Trouble at the Fox & Grapes, Kiddal Lane End
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Barwick Historic Court Cases
Trouble at the Fox & Grapes, Kiddal Lane End
Barwicker No.124
Summer 2017
0n Tuesday 3Ist Januarv 1905 at the Leeds West Riding Petty Session
Court, Charles Hill, the innkeeper at the Fox and Grapes, at Kiddal
Lane End, Barwick was charged with keeping his licensed premises
open during prohibited hours.
Police Sergeant Till told the court that as result of complaints, he
went to Kiddall Lane End on the 21st January at 9:50 pm. He remained
there until IO:20 pm and said "as there were no signs of the company in
the inn turning out. I went into the house", Inside he found five men
drinking out or pint mugs. He asked the landlord "what time do you
intend to close?" and was told tell o'clock, whereupon he drew his
attention to the time. The defendant said his clock was not at that time
and he had no idea it was so late. The Chairman or the Magistrates
then said "You are the landlord and ought to have some idea as to the
time!" He was fined 20 shillings.
Artthur Townend, labourer or Kiddal Lane End, Harrv Osborne,
labourer or Aberford, John and George Ridley, both labourers of Becca
Hall and Fred Gill, carpenter, of Becca Hall were charged with having
been found on the licensed premises during prohibited hours. They
also claimed not to know the time and were fined 10 shillings each
including costs.
Charles Hill was not a local, he was born in 1873 in South Milford and
brought up in that area and by 1901 he was the landlord at the Black
Bull Inn on Low Street in that town. He married Sarah Ann Cranswick
in 1899. In late 1901 or early 1902 he took on the license and rental of
the Fox and Grapes at Kiddal which, at the time, included the inn and a
farm. The property was owned by the Wilkinson family late owners of
Potterton Hall. The venture into the Fox and Grapes, appears to have
been a total disaster for him with the above court case being close to
the final straw.
Charles paid an incoming valuation of £410 for stock in the inn and on
the land, which he borrowed. His wife managed the inn during the day
whilst he worked on the farm and he ran it during the evening.
Trading at the inn was very bad. Much more drink was consumed than
was actually paid for and it was reported that there was not sufficient
care taken handling money with the wrong change given. In one
instance 9 shillings and 6 pence was given as change for a sixpence!
In early May 1905, just 3 months after his "opening during prohibited
hours" conviction, he left the inn with massive personal debts of
£2,000. On the 9th May 1905 the license of the Fox and Grapes was
taken over by John Albert Perkin who paid a valuation of £365.
Charles then moved into Becca Home Farm, Aberford, and
concentrated on farming only. He was quite successful and during the
next 3 years he managed to repay about £1,000 of his debts. By 1908
however either the pressure had become too much or one of his
creditors had called in their debt because on the 3rd April 1908 he was
called in front of the York Bankruptcy Court and declared bankrupt.
His gross liabilities amounted to £1,113. 18s. 4d. of which £I ,004. 8s.
4d. would require repaying and there was expected to be a deficiency
of £714. 9s. 10d.
The bankruptcy really moved him down the social ladder and he left
the area. By 1911 he was living in Low Ackworth near Pontefract with
Sarah Ann and working as a Cowman on a farm.
DAVID TEAL
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