Cantineer Circa 1865. Built on part of the old Wharf St Cricket Ground which opened c1825, sold 1860 and built on 1862-53 (JR)
Francis Raynes seemed to be first landlord, transferring the licence to William Brown in 1869. The Cantineer was put up for sale in 1871 whilst William Brown was landlord. He passed on to Thomas Mason, who in turn passed it on to Henry ‘Harry’ Burrows in 1875.
Wharf Street Feud – “Might Against Right’.
Thomas Burrows arrested outside the Cantineer. The Green Man on opposite side of the road.
A feud between the Burrows family over the beerhouse lease erupted in 1881. Thomas and his father disputed the lease on the Wharf Street house, resulting in Thomas taking siege and defending the property by spraying cayenne pepper and aniline dye on anyone who tried to evict him.
Eventually five bailiffs arrested Thomas, not before he had felled one with a stick. The local weekly paper took up his cause, describing Thomas as a gentle, peaceable and religious well meaning man, who had been the victim of legal chicanery. They wrote that ‘the besieges wrecked his home but Mr Burrows stuck to his dismantled castle like a gallant gentleman.’
Headlined ‘Might against Right’, it described how Thomas was now languishing in jail, having defaulted on the subsequent fine imposed for his behaviour.
Henry Burrows was still listed as landlord of the Cantineer in 1906. Thomas Faulks now becoming landlord. The pub closed some time shortly after, as 1906 directory shows no reference to the Cantineer. (Chris Pyrah kindly pointed out that the Cantineer closed its doors under the compensation act in 1909)
Further research revealed that Compensation of £743 was paid to the brewers Cooper & Co Burton upon Trent and £130 to the tenant the pub closed its doors December 1909.
Flagon from Cooper & Co who owned/supplied the Cantineer
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