Photo above: The Malt Shovel – 1895, with a coffee house opposite, next stands St. Margaret’s Church.
A licence was granted c1830’s. Brewing took place here until Everards bought the pub circa 1900. The Malt Shovel closed under the compensation scheme around start of second war.
1836 1000 ft oak boards were offered for sale in Mr Briggs Malt Office Yard at the sign of the Malt Shovel. The Malt Offices ran through to Pasture Lane.
Thomas Storer vict c1840-59 followed it seems by John Brown who put the Malt Shovel. brewhouse, stabling and malt Office up for sale. Jonathan Lockton followed by his widow ran the Malt Shovel for almost 20 years. Perhaps John Brown retained ownership as 1875 he was to auction off 56 & 36 gall barrels together with other effects as he was to embark on extensive alterations. this was a few months after one Thomas Gimson had smashed seven panes of glass and the window frames after being turfed out for beating Ed Linthwaite and Eds aunt in the bar.
Various members of the Griffin family Edwin, Arthur, Mary and Ernest were all listed as running the Malt Shovel during the following 20 years.
One inquest held here June 1886 told of Jon Wheatly a hairdresser from the Arcade who had only been married 11 weeks purchased some of ‘Merrywethers Vermin Killer’from the nearby chemist of that name, locked himself in his shop committed suicide by drinking the mixture of vermin killer.
Various other licensees taken from JRs list included Wm Gardener c1902, Wm Kirk c1908, Arthur Chambers c1924, George Weston c1932, Allan Tattershall c1938 and lastly Wm Pratt.
