Chipping - Tillotson's Arms

Name: The Tillotson's Arms

Address: Talbot Street, Chipping

1950s Postcard

The Tillotson's Arms started life as the Buck Inn and was built around 1836. Throughout the mid-1800s it remained as the Buck Inn, and it wasn't until 1892 that it changed its name to the Tillotson's Arms after it was bought by the brewery, John Tillotson & Son who were based at the Duck Brewery on Waterloo Street, Clitheroe. Much more recently it changed its name to Tilly's.

Tillotson's Brewery

Following several takeovers it eventually became a Dutton's house and reportedly housed a micro-brewery at one stage. 

This part of the village was originally known as Bridge Street due to the nearby stone bridge crossing Chipping Brook, the Buck Inn being no.3, but in the latter half of the 19th century changed its name to Talbot Street, which remains the case to this day.

Listed landlords at the pub have been William Sawyer (-1841), William Wilkinson (-1843 also owner), Jane Wilkinson (1834-), Richard Hanson (1843-1851), James Cottam (1855), Thomas Wallbank (1861-63), George Walmsley (1863-), Richard Illingworth (1867 also owner), Christopher Rogerson (1867-), Ann Rogerson (1868-75), John Wallbank (1881), Michael Deasy (1885), Thomas Rogerson (1889-), Ann Musgrave (1889-), John Harrison (1898-), Jeremiah Joy (1911), John Herbert Watson (1922), Emmanuel Wareing (1926-27), Edward Squires (1933), Harry Cowling Whitaker (1936-52), Curly (Mark) and Julie Neary (2008-2015) and Janet and Carl Watson (2020).

A useful source of information on the village as a whole is the website www.chippinghistory.co.uk from where the following excerpt has been taken...

Going for a Gill from Chipping History.co.uk

1815 Marriage of William Sawyer and Alice Wilkinson

1822 Baptism of William Sawyer Junior

The first listed landlord of the Inn was a William Sawyer, who was living the village in the early 1800s and married his wife Alice in 1815 at St Bartholomew's Church. By the time their son William Jnr was born in 1822 William Snr was the Inn Keeper at the Talbot Inn.

During the 1820s local baptismal records confirm their family grew with Luke (1823), Agnes (1825) and James (1827) being baptised at St Bartholomew's.

Records confirm that by 1834 he had left the Talbot and was plying his trade as a beer retailer in the village. Licensing sessions records from 1837 confirm that he was granted a full license to open an Inn that year after having to appeal an initial refused application.

24 Aug 1837 Quarter Session Appeal of William Sawyer's Application for a Full License

18 Oct 1837 Quarter Session Granting of William Sawyer's Application for a Full License

1841 Census William Sawyer

The owner of the property that became the Buck Inn appears to have been William's father-in-law, William Wilkinson, a local blacksmith, and at the time of the 1841 census William Sawyer's son Luke was living with Wilkinson's family together with another blacksmith, Richard Hanson working as an apprentice (see below). It comes as no surprise that families were so "interwoven" given the size of the village at that time.

1841 Census - Richard Hanson

Two years later William Wilkinson died leaving his widow Jane the business to run. At the time of his probate the same year he is recorded as an "Innkeeper" so may have already taken over the running of the Inn from William Sawyer before his death.

Burial: 7 Jun 1843 St Bartholomew, Chipping, Lancashire, England

William Wilkinson - Age: 44 years

Abode: Chipping

Buried by: E. Wilkinson, Vicar

Register: Burials 1813 - 1853 from the Bishop's Transcripts

Two years later Richard Hanson was to take over the Buck Inn after his marriage to William's widow, Jane.

Marriage: 15 Apr 1845 St Bartholomew, Chipping, Lancs.

Richard Hanson - of full age, Blacksmith, Bachelor, Chipping

Jane Wilkinson - of full age, Inn Keeper, Widow, Chipping

Groom's Father: John Hanson, Farmer

Bride's Father: William Bennet, Bobbin-turner

Witness: James Hanson; James Lund

Married by Licence by: Edmund Wilkinson, Vicar

Register: Marriages 1837 - 1881 from the Bishop's Transcripts

Sadly, life expectancy was far lower during the mid-1800s and in 1850 Jane too died young and records show that Richard remarried immediately thereafter...

Marriage: 6 Feb 1850 St Bartholomew, Chipping, Lancashire

Richard Hanson - of full age, Blacksmith, Widower, Chipping

Ellen Cooper - of full age, Spinster, Chipping

Groom's Father: John Hanson, Farmer

Bride's Father: Richard Cooper, Farmer

Witness: John Tully; Joseph Tully

Married by Licence by: Edmund Wilkinson, Vicar

Register: Marriages 1837 - 1881 from the Bishop's Transcripts

2014

Interestingly the parish records for Jane give a burial date of 8 Apr 1850, which is two months after Richard's marriage to Ellen, although it is possible this may be a record error.

1850 Polling Listings - Richard Hanson

1851 Census - Richard Hanson

1851 sees Richard and his new wife Ellen running the Buck with Richard's step-children living with them but by the mid-1850s it appears the Inn had come into the hands of a John Cottam, who lived at Black Hall Farm in Chipping. John's father, Thomas was also an Innkeeper, having run the Stocks House Inn (nowadays known as the Stag's Head in Whittingham (Goosnargh)).

1855 Polling Listings - John Cottam

By 1861 the Hansons are shown as living just up the road at 1 Windy Street, where Richard continued his trade as a master blacksmith; living with them was a servant, Elizabeth Wallbank (12 years), the niece of the new landlord, Thomas Wallbank.

1861 Census - Thomas Wallbank

Transfer of License

At the county petty sessions, on Wednesday, the license of the Buck Inn, Chipping, was temporarily transferred from Thomas Wallbank to George Walmsley...

Published: Wednesday 23 December 1863

Newspaper: Blackburn Standard

BLACKBURN LICENSING TRANSFERS

...the Buck Inn, Chipping, from Thomas Wallbank to George Walmsley...

Published: Saturday 20 February 1864

Newspaper: Preston Chronicle

A Row at the Buck Inn, Chipping

James Procter and Richard Kenyon were summoned for being drunk and fighting at the Buck Inn, Chipping. The defendants did not appear. P.C. Walker was on duty...

Published: Saturday 30 December 1865

Newspaper: Preston Herald

License Transfers

Buck Inn, Chipping, from Richard Illingworth to Christopher Rogerson...

Published: Saturday 18 May 1867

Newspaper: Preston Herald

County: Lancashire, England

Until 1867 Christopher Rogerson had worked as a butcher, living with his wife Ann and their family next door to the Talbot Inn, opposite the Buck. His time behind the bar was only fleeting, as just one year later he died leaving Ann to run the pub.

The Buck Inn, Chipping, to Ann Rogerson.

Published: Wednesday 19 February 1868

Newspaper: Blackburn Standard

County: Lancashire, England

1871 Census - Ann Rogerson

Chipping is situated in this valley, on the slope of Parlick, just beneath the shadow of Parlick Pike. On reaching this place we found accommodation for the night with Mrs. Rodgerson, at the Buck Inn.

Published: Saturday 12 June 1875

Newspaper: Burnley Gazette

1881 Census - John Wallbank

1885 Polling Listing - Michael Deasy

BUCK INN, CHIPPING, to Let; fully-licensed house.

— Apply Wilson’s Brewery.

Published: Saturday 10 August 1889

Newspaper: Preston Herald

Prior to its acquisition by Tillotson's the Buck Inn was owned by Wilson's Brewery Ltd (Manchester).

Wilsons Brewery Ltd

1889 Polling Listing - Thomas Rogerson

1891 Census - Ann Musgrave

Ann Musgrave (aka Joy) was a farmer from Pateley, Yorkshire and appears to have moved to Chipping in the 1880s. 

1895 Baptism of Juliana Joy in Chipping (aged 20 years)

Her first husband, George Joy died in the 1870s and in 1881 she remarried to a George Musgrave in Skipton. She was the landlady that saw out the pub's days as the Buck Inn and welcomed in the new era under Tillotson's Brewery and, it seems that the pub then remained in the same family for many years to come.

The name the Buck Inn Chipping was altered to that of Tillotson’s Arms...
Published: Wednesday 31 August 1892
Newspaper: Preston Herald
County: Lancashire, England

1894 Polling Listing - Ann Musgrave

In 1897 Ann's daughter Juliana (Julia) married John Harrison in Clitheroe and together they took over the running of the pub.

Licensing News...John Harrison, Tillotson's Arms, Chipping, was also granted an extension from 10pm to 1am during the occasion of the annual ball. 

Published: Friday 14 December 1900

Newspaper: Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

1901 Census - John Harrison

Jeremiah Joy, Juliana's younger brother was the next landlord in 1911, the pub clearly having remained in the family since 1891. The below photo of Jeremiah (Jerry) and his daughters Florence Esther and Annie was probably taken around 1903, the location possibly being in the pub.

1911 Census - Jeremiah Joy

The below record confirms that when Jeremiah Joy died in 1920 he was no longer living at the Tillotson Arms.

1920 Burial - Jeremiah Joy

John Herbert Watson was the landlord in 1922 and may have been there several years before that time but later in the 1920s he was replaced by Edward Squires.

1931 Burial - Edward Squires

Archibald Squires, son of the licensee of the Tillotson’s Arms, Chipping, said he remembered defendant and a man named Singleton coming into the inn on December 27th...

Published: Friday 13 January 1933

Newspaper: Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

The applications were granted...In Blackburn Lower Division list were two applications put forward Henry Mercer, the Talbot Arms, and Harry Whitaker, Tillotson’s Arms, Chipping, for extensions...

Published: Friday 11 September 1936

Newspaper: Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

1939 Register Harry Whittaker

CHIPPING HOTEL LIGHTS SUBDUED BUT DISCERNIBLE OUTSIDE. While agreeing with the police that there was a subdued light showing from a part of his premises at the Tillotson's Arms. Chipping. Harry C. Whitaker (48), the licensee...

Published: Friday 11 October 1940

Newspaper: Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

...apply Mrs. Whitaker. Tillotson's Arms. Chipping, near Preston.

Published: Friday 24 December 1948

Newspaper: Clitheroe Advertiser and Times

1952 Probate Harry Cowling Whitaker

In August 2016 the Tillotson's Arms was re-named 'Tilly's'. Just prior to that it was being run by Curly Neary, who was reportedly, the great-grandson of the original landlord!