Bridge Inn Latchford Yes or No?

[algy]

Could do with a bit of help here,I have been sent a photo of a pub called the Bridge Inn, Warrington it's supposed to be in Latchford however I remember the Bridge Inn being down a side street on the left side of Knutsford Road just over the Black Bear canal bridge but I can't remember if it looked the same as the pub on the photo? any oldies out there maybe you can help Iv'e had a look at mylists and there was a Joseph Ashton as Landlord at the Bridge in Wilderspool Rd Latchford? wherebye in the photo it's Henry Ashton, coincidence?.

[Wingnut]

Hi Algy.

It looks like it was by the tyre firm just over Black Bear bridge, where the ground slopes down.

[P.I.E.M.A.N.]

Isn't that where the Black Bear Pub was????

[algy]

Wingnut PMan is right that is where the Black Bear pub is the Bridge Inn was on the other side of the Bridge on the left either on the corner or down a side street just not convinced that the one in the photo is that Bridge Inn.

[harry hayes]

Don't think that is the Bridge inn. The pub you are all mentioning was down a side-street (Brook place?) pretty much opposite to the lady barbers in Knutsford road, some 3 or 4 hundred yards further along from the the Black bear and on the opposite side of the road near to what was Roy Trevors once and the TA Depot.

 

Opposite to the pub in question was a row of cottages.

 

Happy days

[Peter T]

Is the name over the door Rixton? and that looks like a warehouse to the left of picture with RIX??? on the wall.

[algy]

Harry your spot on that's what is confusing me as I remember going in there as a young man to play a darts match and sure the entrance was on the corner of Knutsford road and Brook Place (I had completely forgotten that name until you mentioned it).

Peter the name over the door is that of the landlord H.Ashton the same as on the side wall of the pub no idea at this point what RIX or RIN is, I while back I uploaded a list of pubs in warrington from 1759 to 1895 after looking at it -

1823 Bridge Tavern Latchford Wm Hesketh

1825 Bridge Inn Wilderspool Rd "

1828/29 Bridge Inn Wilderspool Rd Latchford "

1871 Bridge Wilderspool Causeway Wm Hedgecock

1895 Bridge Inn Latchford Joseph Ashton

I'm thinking now that either Knutsford Rd was Wilderspool Rd or there was another Bridge Inn on Wilderspool Causeway but why? as at that time there was no bridge on the Causeway.

[algy]

The pub I thought was the Bridge in near the Black Bear canal wasn,t the Bridge Inn it was the Brook Inn as Harry said by Brookside Place so there must have been a Bridge Inn (the one in the photo) on Wilderspool Causeway but where?

[harry hayes]

I do not know of a Bridge inn in Warrington although one of the old directories might reveal there was one in former days.(pre 1955).

 

The Brook Inn in Brook place apparently had only three rooms and vied with the Bewsey inn and the Princve of Wales as the smallest pub in town.

 

Happy days

[algy]

Harry the pub in Warrington with the smallest tap room was the Blue Back round by the old fire station at the back of the old market not sure if it was as small as the other pubs though.

[harry hayes]

I note in an old directory, Bridge inn, 2 Wilderspool Causeway.(as apart from wilderspool road)

 

Happy days

[algy]

Harry thank you for that information, I posted a request on Rootschat forum it's one I used when researching our family histories the members are extremely helpfull (as they are here) and asked someone to look up on the 1901 census who was the landlord of the Bridge Inn and lo & behold it was Harry Ashton, address 2 & 4 Wilderspool Road next propert 3 York Street, Latchford, I have been on old maps of Warrington York Street is there but no Wilderspool Rd and being as the railway divides the two areas I still can't identify the exact place.

[algy]

Found it it was the first building on the right side coming out of Warrington and over the bridge.

Harry if you read this thanks for your help.

Algy.

[Dizzy]

Another successfull mission accomplished eh

 

What's the large ornate building on the right of the last photo Algy any idea ?

 

And what's next on your list of mysteries to solve, bet you never get bored eh and very interesting to follow on here

[harry hayes]

I would guess the large ornate building was the Norton Arms which was near the level crossing.

Whether it is or isn't I remember the Norton Arms being pulled down and thought it was a crying shame that such a building and interior was lost.

 

Well done Algy re the Bridge inn.

 

Happy days

[Dizzy]

Only reason I asked about that building is that it seems to tower over all the others... it has a sort of majestic look stood there in the background looking down on all the smaller 'wobbly' looking buildings.

 

Looks a bit out of place with its surroundings.. which is probably why it was pulled down eh

[algy]

Dizzy/Harry, yes it was the Norton Arms, I believe they used to hold cattle auctions there (way before my time) and your right Harry it was a building of architectural merit and should never have been pulled down although I must admit it would have been immpossible to build a bridge without doing so, another building that may go the same way unless something is done to protect it is the Railway in Latchford if your passing go into Grammar School Rd and have a look at the way the window lintels have been made, they have a unique interlock design.

Dizzy your correct I love a challenge it really does stop me from getting bored, not sure whats next though.

[Peter T]

An application had gone in earlier in the year to convert the Railway into offices. I don't whether it got passed or not.

 

Did York St go through from Knutsford Rd to Wilderspool before the sidings were built?

 

The pub in Brook Place was part of the terraced cottages if I remember rightly. It was still there in the 70's. They fronted the road where the new Catholic church has just been built.

 

And if you turn in to the car place there (behind the church)and head towards the River, that is where the Mersey crossing used to be.

[algy]

It's a possibility that York St could have met up with Wilderspool Peter but what I have found when following streets in the 1881 census that when they have come to the end of a street or road they don't neccessarily and logically continue into the next street it may have something to do with where they finished at the end of a day and where they started next day, there again ithere may a be totally different reason for it but if you look up an old map the Bridge in was not adjacent to York street although the 1901 census gave the next household as 3 York Street.

[Dizzy]

Just dug out some copies of parts of two old OS maps I once 'aquired' (1898 and 1907) to see if I could find the road on them.

 

Soooo frustrating as they both stop just short of Bridgefoot and only show Stockton Heath and Latchford without. Typical There was no need for me to tell you that but I thought I would anyway

 

I'm sure I've got an old map that shows the rest of Warrington and its roads somewhere though.... Anyone know where I put it

[Dizzy]

Found my 1905 map of Warrington and also a 1940's/50's map and I can only find York Street on them too Algy. Later map has a list of street names attached and no Wilderspool Road them either.

 

Not much help to you I know

[Dizzy]

I seem to be talking to myself tonight

 

Anyway... just as I was about to suggest that Wilderspool Road was just a census typo error I found all this so it MUST have existed.

 

The Public Benefit Boot Company had a branch on bridge from 1891 to 1924.

 

Two of the shareholders listed for 1897 are

 

Henry BOND, 212 Wilderspool Road, Warrington, Manager

Margaret Emily BOND, 212 Wilderspool Road, Warrington, Married Woman

 

212 is rather a high number for a small road though eh?

 

and........

 

Another local forum has a post from 2007 which gives a list of

INNS AND HOTELS IN WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP

AND LICENSEES IN 1825

 

On the list are

 

Bridge Inn, Licensee Wm.Hesketh, Wilderspool Road

Norton Arms, Licensee Peter Ashton, Wilderspool Road

 

National Archives ? 1903 to 1906 holds details of

 

"Plans of building plots in Warrington leased by Greenall, Whitley and Company, in the areas of Wilderspool Road, Causeway Avenue, Chester Road, Fletcher Road and Fairfield Road"

 

and........

 

1876 to 1895

Warrington RUFC (as they became known after all the little teams joined up) played their matches on various pitches in Warrington often using pubs as changing rooms and had FIVE HOMES... They had two different sites off Sankey Street, two different sites off Wilderspool Causeway and one at Slutchers Lane in Arpley.

 

All matches listed between 1880 to 1895 are listed at being at Wilderspool Road

 

and the Captains were

 

1885/86 JE Warren/ H Ashton

1886/87 H Ashton

1892/93 H Ashton

 

Familiar name

 

None of that is probably any use whatsoever other than to prove that Wilderspool Road DID exist (well at least between 1880 and 1906 anyway) but I had a nice time finding it all

[Peter T]

Wouldn't the Causeway be known as Wilderspool Rd?

[Dizzy]

Its on my old maps as being called Wilderspool Causeway and always seems to be referred to that elsewhere too too but I see what you mean... Maybe the local councillors couldn't spell it so referred to it as 'road' instead

 

I take it the footy has finished now then

[harry hayes]

Pretty sure that in modern? times Wilderspool road took in the Grand cinema; Norton arms; etc, and was the site of the new? bridge. The causeway started at St James church.

 

All a bit pedantic, but that's how I remember it.

 

Happy days