Cordwainer's Arms

Name: The Cordwainer's Arms

Address: 44, Livesey Street, Chorley

The Cordwainers c.1950s looking down Clifford Street to Chapel Street and St George's
Church - Haydock's timber yard can be seen on the left.

The Cordwainers Arms was on Livesey Street, which sadly no longer exists having been demolished to make way for the Market Walk shopping precinct.  On the corner at one end of the street was the Cordwainers and at the other end, at the junction with New Market Street was the Prince of Wales which still survives today. The buildings in the background were the saw-mills for PH Haydock & Co (also now demolished).

1908 Map

The Cordwainers first appeared on records in the 1870s and was in business for a 100 years or so before more recently becoming Green's amusement arcade before being demolished c.1984 as shown below: -

The first landlord, William Mellor was from Coppull and ten years earlier, he and wife Ann had been running the Printer's Arms on Market Street, Chorley (now the Barber Shop). William originally worked as a Calico Printer in the 1850s.

Printers Arms

The listed landlords were William Mellor (1871), John Charles Bannister (1881-91), Ann Gent (1901-11), William Gee (1921), Bill & Gladis Ashcroft (1965-70) and William Barker (1980).

1871 Census

Cordwainers' Right of picture on the corner of Livesey Street

1881 Census

Chorley Guardian 1884

1891 Census

Looking from Chapel Street down Clifford Street.
The Shepherds' Hall (right of picture) and the Cordwainers' (centre back)

1901 Census

1911 Census

1921 Census

The following memories have been kindly provided by Clive Ashcroft, who spent some of his early years living in the pub and provides us with a wonderful insight into what life in the local pubs was like in the mid-to-late 1960s.

"I was 7 years old when my mum and dad, Bill and Gladis Ashcroft became landlord and landlady of the Cordwainers Arms; it was 1965. It was an old pub but was full of locals. Every nice full of cigarette smoke, full of life. People had such a good time in an old run-down building; you didn't need fancy premises in the 60s, just great customers. No-one ever wanted to go home and my dad would lock up, put lights out and let customers stay in the back room with candles lit. 

When Silcock's fair came to Chorley Flat Iron the Silcock family came in the pub. Great fair travellers, they had such a great time and I got free rides on the fair. We had a pie machine on the pub counter the pies were so tasty...sold out everynight."

A view across Clifford Street from where the new bus station stands

London Gazette 30 January 1980

BARKER, William, residing at 9 St. James's Street, Chorley in the county of Lancaster (Compositor) and BARKER,Esther, wife of William Barker of the same address (housewife) lately residing and carrying on business in partnership at The Cordwainers Arms, 44 Livesey Street, Chorley aforesaid as PUBLICANS. 

(SEPARATE ESTATE OF ESTHER BARKER.) Court—PRESTON. No. of Matter — 35 of 1974. 

Date of Order—13th November 1979. Nature of Order made—Bankrupt discharged.