Most of the public houses in existence by the mid-eighteenth century had their origin in that century. However, one or two may be of earlier descent for the maritime trade and the development of the limestone industry, which developed apace from that time. were already well established by the seventeenth century. The earliest establishments were supplemented during the nineteenth century by a substantial number of public houses and although some of them invariably ceased trading the majority continued in existence beyond the mid-twentieth century.

One may reasonably conject that the earliest victuallers were sited in the vicinity of the Flatts in Aire Street and the Holes, Hill Top, where the lime routes terminated. There the activities of the two emergent occupations conjoined and created the demand for liquid refreshment. The names and locations of the pre-nineteenth century inns are, sadly, not officially recorded, for the victuallers trade, although well regulated, only vouchshafes the names of the licensees at that time, for it was not until 1882 that official records named the premises occupied by the various applicants. All information concerning Knottingley inns prior to that date is drawn from scant miscellaneous sources.

However, the information provided by the Recognizances of 1882 and that contained within the contemporaneous Baines Directory accords well with information drawn from earlier sources and indicates that with the single exception of the Cherry Tree and the Rising Sun, those public houses listed in 1822 were already established by the end of the previous century.

Until the third decade of the nineteenth century the principal road through Knottingley was along a line commencing at the western edge of Hill Top and running via Chapel Street, through Aire Street and Marsh End to Fernley Green at which point it rejoined the Weeland Road at the eastern extremity of the township. Not unnaturally, the public houses of the town were located at sundry points along the route outlined, as confirmed by reference to the following table.

NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF PUBLIC HOUSES IN KNOTTINGLEY
TOGETHER WITH THE NAMES OF THE LICENSEES, 1822

Comparison of the names of these early day public houses reveals a duality which reflects the occupational basis of the township in the eighteenth century. Thus, amongst the cluster of inns within the central area of Aire Street and its immediate environs where open access to the river provided the site for the towns most intensive maritime activity, were public houses such as the Ship, Anchor, Royal Oak and Admiral Nelson, whose names were clearly influenced by nautical association. Conversely, within the same area were inns such as the Wagon & Horses, Buck, Blue Bell, Dog and the Three Horse Shoes (unlisted, but known to have been in existence at that date) the names of which reveal an element of rustication associated with the agrarian life of the town. The latter group of names was the predominant one for it was augmented by those such as the Cherry Tree, Bay Horse and Swan, situated in more peripheral areas of the township all of which utilised natural imagery the simplicity of which was readily intelligible to a largely illiterate local populace when expressed visually through the medium of an inn sign.

In connection with the latter category may also be placed inns such as the Red Lion and the Duke of York, the names of which echoed a departed but not too distant feudal age. Indeed, the two elements are not mutually exclusive for natural symbolism was a feature commonly adopted as an heraldic device, a fact illustrated by the name of the Rising Sun Inn, which although of early nineteenth century origin most clearly epitomises the elemental connection.

A name which belonged to neither of the two categories described above was that of the Limestone Inn. Situated on the eastern fringe of Racca Green, the inn name, whilst acknowledging the natural topography of the town, was identified with an industry which, like the maritime trade, represented a long established but nonetheless incursive feature within the traditional agricultural context of the township.

The fifteen licensees named in 1822 were people of some material substance, each being bound in the sum of £30 with an additional surety of £20 being pledged by a third party as guarantor. The substantial increase in the bond probably reflects the attempt by the authorities to raise additional revenue in order to supplement the cost of the fairly recent Napoleonic Wars as well as a desire to ensure a greater degree of respectability amongst publicans. Indeed, the post war period witnessed mass unemployment as the 300,000 men discharged from the army exacerbated the problems arising from the adverse effects of the Industrial Revolution to create a slump which promoted social discontent for which a public house was an ideal forum.

Amongst those listed in 1822 was Ann Pickering of the Buck Inn, the only female applicant. Ann Pickering may have been a direct descendent of Robert Pickering who had featured in the list of 1752, thus revealing a continuous family connection with the victualling trade albeit not with the same premises for Robert Pickering was associated with the sign of the Cherry Tree whilst Ann Pickering resided at the Buck Inn. A further nominee who had featured in earlier lists was William Darnbrook. Darnbrook, who was also a vessel owner stood surety for several contemporary applicants, thereby upholding the tradition of mutality which is evident in recognizances throughout the second half of the eighteenth century. Two other publicans of obvious material substance named in 1822 are George Burton and John Robinson, although the latter was declared bankrupt shortly thereafter. Both men were local shipbuilders and vessel owners trading within the town from the last quarter of the preceding century. Robinson stood as bondsman for Ann Pickering whilst Burton was guarantor for Mark Hepworth of the Dog Inn.

Terry Spencer, 1998