Originally the CAP & STOCKING -see separate entry. The Eclipse name generally attributed to the legendary race horse owned by Duke of Cumberland, claimed to be sold for 22.000 guineas in the late 1700’s.
This painting of Eclipse by George Stubbs, this thoroughbred horse was undefeated and name is still present in horse racing today with the Eclipse Stakes at Goodwood & Sandown among others.
(To confuse the origin of the name a total solar eclipse of occurred in 1860, the most important in the 19th cent, but not visible in UK) But the horse Eclipse is accepted by most historians as the origin of the pub Benjamin Shelton licensee of the demolished Cap & Stocking had his licence transferred to the newly built on the site Eclipse c1865, The Shelton family followed during the 1860’s, Benjamin Jnr, he was also listed as owner.
Thomas Wright c1879 he too was listed as owner, many landlords followed, Richard Poole 1885, Henry Thomas Porter 1888, Frederick James Lees 1889, (see below) George Bower ? (exor for a few weeks after Fred Lees death) June 1901, Nathaniel Mawby July 1901, Henry Earp 1902 (deceased) Arthur Fawcett 1906, John Davenport Robinson 1911, William Henry Wood 1920.
One Fred Lees (see above )champion cyclist (penny Farthing) became licensee of the Eclipse after a time at the Dolphin in 1889. Fred died at the Eclipse 1901, his wife had died sometime earlier. Fred apparently took her demise badly, his health suffering as a result he eventually passed in the April.
George Henry Dunnicliff licensee 1921. Joseph Bailey 1922, Joseph was violently assaulted by Donald Mackintosh after Mackintosh was going round drinking other peoples beer, he was sentenced to 14 days in prison. (Joseph Bailey deceased 28th Dec 1929) Lois Bailey 1930, in March Lois was assaulted by Elizabeth Sharman 38 when Lois caught her staling from the till, who was described by magistrates as a ‘pest to the city’ as she picked up men in pubs and robbed them when drunk. Sharman was sentenced to 6 months prison. John Ironside also 1930.
Horace Gregory c 1938, Albert Lewin 1946 Lewin was found on 5 cases of watering down the beer as much as 12% Albert claimed he was on holiday at the time , left his brother in charge who admitted that it was he that diluted the beer, never the less Albert was fined £5 on each charge plus costs. Robert Pollack c1949. Charles Haigh 1951, R H Thorne 1954, F G King 1955 Edward Clutterbuck 1956.
The pub was to gain a unsavory if not notorious name post second war. A scroll though the court records are littered with disturbances and fights in the Eclipse, too many to record here.
Rob Spur recalls when passing the pub one evening, during the 1970s a man being shoved through the front window,
Below a few random cases involving disturbances in the Eclipse.
The clientele, usually a hard bunch (women as well as men, the clock tower ladies selling their services used the Eclipse). This was a place for the stranger to mind his Ps and Qs. One of my first experiences in the Eclipse was as a teenager I walk in ordered a pint of mild, by the time I had paid for the drink a rough looking guy next to me had drank it. He growled and I left, discretion being the best part of valour, minus money and drink.
Barry Lount
Steve Scotney writes that he lived at the Eclipse c1953-58 with his, grandparents Charlie & Elsie Hague who were the licensees, before moving on to the Diamond Jubilee in Belgrave Gate, then to the British Arms Asylum St.
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