SHINCLIFFE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY
contact@SLHS.UK
Pubs Inns Taverns
Today, there are three licensed public houses in Shincliffe:
The Rose Tree and The Seven Stars in Shincliffe Village, and
The Avenue in High Shincliffe.
There have been others in the past:
The Railway Tavern, The Orange Tree, and The Red Lion in Shincliffe Village,
The Oak Tree and The Colliery Inn in High Shincliffe,
and The Pine Apple at Old Durham
There was also The Kings Head, listed in the 1851,1855, and 1858 Trade Directories (we have yet to find out where it was located), and the oddly named "Board", listed only in 1851.
The first trade directory to include Shincliffe (Parson & White Vol II, 1828) lists The Seven Stars, The Orange Tree and The Red Lion, together with (in Vol I, 1827) The Pine Apple at Old Durham. By the time of Hagar's 1851 directory, all of the above are included with the exception of The Avenue which opened in 1868.
The Seven Stars, Shincliffe Village
Publicans:
1828 Parson & White's Directory - Philip Pearson, Victualler
1841 Census - William Linsley, Innkeeper
1851 Hagar's Directory - William Linsley, Victualler
1855 Slater's Directory - William Linsey (note spelling)
1856 Whellan's Directory - William Lindsley (note spelling), Victualler
1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - R. Hindmarch.
1861 Census - William Vasey Johnson, Victualler
1871 Census - William V. Johnson, Innkeeper
(The Seven Stars Buildings are named 'Johnson's Buildings' in the 1871 census.)
1873 Kelly's Directory - William Vasey Johnson, Publican
1881 Census - John Reay, Innkeeper
1890 Kelly's Directory - William Scaife
1891 Census - William Scaife, Publican
1901 Census - Eliz. J. Scaife, Innkeeper
(The Seven Stars Buildings are named 'Scaife's Buildings' in the 1901 census.)
1911 Census - Annie Hodgson (widow), & Innkeeper
(Also listed in 1911 Census: Florence Hodgson (daughter) see picture to right)
1914 Kelly's Directory - Mrs Annie Hardy
1921 Census - Richard Rawlings, Licenced Victualler
1939 Register - Robert Fawcett, Licenced Victualler
1980s Tony Hickson (see Matchbox label below.)
1990s (early to mid.) Mike Heslop
Brewery:
Vaux - dates unknown - the brewery closed in 1999. (Note the Vaux lantern above the door in photograph dated 1990s and reference to Vaux on the matchbox label.)
Above: Florence Hodgson and customers, 1910.
Below Left: The Seven Stars Buildings, c. 1920.
Below Right: The Seven Stars in the 1950s.
Read about: The Scaifes, the Hodgsons and the Seven Stars
Above Left: The Seven Stars in the 1960s.
Above Right: The Seven Stars in the late 1990s. Note the Vaux brewery lantern above the door.
Left: The Seven Stars Matchbox Label, probably manufactured between 1987 & 1995.
The Rose Tree, Shincliffe Village
Publicans:
1850 Durham Chronicle (22/11) - John Stewart, Landlord
1851 Hagar's Directory - John Cowell, Victualler
1851 Census - John Cowell
1855 Slater's Directory - John Cowell
1856 Whellan's Directory - John Dowell (sic), Victualler
1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - J Cowel (note spelling)
1861 Census - John Cowell, Colliery Labourer and Victualler
1871 Census - Thomas Bray, Coal Miner and Innkeeper
1873 Kelly's Directory - Thomas Bray, Publican
1890 Kelly's Directory - Mrs Dorothy Tindale
1891 Census - Leonard Willis, Innkeeper
1901 Census - Thomas James, Innkeeper
1911 Census - Anthony Reed, Publican
1914 Kelly's Directory - Anthony Reed
1921 Census - Anthony Reed, Licenced Victualler
1939 Register - William Turner, Innkeeper
1985-1995+ (source: Radio Newcastle interview) - Arthur Walsh
Brewery:
Vaux - dates unknown - the brewery closed in 1999.
Above Left: The Rose Tree in the 1960s.
Below: The Rose Tree c. 2000.
The Avenue, High Shincliffe
1868 Durham County Advertiser - Matthew Hall
(appointed first landlord of the Avenue)
1871 Census - William Foster, Innkeeper
1873 Kelly's Directory - Mrs Margaret Forster, Publican
1881 Census - Matthew Bates, Innkeeper
1890 Kelly's Directory - John Lawson, Publican.
1901 Census - Joseph Dixon Rogers, Innkeeper
1911 Census - Roseann Scott, Publican
1914 Kelly's Directory - Rose Ann Scott
1921 Census - Rose Ann Scott, Licenced Victualler
1939 Register - Robert Turton
Brewery:
Vaux - dates unknown, the brewery closed in 1999.
Left: The Avenue in the early 1960s.
Below: Two photographs showing the Vaux Brewery plaque still present in 2023.
The Railway Tavern, Shincliffe Village
Publicans:
1851 Hagar's Directory - Ralph Ord, Victualler
1855 Slater's Directory - Ralph Ord (Railway Tavern listed as Railway)
1856 Whellan's Directory - Ralph Ord, Victualler
1858 P.O. Directory - not listed
1861 Census - Ralph Ord, Coal Miner and Victualler
1871 Census - Valentine Coates, Innkeeper
(Railway Tavern not listed by name in 1871)
1873 Kelly's Directory - Valentine Coates, Publican (listed as Railway Inn)
1890 Kelly's Directory - William Whitfield
1901 Census - Isabella Whitfield, Publican
1911 Census - Robinson Lindsey Gregg, Licenced Victualler
1914 Kelly's Directory - Thomas Howes.
1921 Census - Mary Steel
1939 Register - Mary Steel, Publican
The Durham and Sunderland Railway company's station at Shincliffe Village opened in 1839 and the Railway Tavern would have served railway workers, passengers and locals until the station closed in 1893.
It continued to serve local people including students from Houghall Agricultural Collage for almost 100 years.
The Railway Tavern closed its doors for the last time on January 14th 1991. The building has since been converted to flats.
Read about the: Steels and the Railway Tavern
Above: The Railway Tavern c. 1970
The Oak Tree Inn, High Shincliffe
Publicans:
1851 Hagar's Directory - Joseph Barker, Victualler.
1855 Slater's Directory - not listed
1856 Whellan's Directory - Joseph Barker, Victualler
1858 P.O. Directory - not listed
1861 Census - Joseph Barker, Grocer and Innkeeper
1871 Census - Joseph Barker, Innkeeper
1873 Kelly's Directory - Joseph Barker, Publican
1890 Kelly's Directory - Walter Spedding
1901 Census - John Mallam. Innkeeper
1911 Census - John Mallam
1914 Kelly's Directory - Charles Reading
1921 Census - Charles Reading, Innkeeper
1939 Register - Walter T. Coates, listed as 'miner'
The building is now a private house.
Read about: The Mallams and the Carlins and The Oak Tree
Right: The Oak Tree Inn - "George Younger's Sparkling Ales". n/d
Below Left: Postcard of Shincliffe Bank Top early 1900s - John Mallam on the sign above the door. (Note the building 2nd from the left - the former Colliery Inn - see below.)
Below Right: Walter Tom Coates behind the bar. n/d
The Orange Tree, Shincliffe Village
Publicans:
1828 Parson & White' Directory - John Hutton, Gardener and Victualler
1851 Census - George Hindmarch, Innkeeper
1851 Hagar's Directory - George Hindmarch, Victualler
1855 Slater's Directory - Thomas Piggford
1856 Whellan's Directory - Thomas Piggford, Victualler
1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - T. Mewes
1861 Census - Thomas Mewes, Labourer and Victualler
1871 Census - John Metcalf, Gardener and Innkeeper
1873 Kelly's Directory - John Metcalf, Publican
1890 Kelly's Directory - Robert Williamson Jnr.
1891 Census - John Robert Williamson, Innkeeper
The Orange Tree was later bought by Charlton Robson - it is thought that he did this in order to 'decommission' the pub. He later breached the local planning regulations when, in Spring 1895, shortly after purchase, he added two bay windows to the front of the house.
The building continues to be a private house - with bay windows.
Above: Shincliffe Post Office, and to the right, the former Orange Tree with a bay window visible to the left of the front door. c.1900.
The Red Lion, Shincliffe Village
1828 Parson & White's Directory - John Wilson, Victualler
1845 Durham Chronicle - John Hutton advertises Red Lion for rent (see below)
1843 Bell's Life in London & Sporting Chronicle - G.H.Ridley
1848 Durham Chronicle - George Douglass (Red Lion used for medical consultations - see below)
1851 Hagar's Directory - George Douglass, Victualler
1855 Slater's Directory - George Douglass
1856 Whellan's Directory - Jno. Wilson, Victualler, Joiner & Cartwright
1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - J. Wilson
1861 Census - Mary Winn, Victualler
1865 Durham County Advertiser - Robert Thubron, Innkeeper (Death notice of his wife Jane Hannah aged 34 on 8/04/1865)
1868 Durham Chronicle - Mr Passman (Red Lion used for Inquest)
1871 Census - William Dixon, Joiner
1873 Kelly's Directory - William Dixon, Publican
The building is now a private house.
Above: Two views of Red Lion Cottage in 1910. The two photographs appear to have been taken at the same time. In the right hand picture, Red Lion Cottage is the dwelling on the right, while the other two cottages (left and centre) now form a single cottage named Tithe Barn.
Left: Durham Chronicle Friday 14th April 1848. Mr Mills advertises his surgery to be held on Thursdays at Mr Douglas's Red Lion, Shincliffe.
Below Durham Chronicle Friday 12th September 1845. Mr John Hutton advertises the Public House known by the sign of the Red Lion for rent.
The Colliery Inn, Shincliffe Colliery
1851 Hagar's Directory - John Dunn, Victualler
1855 Slater's Directory - not listed
1856 Whellan's Directory - John Ayre, Victualler
1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - J Ayre
1861 Census - Richard Bostock, Coal Miner and Victualler
1871 Census - Richard Bray, Colliery Joiner and Victualler
1873 Kelly's Directory - Richard Bray, Publican
The Colliery Inn was located at Bank Top next door to the former Post Office and general store (now 'Betty Bees') and only a few doors away from The Oak Tree Inn. The building dates from 1837 (the year the pit was sunk at Shincliffe Colliery). It was a public house only briefly (it is not mentioned in Kelly 1890) and is now Richmond House, a private residence.
In 2019, during the building of a kitchen extension, a possible nuclear shelter was uncovered.
Above: Aerial view of High Street, Bank Top in the early 1960s. Richmond House, formerly The Colliery Inn, is the second building from the left.
Below: High Street, Bank Top in 1966. Richmond House is the middle of the three buildings on the right.
The King's Head, ?
Publicans:
1851 Hagar's Directory -Thomas Blenkinsopp, victualler
1855 Slater's Directory - George Garthwaite
1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - T. Carr
1873 Kelly's Directory - not listed
1890 Kelly - not listed
The location of this public house has not been found!
Board, ?
1851 Hagar's Directory - George Garthwaite, victualler and brewer
1851 Census - George Garthwaite aged 40, brewer and victualler, no residence or pub name mentioned.
1855 Slater's Directory - not listed - but George Garthwaite appears at the King's Head in 1855!
The Pine Apple, Old Durham
Publicans:
1827 Parson & White's Directory - Jonathan Robinson
1828 Durham Chronicle - Mr J Robinson
1829 Pigot's Directory - Jonathan Robinson
1851 Hagar - William Green, victualler, and market gardener
1855 Slater - William Green
1856 Whellan - Wm. Green, Victualler
1858 PO Directory - W. Green.
1873 Kelly - Wm. Green, Publican
1890 Kelly - Robert Parnaby
1914 Kelly - not listed
1921 Census -
1928 - J. Ogden, proprietor (see below)
1939 Register -
The customers of the Pine Apple were mainly those using the recreational facilities of Old Durham Gardens. It was still licenced in 1928 when it advertised "Finest Ales, Wines, and Spirits" (see below), but lost its licence shortly afterwards. It continued to serve soft drinks until 1949 when the land was sold. The Pine Apple became Pineapple House, a private residence. (source: Friends of Old Durham Gardens.)
Above: Press cutting from the Durham Chronicle 28/06/1828
Right: Northern Daily Mail 9/06/1928 (J Ogden - late of West Hartlepool.)
