Eagle Tavern or Spread Eagle Tavern

101 Church Street

This page is written not just for family connections but more to highlight some of the social and economic challenges faced by ancestors. The challenges of life were real and survival often a challenge.

Covering a 50-year period it has articles relating to the Eagle Tavern (Spread Eagle Tavern) and some of their clientele.

EDIT IN PROGRESS

The Whitby Gazette, 30 September 1892

The Eagle Tavern, - Supt. Allen said this house was situated at the upper part of Church Street, and there were several convictions against it and two endorsements on the license. There were too many licensed houses in the locality and from the Duke of York to the bridge a radius of 285 yards, there were twelve licensed houses. This house was closed in July last and was still unoccupied. – Cross examined by Mr. Barningham, witness said it was not a convenient house, and it was next door to a chapel. The conveniences were not good, - Mr Barningham then addressed the Court for the owner, Mr John Weighill, and said the Magistrates had to exercise a judicial discretion. Perhaps there were too many public houses in every neighbourhood, but if it was expedient or necessary that nay should be done away with, why could not the owners of licensed premises put their heads together and arrange among themselves which house should be discontinued as a public house. He thought that to discontinue a license on the ground assigned in the case was to deprive a man of his income in a way that was never contemplated by the legislature. He asked the Court to give the owner of this property a chance and not to confiscate the license on the ground alleged. The owner had got a good tenant who would conduct the house creditably and respectably. There must be many people coming into Whitby who would rather go to a second-class house. – The Chairman; We consider there are too many of these second-class places. – Mr. Barningham; But I hope you will give it a chance, and not make an onslaught on this class of houses. He then called James Harker, landlord of the Hare and Hounds, Hawsker, who said he intended to take the Eagle Tavern if it was open for him to do so.

The Whitby Gazette, 2 September 1892

CONCERTS AND DANCING AT PUBLIC HOUSES.

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The Whitby Gazette, 2 September 1892

TO LET, the EAGLE TAVERN, CHURCH STREET, with immediate possession – Apply, Weighill and Raine.

The Whitby Gazette, 29 August 1890

Whitby Police Court

Thomas Dixon was charged with a similar offence on the same day…..

etb

The Whitby Gazette, 2 September 1887

TO LET, the EAGLE TAVERN, fully licensed – Apply, to John Weighill and Sons, Whitby

The Whitby Gazette, 9 October 1886

Drunk…..

etc

The Whitby Gazette, 22 May 1886

TO LET, the EAGLE TAVERN, in CHURCH STREET; immediate possession– Apply, to John Weighill and Sons, Whitby

The Whitby Gazette, 12 June 1886

TO LET, the EAGLE TAVERN, in CHURCH STREET; immediate possession– Apply, to John Weighill and Sons, Whitby

The Whitby Gazette, 15 May 1886

Re John MINNS IN BANKRUPTCY. “EAGLE TAVERN”, CHURCH STREET AND FISH PIER & NEW WAY GHAUT, WHITBY

The Northern Echo, Saturday May 8, 1886

May 18, 11 a.m., office of the Official Receiver, Middlesbrough, John Minns, the Eagle Tavern Whitby:

Adjudications. – John Minns, of the Eagle Tavern, Whitby

SHEFFIELD DAILY TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY 1881

HARD CASE UNDER THE LICENSING ACT

Yesterday before the Whitby magistrates a peculiarly hard case under the licensing act was heard. A man named Robert Matthews master of a vessel which stranded on a sand bank the other day was charged with being on licensed premises during improper hours. Defendant was seen by a constable to enter a public house and leave with a bottle which proved to contain beer. He was accosted by the police and readily acknowledged what he had done. At the Court the defendant explained his ship had gone ashore and that he had a number of men working at her all the night with a view to getting her off. In the morning they asked for refreshment as they were exhausted. He could not supply them with any as the seas had quenched his fires, whilst the meat and bread were saturated with salt water. Being assured the police would not interfere he went to the Eagle Tavern and procured seven pints of beer. The landlord of the house, Thomas Hawksfield, was charged with supplying the beer during prohibited hours. One of the magistrates of the bench (Mr. Richardson) remarked the landlord had evidently supplied the beer in the cause of humanity and not for profit. The Bench taking the circumstances into account ordered only the expenses to be paid.