beerhouse, lost it's license in 1905. Now J A Coliiers, Solicitors.
16. Rising Sun, 96/98 Union Rd, Lost it's license in 1903, later converted to shops. Demolished 1970's.
17. Prince of Wales, 97 Union Rd, Original building lease 1846, victim of 1960's clearance scheme, now St Mary's Court.
18. Masons Arms, 110 Union Rd, Formerly a beerhouse, now Wheels garage.
19. Horse Shoe, 111 Union Rd, Built 1851/2, demolished along with Prince of Wales.
20. Foxhill Hotel, 136/138 Union Rd, Built circa 1850.
(No licenced premises ever built between Straits & Tinker & Budget, ??covenants on land to prevent building licensed premises??.
21. Tinker and Budget, 218 Union Rd. Building lease 1820. (Origin of name never explained)
22. Bay Horse, 226 Union Rd. Former posting house.
23. Plane Tree, 236 Union Rd, Beerhouse. Property still standing 1981, now empty shop.
24. Grey Horse, 240/246 Union Rd, Built 1820, lost license 1903, demolished late 1970's.
25. Golden Cross, 251 Union Rd, Public house been on this site from 1780's, Known as Three Crowns in 1848.
26. Rose Bud, 253/254 Union Rd, demolished along with Grey Horse.
27. Old House At Home, 285 Union Rd, Early 19th Century, demolished 1913 to provide site for library.
28. Black Lion, 296 Union Rd, Lost license in 19112. Later became Irish Democratic League, now Royal British Legion.
29. Queens Head, 322/324 Union Rd, now Hothersalls chemist.
30. Miners Arms. 329 Union Rd, Built 1860's beerhouse, now private house.
31. Royal Oak, 334 Union Rd, One of the few licensed premises with date stones incorporated into building (185632. Star Inn, 336 Union Rd, Lost licence in 1903, has had numerous uses since.
32. Rose and Crown, 372 uUnion Rd, Built mid-19th century.
34. Black Dog, 384 Union Rd.Built 1820's

I hope some of you find this interesting,

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

I've supped in a few of them, and even had a mate who's dad was the landlord of the Rose Bud!

They use to say that if you started at the Commercial with a thimble-full of beer and doubled it at every pub up to the Balck Dog you would have to give up before you got to the Town Hall. When you look at that list...you know why it was true!!

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

My dad used to tell me that! I didn't believe him either 'til I saw the list.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

One peculiar thing that stands out is the number of pubs that lost their license prior to WW1 / around 1905. Does anyone have any idea why this was the case? Was it possibly competition from the Working Mens Clubs? Or possibly were some of the pubs being built at the time the equivalent of a Witherspoons establisment, thus putting the ale houses out of business?

The list does say "lost" their license; was there a temperance movement revival at the time? Anyone know the answer? I don't.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

I know that there was a very big Temperance Revival just before and after the turn of the century (19th / 20th).



Sorry Tealeaf, but I digress;

As a little aside, and in memory to those pubs now long forgotten and gone to the brewery in the sky:

Just before the turn of the 19th century, my maternal Grandad use to live in Chorley. He got married at about 22 years of age and at this particular time had 1 daughter (my Auntie Bertha). When he was about 24 / 25 he drank quite a bit and was the worse for wear on many occasions. He also got stroppy after taking a drink and was wont to take off his coat and offer the other person "to go outside and fight like a man".
Well, one day in a pub in Chorley he'd had a couple too many and got into an argument with a fellow standing nearby. The result was a fight started outside the pub and my Grandad hit this bloke in the face and knocked his eye out. The bloke fell to the ground unconscious. The crowd that had gathered all groaned and told my Grandad that he'd killed the bloke.

Grandad was terrified and thought that he would go to jail for the rest of his life. He ran home, gathered up his wife, daughter, their possessions, put them on a hand cart and made his way along the canal to Burnley, to start a new life. A "moonlight flit" if ever there was one.

He swore that he would never drink in his life again! And joined the Temperance Band of Hope. He formally took an oath, made a pledge before the assembly and swore: "never to touch a drop of demon drink again or he would go to enternal damnation"

For several years all went well and my Grandad prospered. Then one day he was on the Cattle Market in Burnley when a man from the crowd called out his name and said "Tommy Platt, you are the man that knocked his eye out and nearly killed old John in such and such a pub in Chorley". The crowd stopped and all stared at Grandad..who was by now full of remorse and sweating profusely. "Oh it's alright" said the man in the crowd " It was only a glass eye"!!!! :D :D

As a testament to his dedication and honesty my Grandad never touched a drop of alcohol again in his life. He said "I took the pledge, and I meant it, so there's no reason to change my promise"

I've a few more stories about Grandad that my dad told me when I was but a toddler (I can remember those days as if they were yesterday - but forget where I've put mi glasses).

But they will wait untill another day ;) ;)

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

just dug this up,fascinating breakdown of the union rd pubs, ive supped in 15 of em and thats not even half the list,the rest before my time, ANY advance on 15?:) still no answer to tealeafs question, perhaps someone knows who wern't a member when it was raised?:confused:

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

When you consider that the population was smaller, and that half the town were good chapel goers, and therefore didn't drink, it's quite amazing just how many public houses there were in Ossy.

I suppose when you'd spent ten hours in a noisey mill you either found solace in the Lord, or the bottom of a glass.:D

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

i didnt realise there were that many

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Perhaps at that time beer was safer to drink than water

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Nowhere near Cashy, only 8 for me!

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

i would have claimed 16 if the (Irish League) had been included,unfortunately the enterance was on the side street so it dont count.:)

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

what a pub crawl that would have been!!
now theres only 7, thats a lot less than before!

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

it was:D n now i cant sodding drink.lol

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

why can ya not drink cashman?:confused:

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

cos he can't handle it anymore!!!! ha ha only joking cashy.... I know why and it frustrates the hell out of him...so he just comes and watches us have a skinful whilst he nurses his half all night!! bless him :D

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

6 now! As the Golden Cross has been shut down this week! Not before time though!

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

why has that pub shut?

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

WRONG its open, just called in.;)

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

thought it wasnt shut, where did you hear about it shutting lolly?

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

yes my father once told me about all the pubs on union rd and i can now beleave it

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

The Reduced Oswaldtwistle Players wrote and performed a short play about the History of Oswaldtwistle and in it they name all the pubs.

Why not come up to Rhyddings Park about 2pm on the 21st July 07 to see if they miss out any. The play is being performed as part of the fun day.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Sounds good.I'll come and see it.Why 'reduced' Ossy Players?Are there not that many of them now?:confused:

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

It's sort of a sub group.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

like the sound of that, weather permitting might give it a shot.:)

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

For my bachelor do we got on the bus at the Black Dog and went down to Church, we walked all the way back up Union Rd stopping at every pub on the way for a glass. I was told we took in 20 pubs but I don,t remember so can,t claim it to be true, I can remember feeling like c--p the day after and my mum saying "come on the taxis here". Ever tried to smile on a cold day in February with the hangover of all hangovers? Cashman, I spent a lot of time in the Irish League.

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we used to go up irish league weds nights (think) cos thats when groups were on.

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It was for a day I don't know how they managed to open again. They served 3 different 14 year olds sent in by the police, and they've had a lot of problems because they've been letting people in that are on the pub watch. I went in a couple of months ago and there was 3 people in who were on pub watch.

I refuse to go in now.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

thats just it with pubs today, they seem to be letting any riffraff running them, thats probably why they are all shutting down!!!...shame really:(

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

thank you for this list it is really good. i remember the nights out in some of these but others are hazy, maybe it was later in the night i went in them, ha ha

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

anyone used to go in the british legion on simpson street in ossy??
i never did was toooooo young, and it shut when i wasnt:D, wonder what it was like...emmm

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

It's only 11 for me, probably a lot before my time, but I will ask my dad.....he's likely to know or even supped in most of them.

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I cant remember the pubs i went in to in ossy mainly because it was a long time ago and wasnt sober anyway when we got up there!!!

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i seem to remember it being a large dark room bare floorboards
bar to the right as you walked in i cant remember if they had an
upstairs for artist (cabaret style) but then even i was young
so it might have been really trendy

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Is that where the Irish League was? Had some great nights there:D

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

think thats the one,if so weds nights when groups used to be on was great, my mate improved a group one night.:D

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Like a canteen........small bar to the right as you went in.......rows of tables and chairs........stage at the other end with small dancing area to the front.
Upstairs committee room.
The committee at the time tried everything to make the place pay it's way,
they tried to entertain Ossy but Ossy was not ready to be entertained so down the pan it went.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Yep some really good memories of time spent there:D

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

well its twelve for me 13 if you include irish league and 14 if you can include plain tree although never drank in there just lived there as a small child lol

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Origins of the name 'Tinker and Budget' referred to in the first post of this thread:
"Then up got the Tinker and likewise his sack"
His budget of leather and tools on his back"

Budget could have been a leather back protector or rucksack?

Berkshire History: The Ballad of King James and the Tinker

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Its a rucksack we explored the name of it when we lived in it lol

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Thanks for that Cherokee..........The memory of the Tinker and Budget goes back a long way............The Landlord at the time was called Tim.......it was then a haunt of the traveling community in Ossy.......Sunday mornings, Tim would come downstairs in his shreddies open the back door and go back to bed leaving the customers to get their own booze..........it was then termed as honour among thieves..........drinks had to be paid for and the money was put on the bar.............there were so many eyes watching it would be more that your lives worth to take a drink without paying.
When Tim came downstairs he would scoop the money in the till........he never complained about shortages..............Happy days

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

always remember jesse
as the landlady
a flaming redhead in more ways than one

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

I too knew Jessie both in the Tinker and her previous pub...The Ordnance in Blackburn..............Before you ask............NO!!!

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

the thought would have never crossed my mind
.......until.......

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

I think she might be old enough to be my mother............and yours? :p

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

unable to comment on the "Tinker" cos the threads not in the over 18s.:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

ive managed 12

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Thanks for the list of pubs in Union Rd. JellyBaby. I served my apprenticeship to drinking up Ossy and have some good memories of them good old days. Can you tell me if there was a pub down Straits I think it may have been called The Falcoln. It was closed down when I used to go up there.

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The Falcon was on Mill Hill, closed in the 50s its a private house now, a mate of mine lives there at the moment

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

To an earlier question in 1908 the government introduced the liscensing act and reduced the number of pubs by a third.in the same year john nichols invented vimto in blackburn as a trendy alternative to alcohol.

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

I now find this is now a trendy alternative to a hangover cure between my son and his mates .. they drink gallons of the stuff after a night out !

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

In wikipedia Manchester claims credit
Vimto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Shlurple the Purple - Vimto History

The inventor was born in Blackburn, but as Margaret says his firm was in Manchester. :)

Re: Pubs in Oswaldtwistle
 

Only 1 opened since, tiger lounge, it's a shame all these boozers keep closing, especially in church, there is nothing