Anchor Hotel

Name: The Anchor Hotel 

Address: 24, Market Street, Chorley

Anchor Inn and Town Hall 1902

The Anchor was first recorded in The Commercial Directory of 1818, 1819 & 1820, the licensee being one John Cottriall.  It remained in the Cottriall family until the early 1820s when the Smith family became the licensees; a position they held for about 30 years between Joseph, John & Joseph Jnr.  Joseph was listed in directories as the licensee from 1824 although in 1841 it was John living there on the census record and Joseph Jnr. in 1851 with his wife Jane and children. During this time the Inn was referred to as the Rope and Anchor on trade directories.

1841 Census

Life was not all beer and smiles for the Smith family as the Kendal Mercury 16 August 1845 records the trial of John Smith's 15 year old son Thomas.

 

1851 Census

John Woods briefly held the position in the late 1850s before James Cunliffe (a Chorley man) arrived with his family, remaining there until the late 1870s. 

1861 Census

Preston Herald - Saturday 12 October 1867

The Anchor Inn and Town Hall from Fazackerley Street 1880's

1871 Census

Chorley Guardian - Saturday 01 August 1874

Chorley Guardian - Saturday 03 October 1874

The Preston Chronicle in 1876 publicised the sale by auction of the Anchor Inn following the retirement of its owner Mr. Joseph Smith.

Preston Chronicle 08 July 1876

Wigan Observer and District Advertiser
Saturday 02 September 1876

The Anchor 1879

1879 Probate James Cunliffe

Following James Cunliffe's death in 1879 there followed a number of licensee changes recorded through census and directory records including Thomas Makinson (1880-81), R Watmough, Thomas Barlow (1891), Harry Stow (1901) and Edmond Exton (1911). 

1881 Census

Blackburn Standard - Saturday 16 September 1882

Anchor & Town Hall Remembrance

Preston Herald - Saturday 23 October 1886

Northern Daily Telegraph - Friday 07 June 1889

1891 Census

The Anchor was also used as a meeting house in the town as shown in the below press cutting: -

Lancashire Evening Post 09 November 1892

Harry Stow was the licensee on 8th November 1899 when he found himself before the local magistrates: -

Preston Herald - Saturday 04 November 1899

Preston Herald - Wednesday 08 November 1899

1901 Census

Manchester Evening News - Tuesday 10 March 1903

Lancashire Evening Post - Thursday 14 July 1910

1911 Census

The original building no longer exists but in its place on the same site today is the Nationwide Bank adjoining the HSBC and its name lives on the corner of St. Thomas' Road and Market Street at the Anchor Chambers.

Links to Local Sport: - Chorley Football Club was formed in 1883 after switching from rugby to football. In 1875 Chorley Football Club began partly as the brainchild of one Major John Lawrence, a Wigan player who had conceived the idea a year earlier. The inauguration took place on 15 October in the now demolished Anchor Inn in Market Street, Chorley. At that gathering Major Lawrence was elected the club's first captain. Henry Hibbert, who was to become one of the most famous figures ever connected with the town as Member of Parliament for Chorley took on the role of secretary. James Lawrence became the club treasurer.