Photo above: Delivering beer in Church Gate. The Sun is on the right, just out of the picture. The draymen seem oblivious to the lad cadging a ride.
1880s map depicting the Sun- Butt Close Lane can be seen at the bottom-The Sun occupies a substantial position with large meeting room, a large yard where coach and cart makers with stabling for letting took place.
Mike Brown claims the Sun pub dates back to at least 1763 when it was kept by Ed Worrall. The Sun brewed its own ale and was owned by the Trustees of the Trinity Hospital.
We have records of a Mr Joseph Pegg keeping the Sun 1810-22. Into the 1820s-30s it was kept by Mr William Barnes, many inquests were held here including a distressing tale of the death of 5 year old Frances Branson who burnt to death when her clothes caught fire whilst her mother was out to work, she lingered for 24 hours before passing. Mr Barnes seemed to have a monopoly on inquests at the time. An Inquest with Juries meant good trade, inquests were usually held at a Public House close to the death or incident, it became obvious to other publicans who were nearer to any fatality that some favoritism was occurring, so much so that the local press reported a suggestion of ‘wheels within wheels’ regarding the Sun, Mr Barnes and the appointing of inquests and auctions.
1830 another distressing inquest on Mary Ann Fray who destroyed herself by taking arsenic, William Barnes, landlord saw Fray in the street holding her stomach, thinking she was drunk, soon after Barnes daughter came running to him saying Mary Ann Fray was dying on the corner of Butt Close Lane, witness lifted her up but she expired in his arms. Mary Ann Fray from Dublin had a history of offending, years previously she was in prison for breach of the peace when she caused a seen in John Fray the gunsmiths house, claiming they were married, John Fray married to another called the police. Later just prior to her demise she had been released from prison for running a disorderly house entertaining men, she was released on condition she left town, instead Mary Ann Fray took the arsenic, her postmortem the surgeon remarked she had taken enough arsenic to kill 100 people.
1836 John Weston 10 years old whilst working as a winder to a framework knitter in Church Gate, his pinafore caught fire as he had his back to the fire grate, soap suds were applied to extinguish the flames, the boy was taken to the dispensary but unfortunately died. Many many more distressing inquests were held here as well as auctions. 1833 William Barnes held an auction for 13 properties in Church Gate. The conservative association met here regularly for decades.
By 1839 John Stringer had become licensee, his widow Ann Stringer followed 1843.
c1844 Wm Ellis took the reigns, in 1848 he was fined for having 20 men drinking after time. Ellis was later found to be insolvent. below ad of Ellis selling his yard business
By 1855 Thomas & Catherine Allsopp had moved from the Cherry Tree in East Bond St to the Sun, Thomas would die 1865, widow Catherine married again the next year to Thomas Handford, Catherine became a widow for the second time in 1876 when Thomas Handford died. Catherine carried on running the Sun until 1885 when she too died, her son from her first marriage James Samuel Allsopp followed as licensee of the Sun, so the Allsopp family kept the Sun for around 40 years,
1887 James Brabson came into the Sun one Sept morning followed by his wife Elizabeth, an argument ensued when Brabson struck his wife with a spade causing a very bad wound and intensive bleeding she was taken to the Infirmary, he was constantly beating his wife, a couple of weeks prior he knocked three of her teeth out, they had been married 26 years with 3 children, his defense was that he beat her due to her drinking habits. At court James Brabson was sentenced to 3 months hard labour and ordered a separation order to be drawn up.
1895 Edwin H Wortley became landlord.
Frederick Ward 1901, Harry Gilbert licensee 1904, Thomas Ashley 1907, William King Feb 1912, John Edward Spencer Dec 1912.
By 1900, local brewer, Everards supplied the Sun, John E Spencer with wife Emma moved from the Vine Devonshire St after the Vine had closed under compensation act 1912. July 1915 John Spencer was charged by Elizabeth Walker of assault, the court heard that Elizabeth Walker was aggrieved at Spencer as her husband had been reduced to the ranks after Spencer reported Sergeant Walker to his regiment for bad behavior in the Sun Inn. Walker had remonstrated with the landlord who then she claimed struck her, the case was dismissed against Spencer due to conflicting evidence. Again in 1919 landlord Spencer was in court again charged with assault on Ed Filbey, Filbeys wife had fainted in the tap room and the landlord threw them both out. In court Filbey admitted that both he and his wife were a little drunk, also that he had tried to come to a Monterey arrangement with the landlord so as not to drop the charge, due to this evidence landlord Spencer again had the charge dismissed.
Dec 1917 The Sun was leased by the Trinity Hospital Trust with lease expiring Dec 1921
John E Spencer was sill at the Sun 1920.
The Sun closed 15th April 1927