Friday 3 January 2014

Important Sale of Licensed Property

The Duke of Newcastle owned considerable amounts of property in and around Newark.

The fourth Duke, Henry Pelham Fiennes Pelham Clinton, who lived from 1785 to 1851, seemed to consider that he had the right to choose the town's MP. And to insist that the MP vote in the Commons as the Duke wished.

"Nevertheless, in the face of these examples, and despite these convictions, 587 electors were found independent and public-spirited enough to vindicate their right of choosing a representative for themselves; but the result had been, as the House was aware, that their attempt was unsuccessful, and the gentleman nominated by the Crown-lessee was ultimately returned. The noble Duke, in his opinion, might have rested satisfied with the result of that election, with having been the means of returning a representative who was opposed to the interests, or at all events to the inclinations, of a large portion of the inhabitants. But the parties who had incurred his displeasure better knew with whom they had to deal. Although his vengeance seemed for a time dormant, it turned out to be an assumed slumber, like that of the cat before she darts upon her prey. As soon as the whole business of the election was over, and the time had gone by when that House could interfere, every person who had presumed to vote for Mr. Serjeant Wilde, and possessed land under the Duke, was served eventually with a notice to quit."
House of Commons Debate 01 March 1830 vol 22 cc1077-121
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1830/mar/01/borough-of-newark-duke-of-newcastle
Nice. He evicted all his tenants who voted the wrong way, about three dozen in all. This being the time before secret ballots, it was easy for him to find out who had voted for whom.

Unsurprisingly, he wasn't a popular man in town. Also because he leased former crown lands that almost encircled Newark, making development and expansion of the town was impossible without his approval. And he was a reactionary Tory who opposed change of pretty much any kind. His son, who was M.P. for South Nottingham, had very different political views which buggered up their relationship a treat.

It was the great-grandson of the 4th Duke, Henry Pelham Archibald Douglas Pelham-Clinton the 7th Duke of Newcastle, who sold off all the property detailed below:


"Important Sale of Licensed Property.—On Tuesday afternoon, Messrs. Farebrother, Ellis, Clark, and Co., the noted London auctioneers, offered for sale by auction, at the Town Hall, Newark, several lots of valuable freehold property belonging to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle. The  catalogue of sale comprised the Trent Brewery, the three principal hotels, seven fully licensed inns, a beerhouse, several shops, the whole occupying good positions. There was a very large attendance, the hall being quite full. Sir J. W. Ellis, who was auctioneer, said the present Duke had determined, on the advice of his solicitors and others, to offer to the people of Newark a certain portion of his property, which he thought would be better in their hands than in his. He (the auctioneer) did not know but what the present sale might be the precursor of others. Lot 1 comprised the Trent Brewery, covering area of 1a. 0r. 15p., situate in Mill-gate, of 70 barrel capacity, with a frontage of 170 feet to the River Trent Navigation. It is let on lease to Messrs. Richardson, Earp, and Slater for 30 years from 6th April, 1862, at £125 per annum; also three cottages adjoining, let for yearly rents amounting to £14 2s. This lot was started at £3,000, and when £5,000 had been reached, it was withdrawn. Lot 2 comprised the Clinton Arms Hotel, with stabling for about 50 horses, situate in the Market place, and let to Mr. Albert Jollands on a yearly tenancy at the rent of £176; also a private residence in the Clinton Arms yard, let to Mr. William Talbot, at £10 10s. per annum. The biddings started at £3,000, and the lot was eventually purchased by Mr. Jollands, the tenant, at £5,500. The next lot consisted of a house and shop. No. 37, Marketplace, occupied by Mr. Charles Smith, gunsmith, at the rent of £40 per annum; also a portion of the adjoining shop, occupied by Mrs. Agnes Swift, extending under the premises occupied by Mr. Smith, the apportioned rent in respect of such shop being £12. The bidding started at £1,000, and after a brisk competition it was purchased by Mr. Jollands for £2,200. Lot 5 consisted of the Saracen's Head Hotel, with stabling for 40 horses, situate in the Market-place. The hotel is let to Messrs. Richardson, Earp, and Slater, yearly tenants, at £95 per annum, and the yard and stabling to Mr. William Slater, at £38 per annum. Also the house adjoining and the remainder of the shop occupied by
Mrs. Agnes Swift, the apportioned rent of such last mentioned premises being £25 per annum. Also a house and shop in the Saracen's Head yard, in the occupation of Mr. Robert Chatterton, at the yearly rent of £14. The biddings started at £3,000, and Mr. Joseph Richardson became the purchaser at £3,500. Lot 9 consisted of the Ram Hotel, situate in Castlegate, and let to Messrs. Richardson, Earp, and Slater, at £80 per annum; and a small house adjoining occupied by John Geary, at the rent of £8. The bidding started £1,500, and the lot was purchased by Mrs. Dinah White for £2,300. The Royal Oak Inn, situate in Stodman-street, and let to Mr. Hoe at the yearly rent of £70, was purchased by Mr. Joseph Richardson for £2,450. The Woolpack Inn, also situate in Stodman-street, and let to Mr. Edward Jackson at the yearly rent of £35 11s., was knocked down Mr. C. W. Haigh, solicitor, on behalf of Messrs. James Hole and Co., for £1,760. The Angel Inn, at the junction of Middle-gate and Boar-lane, let to Mrs. Ann Sheppard at £32 per annum, was purchased by Messrs. Warwick and Sons for £1,760. The Queen's Head Inn, situate in the Market-place, and let to Mrs. Mary Wright at £25 per annum, also a house and butcher's shop adjoining, let to Mr. J. B. Robinson at £20 per annum, was purchased by Mr. L. C. Bastow for £1,000. The Horse and Gears Inn, Portland-street, in the occupation of Mr. Seth Eason, at the annual rent of £28, was next offered. The bidding started at £800, and the lot was eventually knocked down to Mr. Eason, the present occupier, for £1,030. The Admiral Lord Nelson Inn, Baldertongate, let to Mr. Foster Watson, at the yearly rent of £26, was purchased by Mr. Josh. Richardson for £1,000. Lot 17, the Oddfellows' Arms beerhouse, situate in Castlegate, let to Mr. Wm. Curtis, at £19 10s. per annum, was purchased by Jas. Hole and Co. for £610. Lot 18 consisted a leasehold inn, known as the Royal Oak, situate in Castlegate and occupied by Dinah and George White, at £46 per annum. This property is held by the vendors on a lease from St Leonard's Charity Trustees, for the lives of which Lord Charles Pelham Clinton, now aged seventy-five, is the sole survivor. This lot was purchased by Mrs. White for £190. The total remit of the sale (including the brewery withdrawn £6,000) amounted to £90,190. On Wednesday afternoon, farther portion the estate of the Duke of Newcastle, situate at Newark, was offered for sale by auction. The total of the day's sale was £9,880."
Grantham Journal - Saturday 30 June 1888, page 6.

Here's a summary of the licensed premises the Duke sold:

the Trent Brewery withdrawn at £5,000
the Clinton Arms Hotel £5,500
the Saracen's Head Hotel £3,500
the Ram Hotel £2,300.
the Royal Oak Inn, Stodman Street £2,450.
the Woolpack Inn £1,760
the Angel Inn £1,000
the Horse and Gears Inn £1,030
the Admiral Lord Nelson Inn £1,000
the Oddfellows' Arms beerhouse £610
Royal Oak, Castlegate £190 

One brewery and ten pubs. Personally, that would be exactly the sort of property I would hang onto.

It's no surprise that Richardson and Hole bought most of the pubs. This was just when the rush to build up tied estates was beginning. I'd wondered why the Clinton and Ram were Home Ales pubs and not tied to one of the Newark breweries. Now I know why: because they were outbid at this auction. Odd, though, that presumably before this sale, as the Ram was leased to Richardson, Earp and Slater, it would have been selling their beers.

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