Pubs & Inns of Retford
It has been claimed that there were over 50 pubs in Retford in the past and proof of this can be found in James Roffey’s publication “The Book of Retford” (page 98) which lists 57 pubs and Inns in Retford, and in the publication by E L Ableson – “Retford in Times Past” (page 17) which states that in 1896 there were 56 Inn’s and 3 beer houses in Retford. This seems quite excessive for a small Market Town but I shall have to find out what population Retford had in previous times to evaluate this better. Here is a list of the pubs & inns I have collated so far, some of these are still ongoing businesses in Retford today, others have been demolished or converted for other uses:-
NB: Reference’s to RITP = Retford In Times Past.
* I have a series of small articles from one of the local free press showing some of the Retford Pub’s previous Innkeepers/Licensees but not enough room to give all information on this page (at the moment).
~ denotes Public houses still open in Retford today
| Bridgegate | ~The Galway Arms | 1876 Robert Miles Trade Directory 1881 Robert Miles Census 1891 Ellen Miles Census (widow of Robert Miles) Dec 1891 Marriage Ellen Miles & George Bonington
1895 George Bonington Trade Directory 1901 William Edwards Census |
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| The Newcastle Arms | RITP Pg16
*List of Innkeepers/Licensees from local paper article in 1987. Pigots Directory states run by Rt (Robert?) Hardy, situated West Retford 1871 Benjamin Tallents Census 1876 Benjamin Tallents Trade Directory 1891 Benjamin Tallents Census ( 2017/18 Now turned into Flats. |
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| ~The White Hart Hotel
The Herbalist |
First License held in 1731, became more prominent when Great North Road changed and meant it ran through the town centre in 1776. Source RITP Pg15 1871 Joseph Dennett Census 1876 Joseph Dennett Trade Directory 1881 Joseph Dennett Census 1891 Arthur Dennett Census 1895 Arthur Charles Dennett Trade Directory 1901 Arthur C Dennett Census (Dec 2011 Currently boarded up) Re-opened as The White Hart, this has since changed to be known as The Herbalist. |
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| Chapelgate | Crown Hotel |
RITP Pg17 Pigots 1828-9 state run by Matth. Dawber on Lincoln Street 1841 John Howe Census 1876 Sl. (Samuel) Richardson Smith Trade Directory 1891 Walter Wilson Census 1895 Walter Wilson 1901 Walter Wilson Census 1925 Fred Kilbourne 1936 A E Branton |
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| The Litten Tree
YATES |
Opened 2002 in old premises of Halifax Building Society which were previously The Crown
Renamed Yates, which has since closed, currently empty (2018) |
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| ~Ye Olde Sun |
1841 William Eyre Census 1861 Thomas Rogers Census 1876 John Rowson Trade Directory 1881 Census Henry Broadberry – Innkeeper & provision dealer Pigots 1828-9 states run by Wm Eyre on Lincoln Street
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| Sportsman | |||
| Victoria | |||
| Black’s Head |
RITP Pg17 – publican George Sugden Pigots 1828-9 states run by Ann Green on Lincoln Street 1871 James Sharples Census 1876 James Sharples Trade Directory 1895 Henry Brown Trade Directory 1900 Henry Brown Trade Directory |
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| Churchgate | ~The Vine |
Pigots 1828-9 states run by Thos & Geo Clark on Church Street 1876 Jas Thompson Trade Directory 1891 Tom H Aldridge Census 1895 John & Tom Aldridge Trade Directory |
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| The Ram |
Trade directory shows 1876 Edwin James Smeeton 1861 Thomas Watson Census 1881 Census Samuel H Bennett Innkeeper (see Sherwood Rangers) |
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| Portland Arms |
1876 Hy Stocks Trade Directory 1881 William Beaumont Census 1900 John Day Trade Directory 1925 Thomas Coulson Trade Directory 1936 Thomas Coulson Trade Directory Now The Portland Veterinary Practice |
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| ~Sherwood |
Previously known as The Ram Inn 1895 Samuel A Marr Trade Directory 1900 Sarah Kirkby Trade Directory Changed to Gabrielles, then changed back to The Sherwood Ranger (2018) Now referred to as Sherwood (2022) |
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| Ordsall Brewery Vaults | |||
| The Comet | |||
| White Lion | Pigots 1828-9 state run by Jno Gabbitass on Church Street | ||
| Market Square | The Half Moon
The Angel The Broadstone Spencers |
1876 Wm & Knight Goodliffe Trade Directory 1881 William Goodliff Census 1895 Herbert Grindle Trade Directory
Pigots 1828-9shows run by Sl (Samuel?) Cuckson Market Place (Dec 2011 Currently closed) Turned into Ten Green Bottles – a coffee lounge. Demolished 1904 replaced by Henry Spencer’s & Sons. (source: RITP Pg6.) 1876 Jane Gibbison Trade Directory 1881 Robert Park Census The Broadstone closed and re-opened as Spencers |
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| Carolgate | The Marquis of Granby (Also known as The Granby or The Granby Inn. |
Pigots 1828-9 shows The Granby run by Mary Barlow on Clumber Street 1861 William Caherall? Census 1876 Wm Webster Trade Directory 1881 Geo Lister Census 1895 Geo Milner Trade Directory |
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| Butchers Arms |
Pigots 1828-9 show run by Jno Shaw on Clumber Street 1861 William Popple Census 1876 Richard Littlewood Trade Directory 1895 Fred Bothamley Trade Directory |
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| Brewers Arms |
1861 John Whiteman Census 1876 John Liversidge Trade Directory 1881 William Barthorpe Census |
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| Imperial Crown |
1861 Robt Colton Census 1876 Saml Lacey Trade Directory 1881 Joseph Pratt Census 1895 Samuel McMillan Trade Directory 1900 Samuel McMillan Trade Directory
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| Red Lion | Pigots 1828-9 state run by Christopher Nicholson on Clumber Street
1861 Joseph Mottashed Census 1871 Charlotte Mottashed Census |
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| Talbot | 1895 James Lakeland Trade Directory 1900 Lizzie Anderson Trade Directory | ||
| ~White Swan |
Pigots 1828-9 state run by Timothy Ogle on Clumber Street Under “The Swan” 1861 Benjamin Tallents Census 1876 William Storr Trade Directory 1895 Henry Anderson Trade Directory 1900 William Arrand Trade Directory 1925 John Alvey Beecroft Trade Directory |
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| The Anchor
The Idle Valley Tap |
Pigots Directory 1828-9 shows situated on “Clumber Street” run by Rd (Richard?) Johnson 1861 William Chapman Census 1871 Betsy Rose Census 1876 John Thomas Brown Trade Directory 1881 John T Brown Census 1895 Thos Brown Trade Directory 1900 Joseph Crookes Trade Directory 1925 Sam Ashley Trade Directory
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| Bridge Inn | 1871 William Savage Census 1876 William Savage Trade Directory 1900 William Jacklin Trade Directory | ||
| The Pheasant Hotel |
Pigots 1828-9 states run by Fras Smith on Clumber Street 1861 John Bingham Census 1876 John Wrigglesworth Trade Directory 1895 James Hand Trade Directory Demolished to make way for supermarket. |
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| Horse & Jockey | Pigots 1828-9 state run by John Greassey on Clumber St | ||
| Grove Street | ~ The Turks Head
~ The Dominie Cross |
Pigots 1828-9 state run by Ann Clark 1876 Chas Nicholson Trade Directory 1900 William Henry Radcliffe Trade Directory |
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| ~The Packet Inn | Rebuilt in 1913, source RITP Pg18 | ||
| Redford Arms | |||
| The Royal Oak | Pigots 1828-9 states run by John Whatmore on Moorgate
1876 Maria Briggs Trade Directory |
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| Cricketers |
Photo in RITP pg18 1876 Wm Shaw Trade Directory |
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| Union Street | The Robin Hood | 1876 Ann Colbeck (Turks Head Yd Grove St) Trade Directory 1895 Jn Breddy Trade Directory 1900 Jn Breddy (Union St) Trade Directory | |
| St John Street | The Fox Inn | ||
| Spa Lane | Durham Ox | 1861 Richard Palmer Census 1876 William Brown Trade Directory | |
| New Street | Prince of Wales |
1876 Wm Milner Trade Directory 1881 Thomas Littlewood Census 1895 Joseph Hurst Trade Directory 1900 Joseph Hurst Trade Directory
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| The Globe | 1861 Mary Andrews Census 1876 William Anderson Trade Directory 1895 John Dawson Trade Directory 1900 Frank Hatton Trade directory | ||
| Spital Hill | The Mason’s Arms | 1895 William Burton Trade Directory 1900 Maria Burton Trade Directory | |
| The Plough | |||
| The Sun |
Pigots 1828-9 states run by Jane Walker. 1895 William Aldridge Trade Directory 1900 Tom & William Aldridge Trade directory 1925 James Edward Bedford Trade Directory 1936 Ernest Bogg Trade Directory (Was known as The New Sun) then known as The Revolution Mill (2001, now changed into flats Dec 2011) |
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| Canal Tavern | |||
| Albert Road | ~The Albert | 1895 George Fletcher Trade Directory 1900 George Fletcher Trade Directory 1925 George Hurst Trade Directory | |
| Clinton Arms | 1876 Chas Nicholson Trade Directory 1895 James Hopkinson Trade Directory 1900 William Charles Pike Trade Directory 1925 Harry Callandine Trade Directory
Now a carpet shop |
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| Moulders Arms | |||
| Cobwell Road | ~The Northern Inn | 1895 Louisa Hinitt Trade directory 1900 William Aldridge Trade Directory 1936 Chas Wm Fox Trade Directory | |
| London Road | Railway Inn
Joiners Arms |
Demolished in 1968, replaced by The Joiners Arms.
*List of Innkeepers/licensees from local paper article in 1987 Now a Spar shop (2021) Now replaced by Lidl (2022) |
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| Oddfellows | 1895 Charles Hibbert Trade Directory 1900 George Gotts Trade Directory | ||
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| Nags Head | Not mentioned by Roffey but in RITP pg19 | ||
| ~Whitehouses | Not mentioned by Roffey but in RITP pg19 | ||
| Moorgate | Red Lion | 1876 Charlotte Mottashed Trade Directory 1895 Mary Credland Trade Directory 1900 William Burnett & Charlotte Mottashed Trade Directory | |
| George | 1895 George Launders Trade Directory 1900 George Launders Trade Directory | ||
| ~ The Blackboy | 1895 James Cowley Trade Directory 1900 James Cowley Trade Directory 1925 Lilian Betson Trade Directory 1936 Frank Anderson Trade Directory | ||
| ~Brick & Tile |
Pigots 1828-9 ahows run by Rd (Richard?) Cobb. 1895 James Freeman Trade Directory 1900 George Bonnington Trade Directory 1925 Hugh McNearnie Trade Directory |
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| Queens Head |
1900 George Haughton Trade Directory 1925 Robert Hesslewood Trade Directory Now changed to chinese restaurant (2001) |
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| Black Bull | Pigots directory 1828-9 shows run by Geo Ibbetson and situated on Moorgate. (Did this pub change its name?) | ||
| Black’s Head | Pigots 1828-9 shows run by John Shay | ||
| Wharf Road | ~Ship Inn |
Pigots 1828-9 states run by Thomas Foster on York Street 1876 David Worsley Frecknall Trade Directory 1895 David Worsley Frecknall Trade Directory 1900 Joseph Freeman Trade Directory Change of name to The Rum Runner 2000/2001 Change back to The Ship Inn (2018?) |
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| Navigation |
1881 Robert Chadwick Census 1895 John Crossland Trade Directory 1900 John Crossland Trade directory
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| Hospital Road | Boat Inn |
Pigots 1828-9 state run by Bilby Dixon at West Town Wharf Trade directories have …… Thomas Woodcock |
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| Queens Road | Queens Hotel |
1900 Geo Ganer Trade Directory 1925 Walter Lockwood Trade Directory Building now being used by a computer company (2001) |
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| Thrumpton | ~New Inn |
*List of Innkeepers/Licensees from local paper article in 1987 1895 John Batty Trade Directory 1900 Frederick Blagg Trade Directory Was known as Sloanes, then Ma Hubbards (2001) Now known as The Birches? Dec 2011 |
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| Rifleman’s Arms | 1895 Wm Ledger Trade Directory 1900 Wm Ledger | ||
| The Square | |||
| West Street | ~The White Lion | ||
| North Road | ~The King & Miller |
*List of Innkeepers/Licensees from local paper article in 1987 Not mentioned in Roffey’s list. |
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| Welham Road | ~The Hop Pole |
*List of Innkeepers/Licensees from local paper article in 1987. 1900 Walter Carlidge Trade Directory Not mentioned in Roffey’s list. |
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| Ordsall | ~The Market Hotel |
*List of Innkeepers/Licensees from local paper article in 1987 Not mentioned in Roffey’s list. |
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| ~The Clumber Inn |
*List of Innkeepers/Licensees from local paper article in 1987 Not mentioned in Roffey’s list. |
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| White Horse | Pigots 1828-9 state run by Jno Sherratt | ||
| Hallcroft | ~The Flying Scotsman | Now closed and being converted into flats (2022) | |
| West Retford | Wagon & Horses | Pigots 1828-9 state run by Jas Rayner | |
| Mermaid | Pigots 1828-9 state run by Francis C Lamb | ||
| not known | The Criterion | Trade directory 1900 George Lowe 1925 Thomas Jones | |
| Railway Station? | 1925 William Greathead | ||
| Temperance Hotel | 1925 Geo Halford | ||
| Osbourne | 1895 Walter Kirkby | ||
| Barnby Moor | White Horse | Pigots1828-9 state run by Ann Scott | |
| Clarborough | Gate | Pigots 1828-9 state run by John Footitt |
Also:-
Off Bridgegate Originally named “The Mayflower” now named ” The Phoenix” (Now Closed from about 2015)
I have now added some details from some trade directories – mainly Kelly’s and Pigots. Pigots in particular has some different street names from those we know today, some fit in with what we already know. Updated 23rd August 2002.
Updated 05/10/2018