Some history of the Anchor Inn at Aldridge in the County of Staffordshire

Staffordshire | Aldridge | Anchor Inn

I have not researched this public-house in any detail. However, I thought I would include a photograph, map and the names of a few licensees. Oh, and an old newspaper article. So, better than a blank page but a lot of work needed. In the meantime, there is a lot of information on Staffordshire dotted around the website - click here for a suitable starting place.

Advertisement

This photograph was taken around the late 1920s and shows the Anchor Inn with the livery of Atkinson's Brewery Ltd. The adjacent Swan Inn was also operated by the Aston-based company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

"At the Police Court on Tuesday, Walter Nicholls, landlord of the Anchor Inn, Aldridge, was charged with permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises, and also with selling intoxicating liquor to a drunken person. Mr. A. J. Glover prosecuted on behalf of the police, and Mr. H. H. Jackson defended. The case against the defendant was that at about 9.10pm on the 9th ult., Police-Constable Collins saw a man named Frank Daley, a bricklayer, of Aldridge, leave the house in a drunken condition. The officer cautioned him, and advised him to go home. Daley, however, returned to the house, where he was afterwards found by the police. In defence, it was urged that there was no evidence of supplying, and that there was nothing in the man's condition to indicate that he was drunk. A fine of 40s., and costs, amounting in all to £3.17s.6d., including solicitor's fee, was imposed on the charge of permitting drunkenness. The other charge was dismissed. The man Daley was fined 10s. and costs for being drunk on the premises."
"Licensing Prosecution at Rushall"
Licensed Trade News : January 4th 1902

"At Rushall, William Wallis of the Anchor Inn, Aldridge, was summoned for permitting drunkenness and for supplying a drunken person on the 28th ult. Mr. J. S. Sharpe prosecuted, and Mr. S. A. Newman defended. The case for the prosecution was that Police Constables Collins and Evans saw a trap in charge of a man named Plant driven up to defendant's house. With Plant was another man named James Hayes, who was very drunk, and had to be held in the trap because of the way in which he swayed about. Both men entered the public-house, and the police, on following them twenty minutes later, found Hayes, whose drunken condition was very apparent, leaning over the counter drinking a glass of rum, while the landlord stood opposite to him. Mr. Newman complained strongly of the way in which the police had acted, which he urged was un-English, as the constables knowingly allowed a man they considered to be drunk to enter licensed premises, and another officer tried to strengthen the case by endeavouring to get the landlord to incriminate himself. Evidence was given for the defence that Plant only was supplied, but that Hayes afterwards came in, and was given the rum by Plant. The Bench imposed a fine of £3 and £2.19s. costs on the charge of selling to a drunken persons."
"Aldridge Publican Summoned"
Licensed Trade News : May 24th 1902

"Death from natural causes" was the verdict at Rushall yesterday on Howard Victor Cartlidge, aged 67, a butcher, of the Anchor Inn, Aldridge. The widow, who is the licensee of the Anchor Inn at Aldridge, said that her husband had recently complained of pains in the stomach. On Monday a doctor was called, but he died about 3 a.m. on Tuesday. Other evidence showed that the cause of death was peritonitis caused by the perforation of a chronic ulcer."
"Aldridge Man's Death"
Birmingham Daily Gazette : October 19th 1934 Page 10

"One month's hard labour without the option was the penalty inflicted upon Ernest Evans [47], photographer, of 71, Lewis Street, Walsall, by the Rushall Magistrates on Monday, for exposing and offering for sale obscene postcards, in the Anchor Inn, Aldridge, on June 3rd. The defendant pleaded guilty."
"Aldridge Man's Death"
Walsall Advertiser : July 11th 1914 Page 7