Researched and Compiled by Richard Hayton

Originally published by the Local History Unit, Hull College, Park Street, Hull as Local History Resource Guide number 32
Copyright Richard Hayton, 1996.
ISBN 1 898398 23 2

When this was work in progress, the plan was to provide as many accurate histories as possible for the premises herein. Due to circumstances of health, this had to be curtailed, and the result was this, which is essentially, an index to what would have been a very large and comprehensive work. While some histories were eventually completed, their plethora of minutiae could prove tiresome, so, for the moment, I have restricted my self to this Index of Last Orders Please!

It will be necessary to those not familiar with Kingston upon Hull (Hull) with some sort of background to the Old Town and the development of licensed premises within its formerly walled confines.

INTRODUCTION

The Old Town is defined as that which was enclosed by the town's medieval walls (which were later changed to form the town docks), and the rivers Hull and Humber. Also included is that part reclaimed c 1809 using spoil from the excavation of the Humber Dock. This enabled the creation of Wellington Street, Nelson Street, Pier Street, and the southern extension of Queen Street. A street plan has been included to aid the location of streets within the old Town, and while it is not entirely to scale, it is as good as this very amateur cartographer can manage, my apologies for any minor discrepancies!

The time line covered by this guide is more than 500 years with the earliest entry being 1438 (further searches have got this back to 1380), and the last in the 1970's. Undoubtedly there were drinking establishments prior to that date, but records have failed to provide the necessary information. Similarly there exist several gaps in the 16^th - 17^th centuries, but only continued research would be able to expose them. All in all, there are more than 300 premises listed within, some lasted for only a few years or months, while others survived and thrived for several centuries. One frustrating aspect remains the discovery of the title of a house but no confirmed address; this makes things difficult because they may relate to premises already better listed.

The layout of this guide is by street names in alphabetical order, thence consecutively by numerical address where such address is known. In the cases of the latter not being known, or confirmed, such premises are included at the end of each street section. Many of the dates are derived from early trade directories, some of which cannot be said to be the most accurate of records, but they can and do provide an excellent framework. Other dates, those qualified by an independent source, are as accurate as such things can ever be, they come from many sources including local newspapers from the late 18^th century where HA is the Hull Advertiser, HP is the Hull Packet, HR is the Hull Rockingham, and YC is the York Courant. One invaluable source is the Hull City Records Office, shown as HCRO, personal papers and documents too have been quoted, as have relevant Freemason's records. It is hoped that each has been indicated within, and while it is necessary here only to include very basic information, much more has yet to be discovered or catalogued.

It is also necessary to provide a small glossary at the beginning (rather than the end, which is more usual) in order to explain the differences between establishments.

Hotel : A superior inn for the accommodation of those few travellers who could afford it, the title does not seem to have come into use (in Hull) prior to the 19^th century.

INN : An establishment for the accommodation, rest and refreshment of those horse borne travellers, stabling for the horses was a requirement. The earliest inns were those houses licensed to sell wine.

TAVERN : For the use originally of pedestrian travellers, and which had to provide some means of accommodation.

BEER-HOUSE : Literally, a house, licensed only for the retail of beer and cider, from the Beer-house Act of 1830.

ALE HOUSE : An often misused title, this kind of establishment was licensed to sell all manner of refreshments/intoxicants despite its seemingly specialised title.

TAP ROOM : Often found at the rear of grander premises such as hotels, they were used by working class locals, and were usually very small in size.

DRAM SHOP : Often small establishments used mainly for the consumption of spirituous liquors.

COFFEE HOUSE : An establishment primarily for the consumption of coffee, but licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. Mostly patronised by the middle classes and gentlemen farmers on market days, they provided rooms for clubs and societies.

PUBLIC HOUSE : A generic name applied to all but the highest class of house, in use from the early 19^th century. Usually abbreviated to the more prosaic appellation - pub.

LICENSED VICTUALLER : The correct title for the operator of licensed premises. The name LANDLORD is more accurately the owner of the property, while a licensed victualler was often a tenant or manager.

Included here is a link to another window that describes the development of licensed premises within the Old Town. It may interest those who like to read such details, and has been provided on a separate link so that those not so disposed need not have to.

The Development of 'Public Houses' within Hull's Old Town.

As with the Fortifications of Yorkshire within this place, this too has been sub-divided into alphabetical sections for the ease of loading.

This entire preamble might appear pretentious, but, for absolute accuracy, it really is necessary to define terms in order to better understand what is included. Many of the records are centuries old, and such pedantry helps to avoid confusion.