Brooke's Arms

Name: Brooke's Arms

Address: Eaves Lane, Chorley, Lancashire

The Brooke's Arms was situated on the corner of Brooke Street and Eaves Lane in Chorley and was known as "The White House" for many years.  It first appeared on records as an Inn in 1844 although the building was once called Crosse Hall Mill Farm, which appears in lease documents as far back as 1788 and was part of the Crosse Hall Estate, established by Richard Crosse in the early 15th century so the exact age of the White house is not known.

The landlords recorded were Thomas Brindle (1841), Henry Kellett (1846), John Banks (1851), John Rutter (1861), Richard Parker (1861), Edward Banks (1865), Andrew Myerscough (1871-74), James Wilding (1879-), Edward Fishwick (1901), Robert Cottam (1911-) and William Henry Haworth (1936).

1841 Census Thomas Brindle

Henry Kellett  is shown below living on Eaves Lane in 1841 recorded as a farmer at the Crosse Hall farm.  The marriage announcement below confirms he was the landlord at the Brooke's Arms Inn by the mid-1840's.  The previous landlord Thomas Brindle had moved further down Eaves Lane to the Derby Arms by this time.

1841 Census Henry Kellett

Preston Chronicle 09 May 1846

1851 Census

1861 Census

1871 Census

Blackburn Standard 13 May 1876

1881 Census

Marriage: 30 Jul 1888 St George, Chorley, Lancashire, England

George Haworth Wilding - 30 Publican Bachelor of Brooke Street

Margaret Alice Alker - 30 Spinster of Market Street

Groom's Father: James Wilding, Publican

Bride's Father: Nicholas Alker, Watch - Maker

Witness: William Henry Wilding; Mary Alker

Married by Banns by: John Stock Vicar

Register: Marriages 1883 - 1893, Page 124, Entry 247

Source: LDS Film 1526078

1891 Census

1901 Census

Lancashire Evening Post 23 Oct 1902

1911 Census

The Brooke Arms (left) and Prince of Wales (far centre)

1921 Census Robert Cottam

After many years lying empty and falling into disrepair the building was finally demolished in 2014. 

Demolition in Progress 2014