Croston - Desert's Beerhouse

Name: Desert's Beerhouse

Address: 3, Club Street, Croston

c.1900 Club Street & Duckworth's Store

Desert's Beerhouse was the home of the Dalton family, who were farmers from Croston, and licensing records confirm it was open from around 1855 to 1882, its first landlord being Edward Dalton. I can find no records to shed light on from where the name originates. Edward was originally a 'Badger' by trade (c.1851); someone who was a food commodity dealer i.e. a Grocer, or similar.

1823 Baptism of Edward Dalton

Baptismal records from St Michael's in the village show Edward was baptised in 1823, his parents being John and Susan Dalton. John's occupation is shown as a 'Husbandman', which was a free tenant farmer, or a small landowner and they initially lived on Drinkhouse Lane, working the farm.

Marriage: 21 Nov 1844 St Michael and All Angels, Croston

Edward Dalton - (X), of full age, Badger, Bachelor, Croston

Nancy Whittle - (X), 19, Spinster, Croston

Groom's Father: John Dalton, Farmer

Bride's Father: Edward Whittle, Farmer

Witness: James Silcock; Thomas Varley

Married by Banns by: Wm. R. P. Waudby, Curate

By 1851 Edward had married his sweetheart Nancy, whose family also worked the land and together they moved into a property at the top end of Club Houses (known these days as Riverside Crescent) at the junction with Westheads Lane. 

1845 OS Map of Fishery Bridge and the Clubhouses

The 1845 map above shows there were few properties on Westhead Road at this time, and the Dalton's home would have been one of the end houses on Club Street, on the border with the Fishery Bridge area of Croston. The 1861 census record further down supports this, as the enumerator clearly turned right at the top of Club Street down Westheads Lane and started recording the 'United Free Church Methodist Chapel' before realising they should be going down Club Street and doubling back.

1851 Census Edward and Nancy Dalton

1855 Slaters Directory - Edward Dalton Retailer of Beer

The electoral register below did not record Edward's trade, so it's a good job the trade directories confirm he held a beer licence at this time. Sadly his marriage to Nancy was short-lived and they were to have no children, as Nancy died at the tender age of 33 years.

Burial: 16 May 1859

St Michael and All Angels, Croston

Nancy Dalton - Age: 33 years

Abode: Croston

Buried by: Wm R P Waudby Curate

1860 Electoral Register - Edward Dalton

The 1861 census saw Edward, now a widow, living on his own in the family home, his occupation shown as 'Beer House Keeper'. 

1861 Census Edward Dalton (Beerhouse Keeper)

1869 Slater's Directory

1870 Burial Edward Dalton

Nine years later Edward also died and was buried at St Michael's as the record above attests, his will going to his eldest brother, and next of kin, Robert Dalton.

1870 Electoral Register Edward Dalton

At this time the wider Dalton family were still living in Croston. William Dalton, a future landlord, who was Edward's nephew, was living with his family in Back Club Street and on the 1861 census his parents are shown as William and Ann Dalton, William working as a 'Potato & Flour Dealer'.

1870 Probate Record - Edward Dalton

1871 Census William Dalton (Grocer & Farmer)

The press excerpt below almost certainly refers to Desert's beerhouse and indicates that following Edward's death, the beer licence was in the name of Edward's brother John Dalton from the early 1870s before being transferred to his nephew William. Given William's residence on Club Street in 1871 I suspect John was the landlord in name only and William was already running the inn alongside his grocery business.

Local Intelligence

...licensing day. The Clayton Arms, Adlington, from Thomas Morris to Alice Morris; Trafford Arms, Croston, from John Tomlinson to Ed. Smith; a beerhouse in Croston, from John Dalton to William Dalton; and the George and Dragon, Shevington, from William Holland to...

Published: Saturday 14 March 1874

Newspaper: Chorley Guardian

County: Lancashire, England

1880 Electoral Register William Dalton

1881 Census - William Dalton (Grocer)

The beer licence at Desert's Beerhouse was only in place until 1882, when it was transferred to a Thomas Yates, and thereafter there is no trace of the inn. However, William had been running Desert's alongside his main trade as a grocer and after leaving the property, it continued as a grocers well into the 20th century, run by a Henry Duckworth who had taken over the business, and on close examination of the photo below, his name can be seen above the window revealing this was the location of Desert's Beerhouse.

c.1900 Club Street & Westhead Road

1908 OS Map

In the intervening years all the buildings except the two Victorian semis adjacent to the chapel on the right of the photo have been demolished to make way for new housing.

Westhead Road junction Riverside Crescent c.2021