The Red Lion - Whittington Moor.
From InnSpire – Issue 8 – August 1997

Tony and Pat Walsh have been in our area at the Red Lion for just over 12 months. When they moved into the pub I felt we might have a good landlord, as the first thing to disappear was the fake hand pump dispensing Scrumpy Jack. We were soon to discover that Tony has been a CAMRA member for some 13 years so he knew what the issue was all about.

Having spent 22 years in the trade, Tony is a very experienced landlord that shows in his calm attitude and warm welcome that he extends to all customers.

Eleven years in Leeds at the Adelphi and the Albion, 6 years more in the Blue Bell in Hull working for Sam Smiths and then head hunted for this job by the Old Mill brewery while doing relief work in the Riveters in Scunthorpe.

The Red Lion is one of Old Mills 15 pubs, this is the most southerly one from the brewery at Snaith, but rumour has it that the 15 will become 20 before the year is out.

The pub was bought off Tetley some 9 years ago and currently stocks three very well kept beers, Bitter, Bullion and Old Curiosity.  Keep up the good work.

Unaccredited

The Demise Of The Queens Park Hotel
From: InnSpire - Issue 7 – June 1997

As you will be aware the Queens Park Hotel closed on the 30th April 1997, after being sold to Ravensdale Investments, developer of the proposed Retail Park at the rear. The pub, not part of the original scheme was sold at the last minute by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries, the pub owners, which resulted in the landlord having only 4 weeks notice to quit. Although the new owners stated that a decision had not been made on the buildings future, demolition began only 10 days after closure, and was hurriedly completed after reports in the local press that moves were being made to list the building. Without this listing nothing could have been done to prevent demolition. The Queens Park Hotel may not have been unique, but it was a fine building, with the lower part of its frontage decorated in glazed brickwork, a typical pub of its era. It seems fitting at this point to give a brief history of the pub.

The building of the pub came about as a result of the Borough Council's plans to create a link between Park Road and Lordsmill Street- Markham Road, which also included the construction of Tontine Road to connect the Market Place to Markham Road. These changes necessitated the closure and demolition of a pub owned by the Council, the Three Tuns, situated on the Market Place. Part of the land needed to create Markham Road was attached to the Dog and Gun pub in the Dog Kennels area. The Council therefore struck up a deal with its owners, the Home Brewery, to exchange this land for 100 square yards of land in a prominent position on the corner of Markham Road and Park Road.

An application to erect the new pub was considered at the Borough Licensing meeting in February 1912, where it was proposed that the Dog and Gun licence be surrendered and the Three Tuns licence be transferred to the new pub. The application was opposed by the Portland Hotel and the Angel Hotel, however the Justices pointed out that the Portland Hotel had been opposed in the same way before its construction. The application was approved. The new building was designed by Architect W. H. Wagstaff and was expected to cost between £3000 and £4000 to build. The Dog and Gun, which had been bought by the Home Brewery in 1898 for £1800, closed on June 2nd 1912. The new pub, which was still called the Three Tuns, opened on January 6th 1913, the old pub closing the evening before. In February 1915 the licensing authority approved the name change to Queens Park Hotel Situated close to the Cattle Market (which closed in the early 1970s) it was popular with traders, and the upstairs function room hosted many varied musical events. The pub came under threat in 1981 when proposals to extend the dual carriageway through to Lordsmill Street would have brought about its demolition. However the scheme was eventually dropped.

The Home Brewery, a family run business, sold out to Scottish and Newcastle Breweries in July 1986. Although they closed many Home outlets, the Queens Park Hotel had a considerable amount of money spent on a new roof and external cleaning, all now in vain. It would appear that the sale was deliberately kept quiet to prevent any last minute salvage attempts similar to those that recently saved the Royal Oak in the Shambles. It’s always sad to see a pub disappear, especially one with real character.

John Hirst

The History of “Ye Royal Oak”, The Shambles – Chesterfield.
From: InnSpire - Issue 6 – April 1997

The story of the Royal Oak begins with a reference to it being a 'rest house' for the Knights Templars. Although it is known that the Templars, who had a base at Temple Normanton, were connected with Chesterfield, there is no proof of any association with this site.

The present day Royal Oak consists of two buildings of completely different periods and character. The older top bar is said to be 16^th Century, but was not incorporated into the pub until the mid 19^th Century. The lower bar is where the inn originated and although built later is still of great age. This bar was originally divided down the centre, and may once have been two separate buildings. The earliest surviving reference to this part of the building is in a conveyance of 1684, when a piece of land was purchased to extend the building for use as a butcher’s shop. Whether this refers to the present structure or an earlier building is not clear.

The first mention of use as an inn is contained in a conveyance of 1772 when the building was sold to Francis Inman an 'inn holder'. Another conveyance of 1873, confirmed the change of use of the building as it now stated... 'was lately used as a dwelling house and butchers shop'. At this time the upper building (top bar) comprised of two butchers’ shops, under separate ownership. William Cuff, a Chesterfield innkeeper, bought the pub in 1815. The conveyance this time mentions that the premises, formerly a butchers shop, included a stable and brewhouse, with a clubroom over.

In 1884 whilst owned by the brothers, George and William Batteson, the two butchers shops were purchased, which would allow the top bar to be added, although when they were incorporated into the main building is not known. Wards map of 1858 shows they were still separate premises, but by1875 the Ordnance Survey map indicated that the shop nearer to Packers Row was now part of the inn. Ownership of the Oak continued with various licensees, until the death of Mrs. William Batteson, When it was sold to William Stones brewery of Sheffield in 1897.

The brewery immediately set about renovating the pub, making extensive alterations. Considerable trouble was taken to preserve the character of the top bar, replacing rotten timbers with those salvaged from other buildings. The top bar as it stands today is probably little changed since this restoration. The main pub entrance in the lower bar, originally on Irongate, was probably moved during this rebuilding to its present position in the centre of the opposite wall. The original doorstep and part of the arched doorhead can still be seen adjacent to the cellar trap door, where a small window has been inserted. The windows also probably originate from this time. The lower bar has extensive cellars, a smaller one below the toilets is hewn from the rock with a brick vaulted ceiling and still has a butchers slab. It is reputed that one of the towns many secret underground passageways lead to one of the inns cellars.

Wm. Stones were taken over by Bass Charrington in 1968. At this time long serving landlord Roland Sullivan was licensee, eventually serving 21 years by his retirement in1979. During his stay the building was listed Grade ll, giving it both external and internal protection from damaging alteration. The pub is now owned by Century Inns, the landlord since October last year is Ron Harrison, who runs the pub with his wife Jacqui and their daughters. They have already seen the pubs potential with tourists, especially Americans and hope to maintain the pubs unique ambience as an attraction.

John Hirst