pic St Leonards Church & Black Horse Abbey Gate (LRO)
The first listing of licensees was 1791 when Susannah Thorp was victualler followed by Geoffrey Boulton in 1794.
In a 1794 directory two Black Horses are listed in Abbey Gate.
Black Horse situated north of the Mission Hall, St Leonards Church.
1841 listed in the hands of John Thompson. 1854 John dies wife Maria takes over, Maria remarries within a couple of years, transfers the licence to her new husband Luke Brice in 1856.
4 June 1859, the landlord was prosecuted for selling ale during prohibited hours.
Thomas Hassall c 1853 is victular with wife Susannah before son-in-law Robert Christopher Gilling in 1872 with wife Jane (nee Hassall).
Gilling had a hard time trying to ru the Black Horse and his Pony & Trap business, he was charged in 1877 with failing to maintain his old and infirm mother, who was now chargeable to the Union, he claimed he had supported her for the past 3 years, but could no longer do so as business was so poor, he was ordered to pay 3/- per week towards maintenance. The following year Gilling filed for liquidation to the tune of £460.
1879 Wm Potter took over the Black Horse seemed to enjoy a renaissance ita gardens called the ‘Pleasure Gardens’ was used for Cricket matches and other tournaments. Wm gave his address as in 1881 census as Publican & Wheelwright 64 Abbey Gate/Mission Hall.
July 1888 The Old Black Horse was sold for£1325 for the proposed new built railway. The railway co Manchester Sheffield & Liverpool, eventually acquiring the land and properties.
1895 the renewal of the licence was objected to at the Brewster Sessions as the premises ‘were not used for the purpose for which they were intended’.
Welch Brothers Brewery owned the property so transferred the licence to a new build on Harrison Rd.
The property was demolished with the surrounding buildings The Railway co sold off the materials at auction the same year The Black Horse materials only fetching £63 and the stables £24.
(Thanks to John Barsby for info on his family)