Thatched House Tavern

Early History

We know from news reports that the existing construction was opened in Summer 1901, but it is harder to gauge the age of its predecessor, although we have the following quotation from the Fleetwood Chronicle in 1900 – … The latter is one of the oldest – if not the oldest – hostelries in the Fylde. Dating from the sixteenth century, it is one of Poulton’s most venerable links with the past.

Estimates of the age of the original pub vary between the 1500s and the 1600s. Its importance would have declined with the openings of the Golden Ball and the Black Bull as coaching inns in the eighteenth century, as well as the popular King’s Arms in the Market Place. Early recorded history of the Thatched is scarce, but records improve from the early nineteenth century. The earliest known directory of Poulton in the Fylde (as it was then known) is Baines in 1825 (see List of Publicans, below). It makes no mention of the Thatched House, but does list the Green Man on Breck Street as run by Thomas Hardman. The location seems to have been an error repeated in Barrett’s seventh edition of around 1901, where the Thatched House is listed on Breck Road; by way of explanation, the pub has always been on Ball Street, at the junction with Breck Road.

The original building, identified on the 1892 map (Fig. 1), was aligned with its left side wall alongside Ball Street. Pedestrians walking towards the Thatched House (Fig. 2) found themselves facing the front entrance and having to move to their left and into the street to pass the building. In the distance, to the left, is the old Savings Bank building. The pub was the last of a number of houses, stables, and shops on Ball Street, that had been built between the church graveyard and the southern edge of the street (see Fig. 3). These other buildings on the southern side of the street were demolished in 1910 to improve access.

This view of the old Thatched House as seen from Ball Street (Fig. 4) might seem alien to modern visitors. To the right we can see the huge trees that were at the eastern side of the church, but we can also see that Chapel Street was once even narrower than its present state. The building behind the pub, even further into Chapel Street, was once a chandler’s shop run by Richard Hardman (brother of one-time Thatched publican George Hardman). Following his move to Kirkham he retained the building and rented it out as a paint shop with additional accommodation.

A brand new building for the Thatched House

We know that the pub had been managed, firstly as the Green Man and latterly as the Thatched House by four generations and five members of the Hardman family. The earliest known publican from the family was Thomas Hardman of the Green Man. His great-grandson, also Thomas Hardman, took it over in 1890 but sold it in February 1893 to Mark Smith, who ran it under a temporary licence until he made David Fenton the publican. The pub was sold six months later to James Nall who appears to have attempted to improve the business and get new customers. The pub had retained its iconic thatched roof, demonstrating its great age, which Nall emphasised when advertising it. The pub had changed publicans again by 1895, when Smith Halstead took it over, obtaining the approbation of Poulton’s cycling club who made it their HQ. Halstead was fined in 1897 for watering down the spirits, and his tenure did not last much longer. In 1899 the tenant was listed as Frederick Broadbent who unsuccessfully applied to rebuild the pub, planning to increase the ground floor and the number of bedrooms from three to six.

Anyone wanting to rebuild the pub had to meet a number of criteria:

  • Local opinion;
  • The requirements of the Highways Committee and compliance with new local bye-laws;
  • Planning rules set by Poulton’s newly-formed Urban District Council;
  • The agreement of the Fylde’s Licensing Committee.

The 1912 map (Fig. 5) was surveyed before the buildings fronting the churchyard were demolished in 1910. It shows that the new pub had been set back from Ball Street to line up with Vicarage Road, but only just proud of the churchyard to its left. Although the main pub re-opened in 1901, it was later extended to include the former site of a workshop on Chapel Street, explaining the greater size of the pub as shown in the map. The photograph (Fig. 6) shows the new building on Ball Street when it was close to completion, whilst Fig. 7 shows the building in modern times, when its livery resembled how it looked when it was rebuilt.

It is unclear when the pub was acquired by the Manchester brewery of Boddingtons, who appear to have had an ally in William Catterall of local firm Queen’s Brewery, and which of the licensees who succeeded Thomas Hardman in 1893 were their tenants. However, it appears that they had also acquired the paint house on Chapel Street adjoining the pub. Nathaniel Charnock became the successor of Fred Broadbent by 1900, and Boddingtons appointed Messrs. Garlick and Sykes as architects for a new building with William Blackhurst, who represented most licensed premises across the Fylde, as their solicitor. Blackhurst, who had a long and detailed knowledge of licensed premises in the Fylde, was able to set out both the pros and cons of redeveloping the Thatched, winning Boddington’s case in September 1900. Demolition commenced in February 1901 with a licence granted in August and the new pub being ready about September. A workshop previously occupied by Mr. Walker was demolished in 1902, allowing Boddingtons to extend the pub backwards into Chapel Street.

A list of the known publicans between 1806 and 1902 is given below, with notes about their tenure.

List of Publicans

It is not always clear whether some of these publicans owned the premises as well as the business. The premises were certainly owned by the Hardman family either by the publican or possibly in trust for the family. This probably ended in 1893 when Thomas Hardman sold the premises to Mark Smith. The notes include footnotes with a number of links to contemporary newspaper clippings from the British Newspaper Archives.

FROMNAME AND NOTES
c 1806Thomas Hardman1, former shipwright from Thornton who settled in Liverpool before coming to Poulton. Mentioned as an innkeeper in 1806 and confirmed as running the Green Man in 1825. He died in 1831.
1831George Hardman2, formerly owned a shoe shop on Ball Street. Inherited the Green Man from his father Thomas in 1831. Was married to Nancy (Cowell). By 1837 the pub had been renamed the Thatch’d House Tavern in an obvious reference to its thatched roof. Died aged 68 in 1860.
1860Thomas Hardman, son of above. A keen farmer and formerly licensee of the Bay Horse. During his tenancy he hosted events for Fylde Cricket Club of which his son was a player. Married firstly Mary, daughter of Poulton auctioneer Alexander Moore and, following her death, Margery, daughter of Henry Curwen, innkeeper/ferryman of Hambleton.  Died aged 44 in 1873.
1873Margery Hardman, widow of above3. Believed to have been something of a character, probably quite formidable. Died in 1890 aged 74.
1890Thomas Hardman4, son of the two previous licencees and a keen cricketer. Married Ellen (Preston), but she eloped with her lover to America in 1893. He sold the Thatched to take over the Bull Hotel from Thomas Horrocks according to a licensing meeting on 29 May 1893. Thomas became ill within days of the transfer and was attended by Dr. Winn.
20 Mar 1893Mark Smith5 from Heywood took over the business, temporarily having the licence in his name before transferring it to his manager, David Fenton of 4 Cookson Street, Blackpool. He sold it after 5 months to James Nall (also variously reported as Mall or Nall).
29 May 1893David Fenton6 becomes manager for Mark Smith.
21 Aug 1893James Nall7, from Shaw & Rochdale, temporary transfer, described as the new owner, attempting to attract new customers, including a special meal in December 1893 with Thomas Hardman and Mr. “Wr.” [probably Wm.] Catterall of Queen’s Brewery at the top table.
About 1895Smith Halstead8 from Burnley took over, and pub became a regular venue for the Poulton-le-Fylde Cycling Club. He is fined in December 1897 for watering down whisky. Later that month a report states that the owners, without naming them, are to be approached for an alleged encroachment onto the highways.
Date unknown, between Dec 1897 and Apr 1899Frederick Broadbent9 appears to have been the next licensee, which we learn from an incident reported in April 1899. In August he is represented by local long-served solicitor William Blackhurst in an application to rebuild the pub, increasing its ground floor space and the number of bedrooms from three to six. The application was refused.
Between Apr 1899 and Jul 1900Nathaniel Charnock10 is now licensee, but the owner is Boddington’s Brewery of Manchester.
New plans have been set forth to rebuild the pub, but these are subject to planning permission and new bye-laws. The new property has to be set back from both Ball Street (to line up with Vicarage Road) and Chapel Street, and the workshop occupied by Mr. Walker on Bank Street (both formerly and currently Chapel Street) were to be demolished. A decision was held over until September, as was a similar plan for the Swan Hotel in Kirkham. Despite objections from Superintendent Ormerod, including that Poulton had too many licensed premises, the application was granted, and demolition of the old building began in February 1901. Reconstruction was completed around September 1901, although a new licence had already been granted.
Feb 1902Richard Bennett takes over11, formerly of the Stanley Arms in Blackpool, then of the Queen’s Hotel in Lancaster. It was probably during his tenure that the premises to the rear of the pub on Chapel Street were pulled down by Joshua Cryer and, subsequently, the new building gained an annex on those premises.

  1. Lancaster Gazette 26 July 1806 – Thornton-born shipwright Thomas Hardman had moved to Liverpool, but came to Poulton shortly after the birth of his daughter Mary;
    Volume II of the HISTORY, DIRECTORY, AND GAZETTEER, of the COUNTY Palatine of Lancaster contains a “directory department by W. Parson.” It listed the Green Man on Breck Street, whereas the pub was on a crossroads opposite Breck Street, on Ball Street. ↩︎
  2. Preston Chronicle – 15 April 1837 – the pub is now named in print as the Thatch’d House Tavern;
    Preston Chronicle – 30 June 1860 – George Hardman’s death is the last one added before the paper goes to press. ↩︎
  3. Preston Chronicle – 07 February 1874 – Margery Hardman, formerly Margery Curwen, widow of Thomas Hardman, takes over as publican;
    Fleetwood Chronicle – 25 February 1876 – Margery is fined for keeping deficient drink measures. ↩︎
  4. Blackpool Herald – 14 March 1890 – Transfer of licence from the late Margery Hardman to her son Thomas Hardman. ↩︎
  5. Fleetwood Chronicle – 24 February 1893 – Sale of the Thatched House;
    Preston Herald. – 22 March 1893 – Mark Smith takes over as licensee;
    Fleetwood Chronicle – 23 June 1893 – Thomas Hardman advertises his new pub, the Bull Hotel, over a number of weeks. ↩︎
  6. Fleetwood Chronicle – 02 June 1893 – change of licensees at the Thatched and the Bull. ↩︎
  7. Blackpool Herald. – 25 August 1893 – James Nall takes over;
    Fleetwood Chronicle – 15 December 1893 – celebratory meal provided by James Nall;
    Blackpool Herald. – 01 June 1894 – James Nall starts regular advertising of the pub. ↩︎
  8. Fleetwood Chronicle – 14 January 1896 – advertisement for the facilities offered by the Thatched House;
    Blackpool Herald  – 17 December 1897 – Smith Halstead fined for watering down spirits;
    Blackpool Herald – 31 December 1897 – Alleged encroachment of the highway by enclosing corners of the street adjoining the pub. ↩︎
  9. Preston Herald – 15 April 1899 (part 1 and part 2) – incident at the Thatched;
    Fleetwood Chronicle – 25 August 1899 – first known application to rebuild. ↩︎
  10. Fleetwood Chronicle – 06 July 1900 – plans set forth for a new pub;
    Fleetwood Chronicle – 07 September 1900 – application to demolish and rebuild the Thatched House;
    Lancashire Daily Post – 26 September 1900 – application granted;
    Blackpool Times – 27 February 1901 – demolition begins;
    Blackpool Times – 03 April 1901 – Highways Committee ask clerk to request Boddingtons to demolish workshop on Chapel Street;
    Blackpool Times – 10 April 1901 (part 1 and part 2) a lively vestry meeting discusses the new hotel;
    Blackpool Times – 20 July 1901 – letter to the editor regarding the terms of the Thatched House agreement, mentioning Mr. Catterall (of the Queen’s Brewery), who appears to speak on behalf of Boddingtons;
    Fleetwood Chronicle – 23 August 1901 – the new premises gets its licence;
    Blackpool Times – 04 September 1901 – the new premises are almost complete;
    Blackpool Times – 26 October 1901 – Nathaniel Charnock accused of assault – case dismissed. ↩︎
  11. Blackpool Times – 26 February 1902 – Richard Bennett becomes the new publican;
    The premises to the rear of the pub on Chapel Street are demolished the same year. ↩︎
Page last updated 6 Aug 2024

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