NEW TOWN ARMS, 17 MILTON STREET

Off Bedford Street and crosses Dryden Street, off Belgrave Rd.  Latterly named Old Milton Street, so as not to confuse with another Milton Street. Recorded in 1839 with J. Harrison victualler. his wife Elizabeth would die aged only 34.

1840 John Shaw was licensee. 1843 Charles Bennett. 1847 William Brown or Bown. 1848 John Goffy.

March 1854 advert: 

‘TO BE LET A small old-licensed public house, good garden and skittle alley, known by the sign of New Town Arms Milton St, incoming £80 rent £19-10 shillings per annum.’

The pub was to gain a full licence n 1854 as opposed to is current beer house licence.

A couple of interesting court cases.  In November 1851, John Goffy, the landlord, was assaulted when Joseph Parker came in with some others.  After drinking some ale, they began to vomit and urinate on the barroom floor.  Goffy was forced to call for assistance from the police to help eject the men.  After they were forced out, a knock came at the door.   Goffy asked who it was: ‘Police’ came the reply, and on opening the door the landlord was immediately assaulted by Joseph Parker.  On appearing at court Parker was also charged with assaulting another man who he threatened to ‘stick him in Belgrave Gate and make a mile post of him.’ Parker was fined 17/6 or twenty four days in prison. William Beck would become licensee Jan 1853.

James Bell was licensee from Wm Beck 1853, after the pub had been up for auction in 1854. He wouldn’t be there to long as Daniel Bailey then in quick succession Jas Woodward and David Burley. Robert Bindley followed soon after.

In December 1858, the victualler, Robert Bindley, was charged by a PC for having his house open at quarter to five on a Sunday afternoon.  Bindley and witnesses said he didn’t open the pub until St Margaret’s Church struck 5 o’ clock.  The court took the view that the church clock took precedence over the PCs watch and dismissed the case. William Carter became licensee sometime in the 1864.

c1866 Samuel Clarke was to buy and run and brew at the New Town Arms. Caroline Clarke would take over 1879. William Hutchinson, William was to suffer from a Highway Robbery with violence on him on leaving the Rugby Horse fair, c1882. -Wm Clarke dealer of Nottingham and Edward Deakin a Sheffield drover were both charged together with George Lines Horse Couper who was also implicated, the three were charged with Highway Robbery and committed to trial.

1882. John Farr 1885 Wm Crossley who had his application to open his dance room earlier in the evening refused. Feb 1886. William Edward Kirby April 1886.Henry Lee 1887. Edward White 1891. Frederick Blockley 1894.

In 1867, the pub had previously been recorded as brewing its own ale.  Bought by Thomas Salts of Burton, subsequently Bass circa 1897.

James Burke landlord 1899. John Patterson 1902. William Hind 1903. James King 1904. Harry Rate or Rose 1910. Anthony Farndon 1919. (since deceased) Thomas William Hack 1922. James Frederick Willbond 1929. Bertie Foreman Lucas 1931. Albert Ernest Penny 1932.

 Bass offered to surrender the licence in March 1939 and remove it to the newly built Ivy Plant.  This was refused, as was a renewal of the New Town Arms licence later that year.  The licence was referred to compensation, which Bass surrendered in 1940.

Date unknown (photos above), but New Town Arms looks to be still occupied (curtains at windows), so may be prior that date, but  it looks as though the rest of this side is awaiting demolition.  The other photo shows the other side of Old Milton Street in 1964.

The photo above is from the Denis Callow collection shows opposite side (even numbers), of Old Milton Street to New Town Arms circa 1954.  Some of the houses seem to be still occupied, maybe the odd numbers side was demolished much earlier.

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