Profitable times on tap for town's premier hostelry
WE have to turn the clock back to 1825 to trace the origins of the Wilton Arms in Commercial Street, Batley.
The pub takes its name from the family name of Edgerton, the Earl of Wilton, who owned the majority of land in the locality.
It was built by Peter Heppleston, a local carpenter. The premises then comprised just one house occupied by Abraham Newsome, its first landlord.
By 1832 the premises were described as two houses, along with a brewhouse, in the occupations of Abraham Newsome and Peter Heppleston.
In 1840 the ownership of the Wilton was passed on from Peter Heppleston to James Sheard, the then landlord of the inn.
Upon Sheard's death in the early 1840s the inn remained in the hands of Mr Sheard's trustees, who put it up for sale to be sold by public auction on Monday March 19, 1877.
The premises were described as: "All that the said hotel, called the Wilton Arms, with the stationers shop and room (lately used as a wash-house) and other outbuildings to the said hotel belonging.
"In addition to the original hotel fronting Commercial Street, there is a large room behind, connected with the rest of the hotel by means of a passage, suitable for public meetings, sales etc.
"The whole of the property is in the occupation of Mr William Slater and his undertenant Mr Crossland, Stationer.
"The above hotel has been a fully licensed house for more than 50 years, and during that period has been the principal hotel in the township of Batley, now forming a municipal borough with considerable more than 20,000 inhabitants, and, as is well known, the population is rapidly increasing.
"The property is situated in the principal street of the town close to its junction with Wellington Street and is within five minutes walk of the two railway stations of Batley.
"A large and profitable business is carried on by the present tenant, who holds from year to year."
On the day of the auction and after much spirited bidding by private individuals and several representatives from breweries in West Yorkshire, the Wilton Arms was sold to its tenant William Slater for 4,650.
Slater kept the Wilton until 1886, when he sold it to the Springwell Brewery Company, Heckmondwike. In later years the Wilton went from Springwell to Hammonds and then to Bass in 1970.
A brief description of the Wilton in the year 1929 states there was a filling bar and vaults, taproom, commercial room, long bar room, dining room, two kitchens, a front passage, sitting room, keg room, five bedrooms, a bathroom, WC, spirit cellar, wine cellar and arched ale cellar, wash-house, stable with old lodgeroom over and yard.
Positioned behind the bar at this period of time was one four-pull beer machine and one two-pull beer machine, a 12-tap spirit fountain and a federal cash register in a Japanese case. In the front passage hung a ram's head and a pair of buffalo horns.
The long bar room was furnished with the usual long seating with various shaped bar tables and draught screens.
On the walls were two coloured prints called Noon and Night and another pair of prints called Mother and Goodbye. A large mirror also took up some of the wall. A marble clock stood on the mantle shelf.
The room also contained six bell-pushes and six iron spittoons.
The Commercial Room contained long seating, draught screens and several bar tables. Pictured in gilt frames on the walls were pictures of cattle and sheep, a photograph of cricketers, prints with illustrations of kittens and a landscape print entitled Sheep.
There was also an umbrella stand and two bronze figures with the word 'warriors' inscribed on them.
A pen and ink stand, a mounted snuff stand and four electric bell pushers were also in the room.
In the dining room, apart from the tables and chairs, prints of horses and etchings of dogs were to be seen on the walls along with a fox on display in a glass case.
Over the years the Wilton Arms was used as a meeting house for many local associations, including the local board of health, meetings of Liberals, the Batley Working Men's Conservative association, the officials and workmen employed by Batley Corporation, meetings held in connection with the election of the committee of Batley Cottage Hospital, members of the national lodge of Oddfellows, Jacobs Well Lodge, Dewsbury and District Butchers' Association, Batley Agricultural Society, Batley Paxton Society, Batley Cricket Club, Batley Tradesmen Association, Batley Milk Dealers, Batley Cycling Club, Batley Canine Association, Batley and District Agricultural Society, and the Batley and District Chrysanthemum and Paxton Society.
I have spent over 20 years researching pubs in the areas of Wakefield, Featherstone, Castleford, Dewsbury, Batley, Gomersal, Birstall, Heckmondwike, Mirfield and many other places. I have recently started researching Morley and Drighlington pubs.
If any readers can lend me any old photographs of pubs from the areas above I would be grateful and in return would furnish them with any history of any pub that I have within my collection. Telephone Rod Kaye on 01924 518849.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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