AXE & SQUARE – OLD AXE & SQUARE, 20 SANVEY GATE

1818 Robert Cooke is listed as victular. There are references to the Axe & Square during the 1820-40s, run by Mr and Mrs Cook.  Jane Cook was victualler until 1845.  Even during the 1830s, the beer house was sometimes known as the Old Axe & Square, giving the impression that it had been around some time.  Little evidence of pre 1820, but there was an Axe & Pattern, circa 1747. 1838 A case of insolvency against Robert Sleath Harold Moor who was residing at Mrs Cooks Axe & Square, worth reporting for the array of jobs, as he gave his occupation of ‘Baker, Flour seller, licensed retailer of beer cyder & porter, dealer in tobacco, general licensed hawker in sweetmeats and hosiery’ now out of business and employment’ his wife Sarah was a milliner dress and straw bonnet maker’ after all those occupations still found himself insolvent 1831 The Axe & Square was for sale in the occupation of Robert Cooke

Bottom of Sanvey Gate c1830 from ‘Fanny Palmer Lithograph’ St Margaret’s Church in background.

Jane Cook transferred her licence, aged sixty-four, to John Foster in 1845, although he had been turned down by the court the previous year as he had kept his previous beer house, the Victoria, in a bad manner.

After John Foster, James and Elizabeth Taylor held the licence.  Two men were apprehended in the pub in March 1847, after they had broke into Cock & Co, All Saints Brewery, stealing money and wine.  The police traced footprints to one William Richardson who, with his friend Robert Burton, called at the Axe & Square for some ale and gin.  When arrested in the pub Richardson’s jacket stunk of alcohol, having broken a bottle of sherry in his pocket.  Thomas Cock was called and identified money he had paid to the pub as his. Richardson was remanded to the Assizes.

Many misdemeanours occurred over the years.  On one occasion, William Robinson was fined in April 1850 for being drunk and disorderly, assaulting Superintendent Laundon.  Robinson claimed he was neither drunk nor sober, to which the town clerk replied you must have been in a ‘happy state of betweenity.’

Oct 1853 James Taylor fined £1 for being open on a Sunday morning, what caught my notice was in the same court Wm Brown was fined 5/- for emptying a privy at improper times.

Oct 1855 James Taylor victular transferred his licence to Robert Peberdy

George Williamson, victualler in 1861 was found guilty of selling beer in prohibited hours.  A witness said he had sent his child to get some beer as he was having trouble with a bowel complaint.  He had been recommended to mix it with ginger and claimed – much to the amusement of the court – that he had tried whiskey but to no avail. George Williamson had only come to his aid by selling the child a jug of ale to relieve his discomfort.  George was fined 10/- or 7 days.

By 1870 W H Beaumont had become licensee, in 1971 the pub was up for auction”All that Old Licensed public House known as The Old Axe & Square, with large yard, covered skittle Alley & convenient out offices, extensive frontage, in Sanvey Gate in the occupation of W H Beaumont, apply to the tenant” (thanks to Angela Anderson for info)

W H Beaumont would hold licensed victulars meetings here. In one court case Ann Dakin was given 18 months hard labour for stealing a coat belonging to Mr Beaumont, she had pawned the coat at Palfreymans Pawn shop in Belgrave Gate.

Hunt was in the Old Axe & Square one lunchtime in July 1893, when the police called in to find Hunt fast asleep, his beer beside him.  Awoken from his slumbers, Hunt fell off his chair and was unable to stand. William Humber Beaumont, the landlord at the time, (who the defense claimed he had held the licence for 23 years) was charged with serving a drunk. Beaumont was fined 10/- and Hunt 5/-. Wm Humber Beaumont passed on the licence to his son Wm J Beaumont, Nov 1894 the Axe & Square was again up for sale complete with ‘Free brewhouse’ Fixtures and fittings, it was sold for £2020.00, by c1895 the licence was held by Richard Jepson and c1902 Henry Cook

Edward Brown licensee in 1904 followed by Wm Gamble 1908, James Rayner 1910.

The pub had been known mainly as the Old Axe & Square pretty much since the 1860s, and brewed its own ale until Beeston Brewery took over circa 1895. The renewal of the licence was  refused 1911. The pub finally closed on the 11th of July 1912, with compensation of £1224 paid to the brewery and £148 to James Rayner the tenant.

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