Vitriol Makers Arms Farnworth

This is a recent image now called the Royal Hotel but remains virtually unchanged since being called The Vitriol Makers arms. The Vitriol Makers Arms in Albert Road, was built during the time Mr. George Cottingham had his Chemical works, where Mr. Nicholson’s bleach works now are, near which Mr.Cottingham then resided until he built a new house and works now occupied by Mr. Warburton at Kearsley Moor. In 1838 Mr Thomas Doodson was the licencee. Extract from Farnworth Journal 1838:-

TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, BY MR. LOMAX, At the House of Mr. THOMAS DOODSON, the Vitriol Maker's Arms, Nan-lane, within Farnworth, in the County of Lancaster, on THURSDAY, July 5th, 1838, at Six o'clock in the Evening, (subject to such conditions as shall be then produced); ALL that MESSUAGE or Dwelling-House, situate in Queen-street, within Farnworth aforesaid, and now in the occupation of John Oaks, the owner, together with the Cottage adjoining thereto, and the vacant Land belonging to the same, the site of which contains 2160 square yards or thereabouts. The above Premises are held by Lease for the term of 999 years, subject to the payment of a yearly Ground Rent of £6. 18s. 4d., and the covenants contained in the Lease. For further particulars apply to the said JOHN OAKS, on the Premises; to Mr. HENRY EDGE, of Farnworth aforesaid, Joiner and Builder; or at the Office of Mr. PEAT, Solicitor, Chancery Lane, Great Bolton

1836 Gerrard Bowden was a Labourer
1840 Gerrard Bowden was a Banksman
1845 recorded as Inkeeper at the Vitriol Makers Arms so Gerrard must have taken over between 1840 and 1845.
He was there till his death on 29 March 1862 when the pub was left to his wife Ellen Copy of probate :-



I can find no record of Ellen from 1871 until her death on 20 December 1877 aged 60. Copy of her probate document :-



I have a record of Ann Bowden at the Vitriol Makers Arms in 1871 from the census return. It would appear that Ann, Mary, and Alice all worked in the pub as the census states that they are all employed at home.
How the pub changed hands or when is unclear from the records that I have obtained to date.

James Yardley is recorded as Licencee from 1881 till his death in 1900 He was married to Nancy Tonge on 17 September 1860. Nancy Tonge was the daughter of John Tonge & Betty Tonge (Hopwood) who had the Golden Lion on Gladstone Road from 1836 to 1861. In 1861 Betty Tonge died aged 69 she left her will see below:-



John Hopwood Tonge had taken over the Golden Lion by this time.
The Vitriol Makers Arms was being run by James Yardley and Nancy Yardley (Tonge) in 1881 they were assisted by daughter Annie.
James died in 1900 Nancy had already died in 1893.
Annie moved to Rawson Street with son James Yardley Bowden aged 7 in 1900.
It appears that the pub then passed to James’s nephew William Yardley eldest son of John Yardley who is recorded as the licencee in the 1901 census records.

In the census of 1911 the landlord is recorded as Mr Story and the pub has changed its name to the Royal Hotel when this changed I cannot find.

James Yardley Bowden

James Yardley Bowden was born 2nd October 1893 the son of James William Bowden and Annie Yardley. They were living at 142 Albert Road Farnworth, The Vitriol Makers Arms This is a current image of the pub now called The Royal it has changed little over the years. He was christened at St John’s Church on 1st November 1893. Shortly after when James was two and a half years old his father James William died at the age of 30 on 8th May 1896. From my records I am not sure if they lived at the Pub during this time or if they lived somewhere else. When his father died he and his mother did live at the Vitriol Makers Arms with her father James Yardley. Annie’s mother had died in the same year that James was born. When Annie’s father James Yardley died on 3rd April 1900 the pub passed to William Yardley and his wife Louisa Naylor. He was the eldest son of John Yardley the eldest brother of William at this time there were no surviving brothers or sisters of James. At this time Annie and her son moved to 76 Rawson Street Farnworth James was now seven years old. By 1910 they had moved to 83 St Germain Street Farnworth It must have been about this time that James left school because in January he started work as an apprentice for a Mr William Burton Rushton whose business was a Chemist and Druggist. James signed a four year apprentiship indenture starting on 1st January 1911 the document being signed on 3rd February 1911. Mr Rushton carried on his business at 118 Market Street Farnworth This is a current image of the shop but does not appear to have changed much since 1911 other than a change of business. James joined the arm in 1914 serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps as a seargeant. He was posted overseas to Salonika on 29 June 1917. On 17 March 1919 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant with The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment serving in Salonika.

He was discharged in 1920. On his discharge he received the two medals for service overseas and the victory medal.
On the 22 February 1919 he married Edith Hutchinson in Farnworth Lancashire. I can only assume that he was home on leave at this time as this coincides with his promotion to 2nd Lieutenant.
James and Edith lived at 70 Rawson Street when they were first married and Annie his mother also lived there with them. Jack Bowden was born on the 8 May 1921 while they were living here.

They lived at the left hand house of the two.
It was in 1921 that he opened the shop at 26 Higher Market Street as a Chemist and Druggist. Listed in Kelly’s Directory of 1924.

This is a modern picture of the shop in 2011.