A report from April 1832 mentioned a man named Whitwell fined 40/- for having his Wharf Street house open after 10pm. No name of the beerhouse was given.
In March 1836, policeman no. 37 was walking down Wharf Street, near Denman Street, when he was stopped by Mrs Whitwell, landlady of the Fox and Grapes. She asked the policeman to come to a disturbance in the Fox and Grapes, as a man named Solomon Thompson had a loaded pistol, threatening to shoot customers including landlord Samuel Whitwell. The policeman took Thompson outside and proceeded into Wharf Street. Thompson became aggressive so was handcuffed. At the Station House the pistol was found to be loaded with powder and ball with the percussion cap on the nipple. Solomon’s wife was called and was asked if her husband was desperately wicked or mad as he had never heard of worse conduct in his life. Solomon’s wife replied he was sufficiently drunk to have committed any offence.
Solomon Thompson was told to keep the peace for two months and find sureties of £10 himself and two others of £5 each
It seems that the Fox and Grapes was in Wharf Street, near Denman Street, or perhaps in Denman Street itself. There can be confusion as another Fox and Grapes stood in Belgrave Gate a short distance away.
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