T  With an abundance of Public Houses in the areas of Bacup and Srtacksteads its hardly suprising reports like the following appeared in the local newspaper. Report of 24th April 1869 describes how: “On Sunday the 18th April a number of these savages called at a farmhouse in the neighbourhood and asked to be supplied with a quart of milk. The good woman brought them the milk, but before she handed it over to them asked who was to pay for it. The answer was to have the jug wrenched from her hands the milk consumed and the jug thrown to the floor and smashed. Their path next lay through some fields where they passed a young man returning from Sunday school , and as they passed him they tripped him up, causing him to fall heavily on the ground. A little further they met another man who was also returning from a place of worship, and whom they attempted to molest in a similar way. Failing to trip him up they struck him in the face. This assault however was witnessed by Mr James Munn J.P. and Mr Robert Munn who remonstrated with the blackguards. No sooner did he interfere but was knocked down. Mr Robert Munn was also assaulted but this did not stop him capturing one of his cowardly assailants. He was brought before the Magistrate and sentenced to a month in the house of correction for a month. The men, it is stated were all intoxicated”. And the following in 1878. On Saturday evening some very serious disturbances ( caused in ever instance ) by Irish people arose at several public houses in the town. Some ruffianly Irish navvies went into the Market Hotel, set upon a young man a ( Englishman, of course ) knocked him down, an kicked him about his face seriously, and tore the coat off his back. They succeeded in making their escape before the police could be called in. At the Queens' Hotel, several people were assaulted by Mrs Murphy and her son ( the latter a powerfully brickmaker ) in the tap room with pots and a fender. Another gang went into the Golden Lion and gave the landlady a couple of black eyes, without the slightest provocation. The first landlord shown in our records for the Irwell Inn was Edmund Whitaker. In 1896 heavy rains caused the building to collapse at this time the landlord was Joseph Tattersall and the brewery was Masseys. The iin continued in the hands of the Tatersall familly when in 1930 the son also a Joseph Tattersall took over the Inn. The Roebuck was already open in 1867 its landlord being Francis Stewart. In 1909 a new bowling green was opend  and matches were commpnplace. It lost its licence in 1959. Despite trying to get the building saved it was demolished as part of slum clearances in 1971.The Weir Hotel was built by a Mr Walker at a cost of £700.00 in 1868 he applied and was granted the licence. Overheard in the taproom in the early days of UFO sightings 1950's.1st Old Man" They say Tha's seen a UFO, what were it like?"2nd Old Man "It looked a half a creawn but it didn't go as fast". The first Deerplay Inn was actually situated on the opposite side of the road to todays Inn, and it appears to have been called “The Stag and Hounds” in 1818, it was the location from where the Deerplay Hunt began. Back inot the center of Bacup now and one of the oldest hostelries in the town was the George & Dragon. The George & Dragon was used as the courthouse at the time of its demolition in 1927 the Bacup Times carried a article regarding its history which you can read by click Here.... The Golden Lion was situated on Bridge Street, todays St James Square. With a licene showing in 1871 it served the working class man and closed with compensation of 2,500 pounds in 1912. Further along at 27 St James Street stood the Masons Arms, with a licence from 1865 it closed in 1915 sadly the last landlord Henry Riding was the father of Private Riding the first military funeral to be held in Bacup during the Great War, in 1915. The Spead Eagle was situated on Back Bridge Street, frequented by the lowest classes disturbances were commonplace at closing time, the pub closed in 1934. Union Street is home to the British Queen today the original building being licensed since 1861. Rochdale Road  was home to several pubs and beers houses, the first one being the Waterloo Hotel, which straddled the River Irwell, licensed in 1838. Rumour has it that its name is not connected to the battle of the same name but to the tippler toilets that emptied into the water of the river. This area of Rochdale Road was originally known as Head Holme. The lease hold for the New Inn dates back to 1818 its owner being the same Mr John Lord who constructed the Bacup to Rochdale Road, this pub was a popular meeeting place for travellers and business men. It was here that one of the Heyworth highway robbers was seen by the daughter of one of thier victims during a dance after the usual Saturday market, her identification led to thier arrest and subsequent execution. Only 50ft away from the New Inn stood another beer house, known as the Odd fellows Inn opened as a beer house in 1869 it had also been known as the Cricketers Arms. Also in this rea were the Loomjobbers Arms The Concert Inn, The Mechanics Arms, and the Flying Dutchman. The Carriers Arms was open in 1841 its landlord at this time was Samuel Thompson.In 1924 the house was demolished and re-opened as the George and Dragon. The Victoria Inn was originally a beer house, situated in the area of Rochdale Road known as Smelt. The area getting its name from the barley that was smelted there. It was in a cellar house underneath the Victoria that John Waite murderd his wife in 1886. The Joiners Arms on The Bulls Head  Inn Stood on the corner of Yorkshire Street and Burnley Road. Henry Baron was the first landlord to be shown. In 1910 Messrs Baxter's of Glenn Top Brewery made an application to have the Bulls Head demolished building in its place a new Hotel. The new Hotel would be known as the King George. the Angel Inn had stood at the bottom of Lane Head Lane since 1790. With no coach house but stabling of 3 stalls it was a popular choice for travellers in it's heyday. But in 1925 when the owners at the time  Grimshaw Brewery of Burnley applied for a renewal of drinking licence it was rejected. Reasons being given for the rejection was that the hotel was hard to supervise by police and landlord and was in a sad state of repair. The Angel consisted of two floors, the bedrooms were said to be very damp the flooring on the upper levels to be very shaky. The entrances to the clubhouse was dark and should a fire occur it would be a death trap. By the time the Angel closed on 3rd October 1925 it had held a drinking licence for 135 years.  The Queens Hotel stands at the bottom of Yorkshire Street and is  another of Bacup's oldest drinking houses,built in 1887.The hotel was accommodated with stabling consisting of 5 stalls and a coach house.Refurbished in 1966.The White Horse Inn was considered to be a new beer shop in 1868  and was described as a quaint looking building which had been used as a licenced Public House. On the sign over the front door was painted a rhyme which read: The White Horse will beat the Buck,  And make the Angel fly, The Staggering Man upon it's back, Knock out the Dragon's eye.The White Horse closed in 1912 John Knowles the last landlord.The present day home of the Bacup Natural History Museum was originally built in 1808. The main entrance was from Yorkshire Street with a small side door leading of into Newgate, with another door at the back. The bar was opposite the front door with a taproom and bar on the ground floor.  On the upper floor there was a clubroom and two bedrooms. The house was said to be very low and dark throughout. There was also a shooting club. In this are there was also the Newgate Innsaid to be frequented by the very lower classes. The Buck Inn was said to have already held a licence for 200 years in 1891.The first Buck was demolished in 1891 and a new building of the same name erected in it's place this building was demolished in 1954. The Buck had stabling for three horses. It is noted that the class of customers were men of working class and women of a questionable character. The Wellington Hotel was originally built as Bacup’s Police Station, when the new Police Station at Bankside was built the  building became known as The Red Lion.  The Green Man was said to be in a sad state of repair. The exterior of the house being in bad need of repair and repainting. The interior being badly constructed. With the drinking rooms badly lit supervision by the landlord of customers was difficult and for the police due to there being two entrances from Yorkshire Street. There was only one W.C and one urinal situated on the ground floor. The billiard room was a separate building access by a small covered gangway. The Green Man was closed on 30th September 1924 as a drinking house. Todmorden Road was home to several other pubs and beers houses, namely, The Bay Horse which had started off i ts life as many did has just a   beer house in 1869. The Barley Mow was situated at 149 Todmorden Road, The Blue Ball which also used the name Bull & Dog was situated at 190 Todmorden Road the house carried a datestone of 1792. records show the pub was licenced in 1848. The Crown Inn at Greave was licensed to James Lord in 1866 he was a playing member of the Old Bacup Band. The Flowers Inn had its licence in 1869 and along with the Crown Inn is still open today. South Street possibly tooks its name from the occupation of the landlord in 1865, a man by the name of John Lancaster aka Bowton Jack a joiner. Lower down South Street was the Irwell Brewery, built in 1854 by John Feilding. The properties were sold in 1896 to Kenyons of Cloughfold and Barrowford. The beerhouse known as the Thorn Inn was converted to use as a undertakers, the front entrance near what was once the Rochdale Bus stop was once the entrance tothe Savoy Cafe. The Market Hotel on Market Street began its life as a beer house called “ Hark Up The Nudger” in about 1835, the building that still stands today was built in 1865. At 28 Market Street stood the Commercial Hotel, a beerhouse and dinning rooms which could be entered from Market Street or King Street. It was alsoknown as Goodings Dinning Rooms and provided bed and breakfast. It closed with compensation in 1939. Described in 1869 as being frequented by the “Ruffian Irish”, the Waterworks Tavern had had a licence since 1861 it having been built in 1859. At 161 Market Street was the Glen Inn licensed since 1871 it closed in 1919. The Swann Inn was built about 1843, its licenc showing from 1851, the landlord at this time being James Nuttall. With being so close to the newly built railway station the Inn must have seen quite a lot of trade, with stables at the rear.  The Fullers Arms at Pippin Bank, was built in 1855 opening with licence in 1861, it closed in 1930.  The Park Hotels licence was transfered to the Irwell Inn in 1958, thebuilding having several uses until it was demolished in 1960. It had also been known as the George Hotel. The Holt Arms was also known locally as The Junction it being situated at the junction of Newchurch Road and New Line. Opening in 1854 it was closed in 1956. The Oddfellows Arms at Lee Mill, was a ante beerhouse owned by Baxters Brewery, closed in 1912. The Royal Oak was another like many local pubs and beer houses owned by Baxters, with a licence showing from 1861. The Cemetery Hotel opend in 1865, its landlord being James Ashworth, closing on 5th Januey 1957. The Farholme Tavern was showing a licence in 1864 and is still serving today. The Commercial Hotel once a important place which was the location for carrying out local inquests first held its licence in 1861. One of the Commercials Landlords went by  the name of “boots” his real name was in fact William Carey. During the Zulu war of 1879 it was reported in the Bacup Times that this well liked popular man had joined the brave ranks of the 24^th Foot Regiment and had fallen for his country at Rorkes Drift, Isandhlwana. For over six months the locals believed William had found a soldier’s grave. Then another report appeared in August edition stating that far from being killed he was actually alive and well and living in the Irish barracks in Mullingar. Number 318 Newchurch Road was of course the Railway Tavern another public house owned originally by Baxters brewery. One of the longest serving landlords was James Flanagan who took over the pub in 1929 and left in 1960. Thirteen years later the pub was closed and rumors circulated that it would not reopen. But reopen it did in August 1973 after being closed for ten months with a new look and a new landlord. Bacup Young Men's Association and Working Men’s Clubs The first meeting for the purpose of establishing a Club were Irishmen could associate with each other was held at the Waterworks Inn, Market Street Bacup in November 1882. Under the presidency of Mr Malachi Healy.  At the meeting there was appointed the Formation Committee with instructions to obtain premises. After very great difficulty they rented premises at no5 King Street, and gave it the name of " The Bacup Irish Young Men's Association", where it remained until June 1898 when it removed to premises at 17 Irwell Street, which were purchased from the late Mr J.W.Eyre for £200.00 and altered at a further cost of £400.00.The association existed as an unregistered voluntary association until March 27th 1884, when it was registered as a Workingmen's Club under the Friendly Societies Act 1875. Formation Committee, Edward Naughton, ohn Jennings, Phillip Connell, Thomas McNamara, ohn Darcy, Thomas McGrath, Malachi Healy Chairman, ames Byrne Treasurer, John Walsh Financial Secretary, Bryan Byrne Minute Secretary.The Victoria Working Mens Club. This club began as  Bacup WM Club in King Street, later moving to Yorkshire Street then to the Victoria Hall on Market Street. The Stacksteads working men’s club first opened its doors on May 2^nd 1879. The original building known as Lords-Buildings was formerly occupied as cottages and stood three storey’s high.The second floor was known by the local youngsters as the Imperial Hall a popular attraction for local dances. At the time the above picture was taken the club had over 500 members. The Stacksteads Liberal Club was officially opened on Saturday 28^th January 1888; the club had been in existence since 1877 but had had no specific meeting place. Situated in the middle of the row it was replaced by the Manchester and Yorkshire Bank the Liberal Club moving to 260 Newchurch Road       This is just a small selection of Pubs a full history of pubs in Bacup and Stacksteads along with landlord details  can be seen at the Bacup Nat. or by request from me.