Holmfirth pubs - Princess Royal (Rotcher Road) and Druid’s Hotel

[bykerlads]

Now, here's interesting for you:
I've looked on the Lancashire Libraries on-line 19th C newspapers archive.
For the Princess Royal beerhouse ( Holmfirth but no precise address) there are 3 refs in 1890, 92, 94 all local petty sessions court cases( refusal to quit premises, serving a drunk, being drunk etc), with landlord James Bray named in the 1892 report.
For Rose and Crown ( Holmfirth but no address) there are over 90 refs between 1840 and 1895, court cases, reports of meetings, including Druids, Chartists etc.( I haven't read them all but here are a few:
 Flood victims 1852.
 On 15/06/1861 the landlord was William Bray. On 15/08/1863 Tedbar Earnshaw died there.
No reports at all in the 1870's.
On 25/08/1890 Arthur Beaumont of R&C won a prize in a dog show!
An inquest was held on 10/10/1890 at the R&C Hotel.
Feb 1895 , a meeting was held there.
So, at least from 1980-94 the PR beerhouse and the R&C Inn/Hotel seem to have existed concurrently.The beerhouse seemingly smaller,more disreputable than the inn/hotel.
The lack of precise address is a bit of a nuisance, I feel.
Will keep digging...

[libby9]

Great finds, Bykerlads.

[NNR]

Bykerlads - great research but some bad news! Last week I had been trying to find references to William Bray and the rose & crown in Holmfirth and it appears there must have been two pubs of the same name in the area of qhat could be called Holmfirth! I'll be able to provide some examples tomorrow when I'm nearer a computer (and less nearer my one year old child!)

[bykerlads]

yes, I was beginning to wonder about the exact location of the R&C.
From the newspaper reports, it was sufficiently respectable for societies, including ladies' groups to hold meetings and dinners there and for inquests to be held on the premises. Perhaps a bit unlikely that it was near the PR beerhouse which had several brushes with the Law?
( there was also the Crown- now I think the Post Card?)

[NNR]

Bykerlads, from my research it seems that the Masonic meetings took place at the "other" R+C. I *think* I was able to diacount it because its landlord - another william Bray who I had presumed was 'mine' - was still in charge a few years after "mine" had left Yorkshire.

Will check my records on this tomorrow. In the meantime, later tonight, I'll try and put my old notes on the Victoria sq. R+C on here.

[libby9]

In 1861 William Bray's (born 1822) address was Higgin Bridge, Rose and Crown Inn.  RG 9; Piece: 3250; Folio: 99; Page: 44

According to this site, Higgin Bridge is in Victoria Square. 
http://www.usefulplaces.co.uk/near/higgin-bridge-house-victoria-square-holmfirth-hd9

[libby9]

The Princess Royal has yet another address in 1871 : Victoria Street

RG10 piece 4349 folio 4 page 1

[bykerlads]

Despite it being seemingly missing by name in census 1891, I've found indications that the R&C was indeed where the Nook is today.
On the newspapers website, I followed Arthur Beaumont of R&C, dog show winner. He was in 1891 son of Abel Beaumont innkeeper, address Holmfirth just after South Lane( no named pub!!).
1892 April- manslaughter case- death occuring after fight in R&C, Abel the landlord is witness,victim also drinking in Shoulder mentioned, after fight victim goes straight off up Rotcher, dies at home at Ward Place. The whole report gives the feeling that it all took place near the Nook.
( quite a few mentions of Abel and his pub in the papers, he served on many committees and was a councillor. Just got in a spot of bother in court with the brewery after he left the pub in 1900)
Am inclined to think that R&C and PR were near neighbours, the latter being a smaller, lowlier establishment near bottom of Rotcher.

[josey]

I found reference to a W Bray at the Rose & Crown in MELTHAM in the British Newspaper Archive. Will transcribe excerpt tomorrow [v early start in morning to take Mr Josey to the station for a week's work in L*nd*n so going to bed now].

bykerlads, yes Crown became the Postcard. I have made a list of all the pubs mentioned in the archive phot book, will post that as well tomorrow.