Penwortham - Pear Tree Inn

Name: The Pear Tree Inn

Address: Leyland Road, Penwortham

The Pear Tree dates back to the early 1800s and was originally the home of Christopher Charnley and his family. The building, originally known as "Pear Tree House" was located on Middleford Brow (sic. Middleforth), now part of Leyland Road on the edge of the Penwortham Hall estate and a short distance over the railway line to Middleforth Hall (see map below).

This building was once part of the Penwortham Hall estate and at the time of the tithe map it was used as a small factory for cotton weavers. By 1861 Preston’s large scale factories had taken over hand loom cotton production and the census of that year shows that the weaving shop had become an inn, known as the Pear Tree Inn, which is still in business today.

Penwortham Heritage Trail

Christopher Charnley is described as a "Retail Brewer" on the 1841 census below although later census records confirm he also worked as a farmer (of 6 acres) and Beer Seller.  He was to run the Pear Tree for over a quarter of a century before his death in 1866 and given his trade I suspect the building was being used as a beer house throughout the 1840-60s.

1841 Census Christopher Charnley

Listed landlords of the Inn were Christopher Charnley (1841-66), Thomas Charnley (1866-83), Richard Wade (1886-1905), James Brown Loxham (1905-16), Mary Sanderson (1924), John Grundy (1925) and Samuel Kenyon Sutton (1931).

1842 Map

1851 Census Christopher Charnley

1857 Marriage of Thomas Charnley

1861 Census Christopher Charnley

Marriage: 15 Aug 1863 St Mary, Penwortham, Lancashire, England

Richard Charnley - full Joiner Bachelor of Penwortham

Ann Beardsworth - full Spinster of Penwortham

    Groom's Father: Christopher Charnley, Inn keeper (Pear Tree Inn)

    Bride's Father: Edward Beardsworth, Farmer

    Witness: Christopher Charnley; Ellen Beardsworth

    Married by License by: W. E. Rawstorne Incumbent

    Register: Marriages 1857 - 1885, Page 86, Entry 172

    Source: LDS Film 1526058

1866 Burial Record - Christopher Charnley

1866 Probate - Christopher Charnley

Following the death of his father, Thomas Charnley took over the reins and ran the Pear Tree for the next 17 years before his own death in 1883; he too worked as both a farmer and beer house keeper, working two jobs to supplement his income to support a family.

1871 Census Thomas Charnley

1881 Census Thomas Charnley

1883 Burial - Thomas Charnley

1883 Probate - Thomas Charnley

Following Thomas' death in 1883 Elizabeth Charnley (nee Wade) and the rest of the family vacated the Inn but continued to live in the Middleforth Brow area into the 20th century. Elizabeth had been brought up on Middleforth Green and was very much a local lass. By 1886 Richard Wade had taken over, who was Elizabeth's youngest brother; living next door were the Loxhams, whose eldest son James was to take over in the 1900s highlighting how the Pear Tree was very much a locals' pub for 100+ years.

Licence Application
Mr. P. U. Edelston applied, on behalf of Richard Wade, for a wine licence for the Pear Tree Inn, Penwortham, and stated that the present tenant had occupied the place two and a half years, and had had many applications refused.
27 August 1888 - Lancashire Evening Post - Preston, Lancashire, England

1891 Census Richard Wade

Living within the home in 1891 was a visitor, Elizabeth Wardle who came from Bury and was listed as a "Beerseller". Records show that she and her husband Walter Wardle ran the Raven Hotel, Kings Street, Bury prior to Walter's death and she was Richard's mother-in-law. Rayners Vaults was part of the Raven Hotel for many years and is still open to this day.

Rayners Vaults

1892 Map

1893 Marriage of future landlord, James Brown Loxham

James Brown Loxham was to take over the Inn in the early 1900s but his primary trade was a builder, something he returned to after running the pub until around the end of the Great War. His wife, Alice was working as a barmaid at the nearby Bridge Inn when they married.

1891 Alice Gore

By 1924 he is shown on directories as living on Leyland Road working as a builder.

APPLICATIONS FOB LICENCES AT LEYLAND

 A wine licence was granted to Mr W. A. Albert, the Arms, and similar licence to Mr Richard Wade, of the Pear Tree Inn, Penwortham.

30 August 1898 - Northern Daily Telegraph - Blackburn, Lancashire, England

1901 Census - Richard Wade

Licence Transferred

 James Brown Loxham, the Pear Tree Inn. Penwortham, was granted until next transfer day to **** the business of licensed victualler.

14 October 1905 - Preston Herald - Preston, Lancashire, England

A TOMTIT'S NEST.

 In the cart belonging to Mr. James Loxham, landlord of the Pear Tree Inn, Penwortham near Preston, a tomtit has built her nest and laid six eggs. The cart is in daily use for the carrying of bricks, and each morning when the carter lifts the lid... 

04 June 1910 - Exeter and Plymouth Gazette, Devon, England

1911 Census Summary

1911 Census - James B Loxham

1911 Front Sheet

1917 Preston Directory

FOR Sale, 100 Pullets

—Apply, Mrs. Sanderson, Pear Tree Inn, Penwortham. 

27 November 1924 - Lancashire Evening Post - Preston, Lancashire, England

1924 Kelly's Directory - Mrs Sanderson

LEYLAND BENCH AND PENWORTHAM LICENSEE’S OFFENCE

At Leyland, today, John Grundy, licensee of the Pear Tree Inn, Penwortham, was summoned for selling and supplying intoxicating drink during non-permitted hours.

24 August 1925 - Lancashire Evening Post - Preston, Lancashire, England

It's good to see that by 1929 Middleforth Brow had ceased to exist, having been renamed Pear Tree Brow.

1929 Map

LICENSEE OF A PENWORTHAM INN FINED £lO

At Leyland, to-day, Samuel Kenyon Sutton, licensee of the Pear Tree Inn, Penwortham was fined £lO and ordered to pay three guineas advocate’s fee on a summons alleging that he used a room at his house...

13 July 1931 - Lancashire Evening Post - Preston, Lancashire, England

1938 Map