Not until Sarah Sharpe circa 1820 did the pub seem have a name. JR writes that it existed at least thirty-years prior to this as an unnamed beerhouse ran by Mr & Mrs Henry Johnson. Henry Johnson is listed as victular in 1795 Directory. Mrs Johnson licensee at the turn of the century. There is some confusing how the pub got its name, many suggest an Orange Tree stood in its grounds but more than likely named after the house of Orange and King William our King 1689-72 which is roughly when the property was built.
In December 1847, whilst still in the occupation of Mrs Sharpe, it was put up for auction, together with brewhouse and stabling for eighteen horses. A year later it was up for auction again, this time occupied by Thomas Beardow. Through the arch stood a blacksmith and the entrance to Harding Street, with a ‘hole in the wall’ pub, Freemans Arms.
The blacksmith’s forge stood here until circa 1972, when it was demolished.
Licensees who crossed the line included Wm Spencer c1835, In 1843 a Police constable was assaulted when trying to evict a group of ‘topers’. John Walker victular c1843-45. Robert Fletcher c1845-48, Henry Charlesworth 1848-52. J Hubbard 1855. John Ridgway for serving after hours on a Sunday in 1857. John Garner 1864.
1872 John Illston bought the Orange Tree In June 1877, John Illston was fined for selling watered down gin, but not content Illston was again charged in 1886 for selling weak whiskey. John and his son Jonathan also brewed here, other licensees here were William Martin 1896. 1897 the Orange Tree was sold to be bought by Holes of Newark.
George Martin 1906 replaced Wm Martin, Victor Smith Wightman 1907. Elizabeth Wightman 1916. Victor Smith Wightman 1919 (again we see quite a lot of this during !st War) William Bannister 1925 presumably the last landlord before closure c1929 when Warner Sheppard & Wade auctioned the property in March of that year advertising it as Ex Orange Tree public House.
