Situated on the north west side, owned by brewers Dorman Pope & Co. of Wellingbough Road, Northampton. The licence was given up for a new licence granted to Henry Cartwright of 2 Melrose Street on the 11th February of 1904.
In December 1882, licence was transferred from Alf Chatwin to Joseph Peabody.
During Peabody’s time an incident at the Freeschool Tavern gave rise to the following headline:
Fatal Quarrel over a Penny-man charged with manslaughter.
In 1884, Arthur Cockerill, twenty-seven, was drinking in the Freeschool with three others, when an argument arose over a penny wager that a man named Chapman refused to honour. The four of them decided to settle the quarrel outside. Chapman first knocked the other two men down before Cockerill stepped in to assist his mates, Chapman then knocked Cockerill down, falling on top of him, resulting in a broken leg for Arthur Cockerill. Arthur was helped to hospital, but died quite soon after, his death was given as ‘Delirium tremens’ due to his broken leg.
Chapman was charged with manslaughter, his defence being that Arthur’s alcohol intake contributed to his death. The magistrates agreed: Chapman was found not guilty and released.
The following January, Joe Peabody left the Freeschool with James Quincey taking over, Quincey lasted less than six months, was followed by Samuel Kettle.