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The White Bear Pub, High Street, Sheffield


RichardB

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White Bear

10 High Street

Open 1780 Closed 1900 Span 120

Comments now Church Street; 1787 Directory

Earlier

1822 Charles Grimes

1825 George Moore

1828 George Moor

Tuesday 22nd October 1833 G. Moore, Sheffield, victualler Insolvent

1834 William Frost

1837 John Roberts (21 High Street)

1845 Edward Binney

1846 Edward Binney

1849 L Binney

1862 Lydia Binney

1871 Joseph Cooper

1881 Mrs Elizabeth Cooper

1893 Mrs Martha Ward Burgess

1901 Mrs Emma Wilson

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Screenshot 2020-05-18 at 12.33.33.jpg
 

Photo showing The White Bear pub on the junction of High Street and Fargate

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Plan of High Street, Sheffield (references to Hugh Parkers' tenements (the White Bear Yard), and the adjoining property of William Bland, [1795])

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04139&pos=131&action=zoom&id=103939

Marked: High Street, The White Bear Inn, John Stansfield’s freehold, the property (in 1795) of Hugh Parker, John Siddall, stable, [land / property] sold by Thomas Foster to Thomas Cooper, George Wood’s land, trustees of the Methodists meeting house, Cornelius Eddowe’s freehold, ancient well common to the premises and to J. Stansfield, house, etc held of the Twelve Capital Burgesses, [-] Cutler’s tenements.

 

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Church Street and Fargate, Parish Church Gates and Pawson and Brailsford (before Parade Chambers), left, William Foster and Son, tailors and White Bear Inn, right. 1865.

s17226.jpg.9ad0e41cdf2e9fd26028e039c4992050.jpgs17226

Information with the photograph. 

"An early photograph taken in 1865 of High Street, and is a remarkable example of early photography, deserving considerable study. The gates to the left of the photograph belonged to what was then the Parish Church, but is now the Cathedral. There are no tram lines and the street is considerably narrower than it is at present. Projecting from the end building on the right-hand side are two curious objects that we take to have been designed for illumination. Road repairs are apparently in progress, and the gentler, slower pace of life is manifest."

 

High Street, No. 8 White Bear public house and Nos. 10 - 14 William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors. s17247.jpg.e69de210f39367c98aa3d877d3ce2031.jpgs17247

 

Artists Impression of The White Bear Inn, No.8 High Street. 

y13206.jpg.ee80d2fd57e1fa3aa839184933f246f4.jpgy13206

James Hayton Stainton (Artist)

Image from Past Chapters in Sheffield History by James Hayton Stainton (1918) p.10 (Sheffield Local Studies Library: 972.74 SQ)

 

High Street from 'Coles Corner', before road widening, including No. 6 William Lewis, tobacconist, No. 8 White Bear public house, Nos. 10 - 14 William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors.1886. 

Photographer: F Mottershaw. s00285.jpg.9d5b94df6c6a6af71791c511c574f2e8.jpgs00285

High Street prior to the street-widening of 1896, No. 2, Thatched House Tavern and restaurant, No. 4 J. Preston, chemist, No. 6 William Lewis, tobacconist, No. 8 White Bear Inn, Nos. 10-14 William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors. s13694.jpg.e028b820dadd78d1cd3adc4f45c4d751.jpgs13694

White Bear Public House, Nos. 10-14 William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors, premises on left include No. 3 London and Yorkshire Bank. 1887.s17285.jpg.2bbe037e292590831962940f07e625e8.jpgs17285

High Street from 'Coles Corner', premises on right, include No 8, White Bear public house, Nos.10-14 William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors, Nos. 16-18 Charles Tinker, boot manufacturer. 1893.s17289.jpg.0ca7b8dd0563958d2a3aec496c4e0620.jpgs17289

Botanical Gardens horse drawn bus on High Street, premises include No.4. J. Preston, chemist, No.6. William Lewis, tobacconist and No.8. White Bear public house. 1895.u02671.jpg.deed095a31b699b46de2960f86dda84b.jpgu02671

Photographer: W.H. Babington

 

High Street prior to street-widening of 1896, No.4. J. Preston, chemist, No.6. William Lewis, tobacconist, No.8. White Bear Inn, Nos.10-14. William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors. 

w00130.jpg.77f7b6bdc9c03f95e924ae99319e60d2.jpgw00130

High Street, premises on right, include No.4. J. Preston, chemist, No.6. W. Lewis, tobacconist, No.8 White Bear public house, Nos.10-14. William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors, premises on left include No.1, Pawson and Brailsford, Parade Chambers. 1896.s17284.jpg.4f2231355c0f3872ad765c7ad1832712.jpgs17284

High Street from Fargate, prior to street-widening of 1896, premises on right, No. 4. J. Preston, chemist, No.6. William Lewis, tobacconist, No.8. White Bear Inn, premises in background include Nos.9-11. Sheffield Goldsmiths' Co and Castle Chambers. w00392.jpg.ee4871e7418370cf67bdb3e4e7f183e2.jpgw00392

High Street, premises on right, include No.4. J. Preston, chemist, No.6. W. Lewis, tobacconist, No.8. White Bear public house, Nos.10-14. William Foster and Son Ltd., tailors. Premises on left include No.1 Pawson and Brailsford, Parade Chambers. u02672.jpg.7147ee4e87e95921addacfa3ff15e235.jpgu02672

 

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Plan of High Street, Sheffield [1788]

Endorsed, "Late Ann Waterhouse", with a plan of the lots laid out in George Street, late Waterhouse Croft, and taken by Dawson, Thomas Sambourne, Bailey and the Coffee House.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04141&pos=15&action=zoom&id=103941

Marked: Norfolk Street (far left); High Street (far right); [land / property] sold to Dawson; Thomas Lambourne's lot; The Coffee House; White Bear Yard or Alley; William Bingley's freehold; the original purchases of George Woodhead; Joseph Henson; Godfrey Machon's freehold; Thomas Penlington's freehold; Robert and Richard Barley. 

 

 

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White Bear Yard. 

A quote from Archives and Local Studies Study Leaflet. "Street Names of Central Sheffield." 

"A lane will admit some traffic; an alley has front doors in it; a jennel runs between the side walls of buildings; but a yard is a weird and wonderful thing. lt begins as the yard of an inn - the middle part of the White Bear Yard still exists as a jennel behind the Victoria Hall"

Can we find more information about White Bear Inn and White Bear Yard and Walk?

 

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Artists Impression of Old White Bear Walk, City Centre. Bottom side of Wesleyan Chapel and back of George Street Bank by J M Stainton, Artist. 1892

.y01472.jpg.b4508c5e542cdb867dd3aec7bf9ec33a.jpg

y01472

 

Norfolk Street Wesleyan Chapel, Chapel Walk, left. White Bear Walk, right. 

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s04943&pos=20&action=zoom&id=8423

 

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The building between Aldine Court and Cavell's, looks to me like an old pub looking at the decorative upper windows with an initial in the decorative work.

Blackamoors Head also known as the Grey Horse.jpg

upper window  25 - 27 High Street Former Public House the Grey Horse opened 1675 closed 1917 formerly named the Blackamoors Head.jpg

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In October 1788, the landlord, David Jones, advertised that unless the person who had left five hundredweight of spring split steel on his premises a year ago removed it, then a public sale would be made of it. In January the steel was auctioned off by Mr Joseph Gales. Following Jones' death on 26th July 1791, the remaining five years of the lease on the premises were sold at auction (June 1792). The lease was held by Mr. John Parker of Woodthorpe. The purchaser would be expected to agree a contract to purchase the goods, furniture, brewing vessels and effects at a fair valuation.

Samuel Carr was the next landlord after Jones.

George Moore was landlord in 1825. In August 1829 some of the Third Light Dragoons were billeted in Mr Moore's stables at the White Bear. A private, Peter Frost, prosecuted Mr. Moore for assault but it was dismissed as the soldier was found to have been drunk and insolent.  Moore left in 1833 and so the lease of the pub was up for sale again in November 1833. The freehold appears to have been held by William Gray, brewer, of Coulston street corner with Spring street.

In May 1836 John Roberts took over the Bear, "due to circumstances" he had to move from his previous pub, the Sportsmans Group on Fargate, where he and his family had spent the previous twenty years. However within five months the pub had changed hands again. Incoming William Wheelhouse made some improvements to the structure, meaning that he could accommodate large groups, so now promoted the premises as the "White Bear Inn and General Club House". In October 1839 the house was up for rent again. The advert stated that an excellent brewhouse was adjoining, it had a plentiful water supply, good cellars and on 24th December would be free of any brewery ties. The incumbent landlord took out an advert in December stating that he had no intention to leave, but in mid January 1840 Jacob Greaves announced that he had taken over, and Wheelhouse moved to the Green Dragon on Fargate. (Fourteen years later, Greaves was fined 20 shillings for assaulting W. Binney of the White Bear, as he thought attorney Binney's performance in Greaves's bankruptcy proceedings were not up to scratch.

Edward Binney, auctioneer, was advertising his address as being the White Bear in September 1840. By 1843 the freeholder was Mr Foster who ran the drapery shop next door. Foster took Binney to court regarding a drunken disturbance in the middle of the night. Mrs Binney stated that her husband was "connected" with a "bad woman" and wanted to turn his wife and children out of the pub. Binney was fined 5s for the drunkeness, but more seriously, his wife then laid further charges against him for breach of the peace.

 

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Thank you so much Edmund for the early history of The White Bear. Didn't expect such a full account. It shows what information there is in newspapers etc. for any one researching the history of buildings and family. Very often these snippets of information give a lead to the next avenue of research. 

 

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Edmunds post mentions the plentiful supply of water. 

"October 1839 the house was up for rent again. The advert stated that an excellent brewhouse was adjoining, it had a plentiful water supply, good cellars and on 24th December would be free of any brewery ties." 

The "Well" is marked on the plan of 1795.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc04139&pos=131&action=zoom&id=103939

 

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Information from Pat Dallman in her very well researched book, "The Story of Sheffield High Street from the 16th Century to Modern Times." 

An Advertisement in The Iris described White Bear Inn run in 1787 by David Jones as "an old established and well accustomed Inn" with stables and an adjacent yard called White Bear Walk. Three newly erected tennaments were in the occupation of Elizabeth Wagg, Joseph Schofield and Hannah Corbet. 

Pat then reveals a number of ancient dwellings surrounded the White Bear, one being occupied by Mary the widow of plumber William Rose. 

Street Directory 1787: 

David Jones, Inn keeper (see also Edmunds post); William Rose, plumber and Glazier. 

Directory 1797

Mary Rose, plumber and glazier. No. 21 High Street. 

Directory of 1828.

George Moore, victualler. White Bear Inn. 

It appears the 1851 Census reveals numerous families lived in White Bear Walk. 

In 1918 J H Stainton, "Past Chapters in Sheffield's History and Sketches." looking back at High Street of old describes White Bear Walk as "an extremely winding and narrow thoroughfare with alleyways which were used by criminals when they were being pursued by the police." Living conditions were also far from healthy. 

Sheffield History A-Z lists 1881, Elizabeth Cooper, White Bear. 

Pat records, 1891 the White Bear run by Eleanor Cooper born London.

Pat Dallman refers to a plan dated 1875 that has the layout of the White Bear... That's one to find..... 

 

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This may be the first ever advertorial (though somewhat baffling) from the Sheffield Iris of 29th November 1836:

RARE NEWS -- "My Eye" says Johnny Strawfold, yesterday at the fair, -- "O' nivver drunk sich ale i ole mi loife as John Robert's fourble X, and he geed us sich lots o' beef for nought, o'm ommost brussen!" -- "Where at?" asked the other. -- "Whoy, dussent ta know T'white Bear, at' top o't High-street?" -- "Aye sure! It's ole t'toke ole o'er't fane, and we'll sooin drink him dry, though he's been brewing day an' neet these two months, ready for Christmas!"

 

[ommost brussen = almost burst] [toke ole = shop selling dry bread?] [fane? = temple]

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Following up on Edmunds post:

"Moore left in 1833 and so the lease of the pub was up for sale again in November 1833. The freehold appears to have been held by William Gray, brewer, of Coulston street corner with Spring Street." 

Sheffield History... A-Z Breweries

Gray, William, Wine and Spirit Merchant and Brewer (XX). Coulston Street, corner of Spring Street; home Broom Hill White’s 1833. 

 

Possibly the property on the corner of Coulston Street and Spring Street of William Gray, brewer who was the freeholder of the White Bear:

Robinson and J. Gray, on the corner of Spring Croft and the road to Bridgehouses (Colson Street) 1783.

Short description of owners and properties, with yardage.

https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;arc03043&pos=64&action=zoom&id=96224

 

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5 minutes ago, Edmund said:

This may be the first ever advertorial (though somewhat baffling) from the Sheffield Iris of 29th November 1836:

RARE NEWS -- "My Eye" says Johnny Strawfold, yesterday at the fair, -- "O' nivver drunk sich ale i ole mi loife as John Robert's fourble X, and he geed us sich lots o' beef for nought, o'm ommost brussen!" -- "Where at?" asked the other. -- "Whoy, dussent ta know T'white Bear, at' top o't High-street?" -- "Aye sure! It's ole t'toke ole o'er't fane, and we'll sooin drink him dry, though he's been brewing day an' neet these two months, ready for Christmas!"

 

[ommost brussen = almost burst] [toke ole = shop selling dry bread?] [fane? = temple]

Fabulous Edmund, it's very entertaining this 'ere White Bear Inn, bet the customers were as well. 😂

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