BAKERS ARMS, Bath Lane/Bath St.

Photo above shows the demolition of some properties corner Bath Lane c1890.

1829 Abraham Craythorne a baker of High St auctioned his F&F in High St and moved to the Bakers Arms in the Friars (is it possible that’s where the name derives from)

May 1830, the Bakers Arms, Bath Lane, The Friars in the occupation of Christopher Harding was put up for auction together with the four tenements and yard belonging and adjoining the Bakers Arms. we know however that Abraham Craythorne is still at the Bakers so Christopher Harding may be a lessee.

1837 Abraham Craythornes four year old son dies at the Bakers,

May 1838, the Bakers Arms is again mentioned in an auction of four adjoining tenements in Bath Lane.

October 1838 Samuel Barsby fined for opening during divine service, Samuel was fined £1 as over 20 people were in the house and garden at the time.

It seems that William Howgill moved from the Fortune of War c1839 to the Bakers Arms, address given as Bath St near The Friars, so must be one and the same as Bath Lane.

Many Inquests were held here, Oct 1840 the inquest on a poor women in a dreadful state heard that the women had to be lifted in a sheet by four neighbours out of bed daily until the neighbours refused to attend due to the putrid smell, the poor women was found with holes in her back where maggots had formed.

1841, William Howgill held the CO-OP Conservative meetings at the pub.

1846 directory gives William Howgill still as landlord. April of that year an accordion performance was held in the pub. but some report that John Pretty held the licence around the 1840,s

In the obituaries of 1846, it was noted that Jane wife of William Howgill, late of the Bakers Arms Bath Lane had died. Presuming William had left earlier that year.

‘Whilst researching I came across 1851 Joseph Headley as incumbent of the Bakers Arms  with his newly wed wife Mary Jane (Bennett) by 1861 Joseph had moved to Knighton St near the Infirmary where he had started a bakery business. (Alan Craxford)’

Robert Hazlewood was licensee 1847 in May the following year he transferred his licence to Joseph Headley,

Joseph Headley continued to entertain societies at the Bakers including the Bakers annual festival,  where he was reported as a ‘worthy’ host the LJ headed “a numerous & highly respectable party assembled at Mr Headleys Bakers to celebrate the town Bakers annual festival, the festivities went on late into the night, thanks were given to host Mr Headley for the entertainment”

Feb 1852 Joseph Headley left the Bakers transferring his licence to Joseph Callum

For further info on Joseph Headley see www.craxford-family.co.uk