Albion

Name: The Albion

Address: 29 Bolton Street, Chorley, Lancashire

Listed landlords at the Albion were Josiah Booth (1852-), Edward Entwistle (1861-67), Elizabeth Entwistle (1867-72), Henry Pimbley (1872-76), James Lupton (1880-91), William & Ann Jolly (1893-), Thomas & Ann Massey (1901), Herbert Green (1904), William Smith (1911),  George Stuart Ashton (1921), Montague Thomas Baxendale (1926), James Longton (1936), Harry Whitehead (1955), Ron & Susan Bradley (1974-1976) and Tom & Margaret Martin (1976 - 1986).

1844 Map

The map above shows the Albion dates from the early 1800s although the earliest reference to the Albion I can find is in the 1852 Slater’s Directory of Lancashire, the landlord being recorded as a Josiah Booth who was a local man born in Duxbury and living in nearby Gillibrand Walks at the time of the 1851 census. His marriage in 1840 confirms he was originally a grocer by trade and living on Bolton Street.

Marriage: 23 Nov 1840 St George, Chorley, Lancashire, England

Josiah Booth - (X), of full age, Grocer, Bachelor, Bolton Street

Ellen Grundy - (X), of full age, Spinster, Gillibrand Walks

Groom's Father: John Booth, Labourer

Bride's Father: Robert Grundy, Farmer

Witness: Henry Booth; Sarah Fell

Married by Banns by: Thos. Todhunter, Minister

Register: Marriages 1837 - 1853, Page 57, Entry 114

Source: LDS Film 1526078

Inn-keeping was not the most stable trade and typically by 1861 Josiah had left the Albion and been replaced by Edward Entwistle and his wife Elizabeth who hailed from the Pendleton area. 

Albion Street c.1930s

1861 Census

Preston Chronicle 12th October 1861

Preston Herald - Saturday 16 June 1866

1871 Census

In 1867 Edward died and Elizabeth was left behind running the Albion, although in 1872 she remarried, beating a rival to the hand of local cattle dealer, Henry Pimbley.

Marriage: 5 Jun 1872 St George, Chorley, Lancashire, England

Henry Pimbley - Full, Cattle - Dealer, Bachelor, Chorley

Elizabeth Entwistle - Full, Inn - Keeper, Widow, Chorley

Groom's Father: Joseph Pimbley, Saddler

Bride's Father: George Robinson, Farmer

Witness: George Coppock; Ellen Coppock

Married by Licence by: John Stock

Register: Marriages 1865 - 1873, Page 202, Entry 404

Source: LDS Film 1526078

Shrewsbury Chronicle - Friday 13 December 1872

Chorley Standard and District Advertiser - 06 November 1875

Walking Day on Bolton Street early 1900s

Chorley Standard and District Advertiser - Saturday 19 August 1876

By 1881 the Entwistles had moved on and James Lupton and his family had moved in.  James and his wife Elizabeth were both born in East Lancashire (James in Rawtenstall) but their children Thomas and Lucy Hannah were both born in the USA in the 1850s/1860s indicating the family had sought their fortune on the other side of the Atlantic before returning to the UK.  

1881 Census

1891 Census

Ten years later they were still at the Albion but by 1893 they had moved on and were replaced by William and Ann Jolly as the marriage record below confirms: -

Marriage: 20 Dec 1893 St George, Chorley, Lancashire, England

James Bibby - 30 Labourer Bachelor of 19 John Street

Sarah Jolly - 26 Spinster of 47 Bolton Street

Groom's Father: John Bibby, Deceased, Block - Printer

Bride's Father: William Jolly, Publican

Witness: Thomas Jolly; Mary Ellen Bibby

Married by Banns by: J. E. Jelly B. A.

Register: Marriages 1893 - 1900, Page 18, Entry 36

Source: LDS Film 1526078

Wigan Observer and District Advertiser - Saturday 26 August 1893

The Jolly's time at the Albion was to be short lived as by 1901 they had moved to the Borough Arms further up Bolton Street. The 1901 census shows Thomas and Anne Massey had taken over the reins; both Chorley born and bred, but their stay was also to be short lived as by 1911 they had moved to the White Bear Hotel in Adlington; William Smith and his family from Cheshire had taken over by this time.

1901 Census

1909 Map

1911 Census

By 1936 James Longton was shown as the licensee of the Albion Hotel.  The Albion was a traditional two room pub just off the town centre, with original Victorian panels in the lounge. 

Comments from Roseanne McLaughlin (Mar 2011) The Albion closed in 2009. It always had benches outside. There was always lots of people on the pavement and crossing between this and the Waggon and Horses further up. Next door used to be The Nat West Bank. Behind was Golden Eagle Asphalt and Standish Street had a few factories, so it was a busy local pub. The Albion May 2015 Lancashire Evening Post 24th March 1917 1921 Census George Ashton Lancashire Evening Post - Friday 29 October 1926 Lancashire Evening Post 08 January 1955 It closed for business in 2009 but the building remains and stands empty opposite the new Asda store in Chorley (sadly, the wonderful Cherry blossom tree outside the Albion present for the last 50+ years has given way to new development).  It is owned by Livesey's Funeral Directors who occupy the property next door and hopefully in years to come it will be renovated and used for an alternative use. The Albion 2016