Potters Bar - CAMRA Potteries

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A HISTORY OF THE CASTLE MONA Numerous public houses first operated as humble beerhouses, often run by enterprising individuals carrying on a secondary trade. This reduced the chances of insolvency. In 1862, James Hall, a cutler by profession, placed a notice in the local press that he had removed from High Street, Newcastle, and was now based at the Castle Mona, in London Road. The premises at this time were often given the address of London Road, presumably to more easily identify their location. The Castle Mona beerhouse was advertised as being up for sale by auction in September, 1863. The furniture at this time included a handsome 8-day clock in oak case, four-post and tent bedsteads, feather and flock beds, straw mattress and bedding, chimney and dressing glasses and other effects, a sign and name board, drinking screens and brass taps. Shop fixtures, stock-in-trade and the premises’ working plant – which included a small steam engine and boiler, an anvil, a vice and other tools -remind us that Mr. Hall was primarily a tradesman by profession. By November, Mr. Hall gave notice of his removal from the Castle Mona to premises at the top of High Street, next door to Mr. Franck, an optician. The Castle Mona was subsequently advertised in the press as a desirable business opportunity in December. The premises then contained a front shop with plate glass window, parlour, bar, and bar parlour, tap-room, scullery with iron pump and a plentiful supply of water, cellar, good yard, and cutler’s shop, ready for conversion into a butcher’s shop or a workshop for an artificer. There were also two good bedrooms, a clothes closet, and large club-room. It was noted that a good class of houses were in course of erection. The notice re-appeared in the press in March, 1864, the pub ultimately being taken on by William Audley. He had been listed in Kelly’s trade directory (1860) as an auctioneer, appraiser, house and estate agent, with offices at Pepper Street in Newcastle as well as at Stone and Hanley. William announced his arrival as Mr. Hall’s successor at the Castle Mona, advertising his “Firstclass ales, porter, and cider, cigars, tobacco, and good accommodation” in a local newspaper. Unfortunately, he fell foul of the sessions of the Borough petty sessions in 1865, pleading guilty to the charge of having his house open for the sale of beer during prohibited hours on a Sunday. He was duly fined. In September, 1868, it was announced that Mr. J. Pilsbury had been granted a license at the Castle Mona. John Pilsbury, born in Newcastle, was keeping the Castle Mona at the time of the 1871 census, when he was listed as a butcher and an innkeeper. John, “Castle Mona, & butcher” was listed in Kelly’s directory of 1872, but by August of that year, the household furniture, butcher’s utensils and stock-in-hand on the premises were up for sale, the press advertisement being pitched at “butchers, publicans and others.” By 1880, the beerhouse was occupied by the Meadon family and they are recorded as being in residence in the 1881 census. By the time of the 1891 census, Edward Starkey and his family kept the Castle Mona. He is listed, rather loftily, as a brewer’s manager, whilst a trade directory of 1892 describes him as a publican. Reminiscences about the pub’s 20 th century history, courtesy of George Goode, who was born in Victoria Street in 1916 and who became a regular at the pub, can be found in my book, Great Pubs Around Stoke-on-Trent (2001). by Mervyn Edwards Wish to become a member of the PPPG? Ring 07932 245644 and ask for Harold Harper, or visit http://www.pppg.supanet.com FORTHCOMING PPPG MEETINGS Wed 20 th June: Market Tavern, Percy Street, Hanley, ST1 1NA, 8pm Wed 18 th July: Foaming Quart, Frobisher Street, Norton Green, ST6 8PD, 8pm For more details, contact Harold Harper (as above) SUMMER 2012 POTTERS BAR 15
VIEW from the Bar Room Floor CAMRA recently published a list of what are supposed to be the very best books on our favourite subjects: Pubs and Beer. All the usual titles were included – you know the kind of thing : ‘Pubs where you can find Top Tottie behind the Bar’, ‘100 Beers to make you sick’ and so on. But missing from CAMRA’s list was the best and most entertaining book on pubs that I have ever read. It is called ‘Tales from the Country Pub’ and the author is Brian P Martin. It’s published by David & Charles and I thoroughly recommend it. It’s full of lovely stories, like this one (from the chapter on ‘The Fisherman’s Friend’) – “They used to sell the little queen she-crabs down on the beach for ‘alf a crown each. One day this visitor says to an ol’ fisherman : “I’ll have a couple but I ‘aven’t got any change at the moment, but I’m goin’ to the pub and I’ll leave the money there for you”, and off ‘e went with the crabs. Later on the ol’ fisherman comes in to the pub and asks: “Did anyone leave any money for me, Cyril?”. “No”, I says. “Not five bob?” ‘e asks again. “No, definitely not”, I says. So ‘e ays : “Well- bugger me – if I’da’ known ‘e weren’t goin’ t’pay I’d a’ charged ‘im ten bob!” The book has chapters on the oldest, smallest, most remote, most unspoilt, most filmed and highest (No, it’s not in Flash) pubs. You can also read about the oldest landlady, record-breaking regulars and the pub with no name. And there’s a pub that’s been looked after by the same family for hundreds of years. And there’s lots more : you can read about the landlord who threw a member of Led Zeppelin out for using bad language, a loony landlord (Monster Raving Loony Party, that is)…and there’s even a pub in the Potteries CAMRA area – the Barley Mow at Kirk Ireton (a lovely pub). (Not actually in the Potteries Branch Area, as it lies over the county border into Derbyshire. Mores the pity. Ed) Reading about these pubs makes you want to visit them – all of them! I had never heard of this book until several years ago, when I went into hospital for a serious operation and it was given to me by two of my children. It made me forget why I was there and instead to dream about visiting the pubs I was reading about. These are the Ten Commandments displayed on the bar wall of a pub in Ireland: 1. A customer is the most important person in any business. 2. A customer is not dependent on us – we are dependent on him. 3. A customer is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. 4. A customer does us a favour when he calls – we are not doing him a favour by serving him. 5. A customer is part of our business, not an outsider. 6. A customer is not a cold statistic. – he is a flesh and blood human being with feelings and emotions like our own. 7. A customer is not someone to argue or match wits with. 8. A customer is one who brings us his wants – it is our job to fill those wants. 9. A customer is deserving of the most courteous and attentive treatment we can give him. 10. A customer is the life blood of this and every other business JSB SUMMER 2012 POTTERS BAR 17
Page 1 and 2: POTTERS BAR NEWSLETTER OF THE POTTE
Page 3 and 4: Potteries CAMRA Branch Pub Of The M
Page 5 and 6: Potteries CAMRA Branch Pub Of The M
Page 7 and 8: Brewery News FLASH of Flash Still p
Page 9: POTTERIES PUB PRESERVATION GROUP PO
Page 13 and 14: POTTERS BAR! 101 in October 2001 aw
Page 15 and 16: Lorna Denny Raises her Glass to the
Page 17 and 18: A PUB WANDER AROUND A FINE CITY Fan
Page 19 and 20: 32 nd Stoke Beer Festival Glass Log
Page 21 and 22: Potteries Pubs of the Month March:
Page 23 and 24: 38 POTTERS BAR SPRING 2012

Potters Bar - CAMRA Potteries

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