Circa 1860, William Foster was landlord. He was a Slater who ran a grocer’s shop in Baker Street, moving to William Street sometime pre 1860. There he ran his slater’s business, plus a beerhouse – naturally called the Slaters Arms. He was still in charge in 1863, but around that time handed over to William Maddock, who lived next door to the Slaters. Maddock was licensee when he was taken to court in 1883 (where it was divulged he had been licensee for the past twenty years).
The court case arose out of a woman calling in the afternoon for some brandy. Neither William Maddocks nor his wife were available, so one of their daughters gave the women some brandy as she claimed she was ill. The case was dismissed, magistrates agreeing it was morally the right thing for the girl to do. It was recorded that William Maddock had run the Slaters for the past twenty years without a stain on his licence which obviously helped his cause. Maddock was still there circa 1888.
William Clay, 1890 – moved to the Heanor Boat. Alfred Taylor, c1897
Another striking case was of Mary Taylor, landlady of the Slaters in 1899, (recorded as a widow) charged with keeping her house open at 1am. A PC observed a man knock at the door of the Slaters, let in and came out with a jug of ale. The PC then called Mrs Taylor to ask why she had just served a man with ale. Her reply was the man had called in at 9pm for a jug of ale, paid for it and told her he would call back later. This he did four hours later – and luckily the jug of ale was still waiting for him. A court case ensued where the argument rested on the PC’s word that the jug of ale had froth on the top, or Mary Taylor’s version that it hadn’t and was flat, as the ale had stood for four hours. The case was dismissed much to the embarrassment of the PC no doubt, as it was believed that the beer had been paid for in normal time so no infringement had been made. 1901 Joseph Willson landlord, 1902 Harvey Creese ? 1903 Edward Palmer, 1905 Ernest Lambert, In the 1906 directory, Thomas Clay was landlord. 1908 THomas Barratt 1909 Harry Gilbert.
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