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EASTEND HOSTELRIES

Introduction by Mike Welton

SKEALS and the Gas Company Calendars

Every year, since 2010, Mercury Marketing have liaised between the local community and three companies who bring ashore and process natural gas at Easington (Perenco, Gassco, and Centrica) to produce a calendar, which is issued free to Easington and Kilnsea residents. As well as being decorative, the calendar provides information about what to do in the case of an incident or emergency.

SKEALS have provided themes and photographs for the calendars over the years. A variety of subjects have been covered - from local scenes, to World War I postcards, farming, and the weather.

The theme chosen by SKEALS for the 2019 calendar was Eastend Hostelries. The Eastend is locally defined as east of Patrington and south of Holmpton, encompassing Spurn, and the villages of Kilnsea, Easington, Skeffling, Weeton, and Welwick. The 2019 calendar shows images of 12 drinking places within the Eastend.

This Eastend Hostelries calendar has been the inspiration behind the articles shown here, on the SKEALS website, which include photographs used in the calendar, with additional photos of the public house at present day, and at various times during the history of their buildings. Some of the drinking places have closed down. Some no longer exist. We have, however, included the history of the various pubs, with a list of licensees (where possible).

We hope you enjoy!


Acknowledgements:

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their time, input, and for supplying photographs and permissions for information to be used on SKEALS website in the following articles on local public houses:

Andrea Clubley, Charles Cockerline, Lee Cousins (for website expertise), Jan Crowther, Bob Eldon, Pat Leckonby, Larry Malkin, Sarah Mounsey, Jain and Terri Robinson, Jeffrey Robinson, Sandra Shann, Mike Welton, Rowland Wheeler-Osman, The Treasure House, Beverley, and Kelly’s Directories.

A number of licensees are missing from our list, and research is ongoing. If you are able to fill in any of the blanks with the name of a landlord and/or dates they held the licence, it would be very much appreciated.

Please contact SKEALS


INTRODUCTORY HISTORY OF LICENSED PREMISES by Andrea Clubley

Ales have been provided in towns and villages in the UK for centuries, being brewed by local people for sale in their own homes by fermenting malt. In the 15th Century the Dutch introduced hops to this country and, by the late 17th Century, independent breweries had taken over the ale and beer-making process almost completely.

In 1729 the Brewster Sessions began and alehouse keepers had to apply to the Court to renew their licence annually. In 1830 the Beer House Act allowed householders to sell beer from their homes at a cost of two guineas per year, to try and curb the sale of spirits - especially gin which was very cheap and causing drunkenness amongst the poor. Anyone could apply to sell ale from their own houses, and it was so popular that, within eight years, there were over 46,000 alehouses across the UK.

In 1869 a law was brought out to regulate these premises so that they were controlled by a Magistrate, and many houses lost their licences. These licences were then offered to respectable people such as ex-military and ex-policemen.

Alehouses sold ale brewed on the premises. Taverns were usually larger, and built in towns and cities; they also sold wines and spirits. Inns were purpose-built and sold ale and wine, and also provided accommodation for the traveller and his horse.

In 1850 the railway did away with many small inns and the companies built larger Station Hotels to accommodate the new type of customer. The public house or inn was the social centre of the village as it provided drink and often basic food, as well as company, a chance of a game of darts or dominoes, and is uniquely British.

In 1914 the Defence of the Realm Act brought opening hours for licensed premises to 12 noon - 2.30pm, and then 6.30 - 9.30pm during the weekdays, and 10.30pm on a Sunday. Restrictions led to ‘Lock-ins’ especially in rural areas, landlords were warned of local police patrols by ‘jungle telegraph!’ (Telephone).

In 1967 the Road Safety Bill was introduced, and anyone found to have over 80mg of alcohol in 100cc of blood was prosecuted with either a fine, a driving ban of at least 6 months, or even prison sentence. The breathaliser was also introduced at this time. For public houses in rural areas this was a blow as it stopped many people driving to the pubs for a few drinks on a night out or even during the day.

In 1994 a law was passed to allow children under the age of 14 years to enter pubs, accompanied by an adult. This was part of a move to relax the licensing laws in public houses, in a run up to include all day opening on Sundays, and an hour’s extension to drinking time on a Friday and Saturday night.

By 2000 public houses were legally allowed to stay open from 11am to 11pm without closing. The Licensing Act 2003, which came into force in November 2005, allowed licensees to apply for a licence for their premises to open for up to 24 hours a day. Many pubs did not take up the full quota, but did apply to extend their closing time for a couple of hours at night.

In November 2005 the local council took over the responsibility for issuing licences. In July 2007 the Government introduced a 'No Smoking Ban' in public, confined places, which included all licensed premises. This had a detrimental effect on the livelihood of many landlords.

Several pubs a week are closing now through lack of trade. A combination of the no smoking ban, drinking and driving laws, the high price of beer and spirits, and also the availability of cheap beer and spirits from the supermarkets, is to blame.

Many pubs are now turning to serving food, offering accommodation and making their bars child and dog friendly, as a way of enticing customers into their premises. Some even have small shops in part of their premises, and even a small section as a book swap. Today, publicans have to be enterprising to keep ahead of the game.


18th CENTURY LICENSEES IN EASINGTON by Andrea Clubley

By the mid-18th century Easington had been issued with two or three licences, but by 1822 only one was recorded - that of the Marquis of Granby.

There are two public houses in Easington – The Granby and the White Horse Inn.

The Neptune and the Sun Inn - are now closed.

Below are the names of people who held licences in the village but served beer from their own homes:


There is a petition on behalf of a William Lambert (licensee) who has been accused of ‘keeping a disorderly house’ asking the magistrate to show leniency. It is signed by at least 14 people. They obviously did not want to lose their alehouse!

For the full history of Easington to Holmpton pubs, see the separate articles by clicking the pictures below:

Neptune Inn, Easington White Horse, Easington Sun Inn, Easington Marquis of Granby, Easington Sun Inn, Skeffling Coach and Horses, Welwick Wheatsheaf and Plough, Welwick George (and Dragon) Inn, Holmpton

SPURN ALEHOUSES OVERVIEW by Jan Crowther

Spurn Point is not now associated with the idea of public houses, but in the past it had several. In the long-lost medieval town of Ravenser Odd there were certainly alehouses, and many centuries after that was lost to the sea, the 18th- and 19th-century lighthouse-keepers supplied alcoholic refreshments to travellers and workmen. Beginning in the 1820s and continuing for almost a century the Lifeboat Inn provided drinks and food for the many visitors to Spurn, especially those who crossed the Humber to visit the peninsula on steamers and other pleasure boats from the Lincolnshire coast. Numerous postcards were sold on both banks of the Humber and so we are fortunate that many photographs of the Lifeboat Inn have survived. The pub continued during World War I, despite the presence of a military fort, but was closed in 1925, and Spurn never had licensed premises thereafter.

For the full history see the separate article, Spurn Pubs – A History.

Lifeboat Inn, Spurn

KILNSEA ALEHOUSES A SHORT INTRODUCTION by Jan Crowther

In the early years of the 19th century in the old village of Kilnsea (now all lost to the sea) there were at least two pubs – the Ship, later renamed the Blue Bell, and a beer house. Soon after the fields were enclosed by Parliamentary Act in 1840, at the crossroads a new pub was built. That was the new Blue Bell, built in 1843 a little away from the old village, and as we know from the plaque placed upon the new building, it was then 534 yards from the sea. It continued as a pub throughout the 19th century. When a military camp called Godwin Battery was built in World War One, with a railway which ran behind the pub, to Spurn Point Battery, the Blue Bell flourished. It was bought by Hull Brewery in 1925. Some soldiers remained at Godwin Battery during the inter-war period, and then during World War Two the Blue Bell found itself again with many more customers.

The Crown and Anchor was built a few years after the Blue Bell, on land facing the Humber. This was a prime site where a jetty had stood, and vessels still anchored near the Crown bringing it business. Kilnsea was being recreated from the 1860s further to the west of the old village, and so there was sufficient business for two pubs, especially during the two wars, which brought so many soldiers to the area. However, in the post-war period the run-down of military personnel meant that two licensed premises were struggling. In 1952 the Crown was sold to the Robinson family, and they extended the pub and made a good success of it for over 30 years. There was not such good news for the Blue Bell, and in 1957 Hull Brewery decided to sell the pub, which subsequently became a café and a shop, until it was bought by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in the early 1990s and converted to a Visitor Centre. It is now offices and accommodation for the Trust.

Kilnsea also had another drinking place for a time, in the 1970s and 1980s. This was the Blackmoor, a restaurant/drinking place which became very popular. After it was burnt down the Riverside Hotel was built nearby, but is no longer open.

For the full histories see the separate articles, The Blue Bell, Kilnsea – A History, The Crown and Anchor, Kilnsea – A History and Blackmoor, Kilnsea - A History.

Bluebell Inn, Kilnsea Crown and Anchor, Kilnsea Blackmoor, Kilnsea

KILNSEA PUBLIC HOUSES OVERVIEW & LICENSEES by Andrea Clubley

Between 1754 and 1822 a number of people were issued with licences to sell ale in their homes within the old village of Kilnsea. They were:


In the 1840's there were two alehouses in Kilnsea, the Ship (now re-named the Blue Bell), and a beer house run by Edward Tennison.

Of the old village of Kilnsea, only a few houses and hovels remained, situated on the cliff edge. In 1835 George Head visiting Kilnsea reported, 'the houses huddled together on a crumbling foundation, against which the waves continually beat.'

As a result of the enclosure of the open fields in 1843, land was released for building on the Humber side of the parish and, gradually, houses were built there. The Blue Bell was re-built, close to its present site at the crossroads, in 1847 (534 yards from the sea), and the Crown and Anchor was built on the Humber side about five years later.

There was obvious rivalry between the Blue Bell and the Crown and Anchor for trade. In 1913 Mrs Hodgson objected to the renewal of the licence of the Blue Bell, and asked for the question to be referred to the Quarter Sessions. She pointed out that, as there was an adult population of only 32, two public houses in the village was one too many! Much to her dissatisfaction, both licences were renewed.

During World War II, both public houses shared a welcome increase in trade from the military stationed at Kilnsea and Spurn. After the War, however, the military withdrew and customers were few.


THE BLUE BELL - LIST OF LICENSEES by Andrea Clubley

The Blue Bell was built of cobble and Victorian red brick, and apparently faced the old Kilnsea village but, in the late 19th century, it was enlarged, and its main facade was turned around to face the new village on the west. It was closed for a short time in 1913 and purchased by Hull Brewery Company in 1925.

In 1994 the Blue Bell was restored, and a plaque recorded that the pub was now 190 yards from the sea.


In 1957 the property was advertised for sale by the Hull Brewery as 'a dwelling formerly known as the Blue Bell public house plus stables and outbuildings.'

It was turned into a cafe by Edna Stanger with Mr and Mrs Billany, and has been run successfully by several people since then. The property is now owned by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, and was used as a cafe until 2018, when a new visitor centre was built further down the road towards Spurn, and the Blue Bell was closed.

Please see THE BLUE BELL - A History, under list of individual pubs for further information.

Bluebell Inn, Kilnsea

THE CROWN AND ANCHOR - LIST OF LICENSEES by Andrea Clubley

This alehouse was built in the early 1850's after the old village of Kilnsea had fallen into the sea. It is situated on the corner overlooking the Humber estuary, before turning eastwards towards the present village of Kilnsea, and has spectacular views over the Humber, especially in the evening. The inn consisted of three rooms and outside toilets. A dining room was added in 1955. It remained largely the same until 2000, when it was renovated throughout and had a summer room added, and the toilets re-positioned inside. Upstairs bedrooms were also given a complete re-fit. It is now a freehouse.


The Robinson family bought the business and remained there for 35 years. Ma Robinson celebrated being the oldest landlady in Yorkshire, being well into her nineties before she retired.


The Crown and Anchor was visited in 1858 by Walter White, who found 'the bread poor, the cheese poorer and the beer poorest but change is good for a man. The place itself has a special interest, tell so to speak, its own history - a history of desolation!'

The public house is now a favourite venue with holiday makers and birdwatchers, as well as locals - and there is definitely no poor bread, cheese or beer here!

The drink-drive laws have made a big difference to country pubs and the Crown has suffered more than most in this area, but has built a reputation for serving good meals, for which people are prepared to drive out for, after a day visiting Spurn Point and the vicinity.

It is hoped that the country pub continues to thrive, as the social heart of our villages.

Please see The Crown and Anchor - A History, article under list of individual pubs for further detailed information.

Crown and Anchor, Kilnsea

BLACKMOOR - LIST OF LICENSEES by Mike Welton

These premises were originally a farm called Blackmoor Farm, also known locally as Click'em or Clickham Farm, built in the middle of the 19th century. This farm overlooked the Humber and consisted of around 30 acres. It was owned by the Hodgson family. By 1881 most of the land had been sold and was down to nine acres.

Much later these premises were bought by George and Jenny Collinson (1965-1970) and were used as a smallholding and scrapyard.

Later still, a couple named Mel and Marion?, converted it into a restaurant/drinking place. This proved to be very successful - a popular and well-used stop for revellers!


In November 1990 a fire destroyed much of the property. A new building was erected on the same site in August 1991 and re-named 'Riverside'.

Please see Blackmoor, Kilnsea - A History, article for further details.

The Blackmoor, Kilnsea

DETAILED ARTICLES ON INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC HOUSES - CONTENTS:

Lifeboat Inn, Spurn

Spurn Pubs - A History by Jan Crowther
Bluebell Inn, Kilnsea

The Blue Bell, Kilnsea - A History by Jan Crowther
Crown and Anchor, Kilnsea

The Crown and Anchor, Kilnsea - A History by Jan Crowther
The Blackmoor, Kilnsea

The Blackmoor, Kilnsea - A History by Mike Welton
Neptune Inn, Easington

The Neptune Inn, Easington - A History and List of Licensees by Andrea Clubley
White Horse, Easington

The White Horse, Easington - A History and List of Licensees by Andrea Clubley
The Sun Inn, Easington

The Sun Inn, Easington - A History and List of Licensees by Mike Welton
Marquis of Granby, Easington

The Marquis of Granby, Easington - A History and List of Licensees by Andrea Clubley
The Sun Inn, Skeffling

The Sun Inn, Skeffling - A History and List of Licensees by Mike Welton
Coach and Horses, Welwick

The Coach and Horses, Welwick - A History and List of Licensees by Mike Welton
The Wheatsheaf and Plough, Welwick

The Wheatsheaf and Plough, Welwick - A History and List of Licensees by Mike Welton
The George (and Dragon) Inn, Holmpton

The George (and Dragon) Inn, Holmpton - A History and List of Licensees by Mike Welton