Chorley's Inns and Taverns: Lostock Hall

Name: The Railway Hotel

Address: 69 Watkin Lane (prev Cragg Lane), Lostock Hall

c.1910

The Railway Hotel dates back almost 200 years and still stands to this day, although it is no longer a public house as the following excerpt attests: -

The Railway Hotel was situated at 69 Watkin Lane. This pub closed 4th August 2008 and is now living accommodation for underprivileged teenagers. The large car park and the bowling green were sold to private developers c2003 and houses now stand on the site. This was a Lion brewery pub which was popular when the large engine sheds a few yards away across Watkin Road were in use. It was ironic that the pub shut exactly 40 years to the day that the sheds closed on 4th August 1968.

(Closed Pubs Website 2011)

1844 Map

Listed landlords at the Railway were John Woodruff (1861-71), Alice Wilson (1881), James & Alice Ward (-1892), Alice Ward nee Wilson (1892-), Richard Rimmer Ward (1901-), Joseph Parker (1930) and Harry Ward (-1954).

The Railway Hotel was built in the 1860-70s, its first landlord being John Woodruff, who was originally a joiner living in the Tardy Gate area in 1851.

1851 John Woodruff

By 1861 census records show he was running a beer house from Gaskel's Houses, which is noted to be in Cuerden on the census below but appears to be in the same rough location as the Railway on the enumerator's route.

1861 John Woodruff (Gaskels Houses)

Ten years later he was still running the beerhouse on Cragg Lane.

1871 John Woodruff

The first landlady I have found, Alice Wilson nee Woodruff took over the Railway Hotel from her uncle John Woodruff after his death in 1875.

1875 Probate John Woodruff(e)

She was already living with John in 1871 prior to her marriage to Edward Wilson at the local Catholic church later that year...

Marriage: 6 Nov 1871 Brownedge St Mary, Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, England

Edwardus Wilson - Brownedge

Aliciam Woodruffe - Tardy Gate

Groom's Father: Gulielmi Wilson

Bride's Father: Richardi Woodruffe

Witness: Gulielmo Waring, of Cuerden; Maria Eastham, of Cuerden

Married by: Thomas Walker Miss. Apos.

They had two children, John and Edward who are living with her on the 1881 census below, by which time she had been widowed.

1881 Alice Wilson

Preston Herald 04 February 1882

The building of a bowling green behind the Railway Hotel proved a great success, as it was one of the finest greens in the area and for the next 100 years or so was used on a regular basis, not only by the Lostock Hall Bowling club, but by regional and national bowling competitions including the News of the World Bowling Tournament, which was held there from 1948-54 when the landlord was Harry Ward (step-grandson of our first landlady, Alice Wilson). There was a £250 first prize and it was 2/6 (half a crown) to enter. Two measurers were Harry Charnley and Gunner Greenwood. There was a least 300 people there on finals day. The winner got a replica of the News of the World Trophy and the jack, which was on a plinth.