The Lifeboat had only a short-lived existence, with records only going back to the late 1860s. In this picture it is shown as Greasley’s Bakers the Fox can be seen on the top left corner. 1868 records Charles Pickford as licensee, followed by Samuel Taylor 1871.
In December 1868, Mrs. Pickford, the landlady, ran into the street, shouting for help as ‘there’s a murder being done’ James Startin who was passing by ran up the pub yard to see John Sands kicking a women who was lying in the gutter. James Startin intervened by helping the women up, at which point Sands took a running kick at him. Startin tried to restrain Sands but Sands ran off, the women was found to be Sands’ wife. She turned up in court still extensively bruised. She claimed he had also tried to strangle her. For this assault Sands was find £2.2 shillings.
In September 1872, William and June Gough were running the Lifeboat, when at the Brewster Sessions they had their licence revoked due to many licensing irregularities. Complaints by the neighbours told of fights, swearing and boys using the pub. On one occasion June Gough, was so inebriated she had to be held up by two men, whilst she entered the pub.
The magistrates’ decided the Gough’s were unfit to hold a licence.
My relatives, the Dilkes lived next door at 126 according to the 1861 census. Funnily enough, they’d moved up the road to 89 by 1871, no doubt due to the attempted murder and all the other dodgy things happening there.