"Water Closet" Public House, 13 St Stephen's Street

[MaryA]

I don't suppose there is a picture of this peculiarly named pub anywhere is there? can't find anything by googling except the expected toilet links John and Catherine Fletcher were listed as Manager and Manageress in the 1901 census.

By 1911 he was widowed and living in 10 Day Street, Old Swan, occupation still Public House Manager, but if the street numbering is the same now as it was then, they obviously not living on the premises as this is a terraced house, no idea which pub he was managing.

Thanks if anybody is able to help.

[daggers]

Using my trusty Licensing Report Book for 1909 I find the pub at that address was 'The Harlequin', managed by Wm E Morton for P. Walker Ltd. It was on the corner of Hunter Street. Perhaps the other title was only a nickname? The magistrates might not have permitted it!

The Walker and later Tetley companies were the best comapnies for photographing their Liverpool pubs, but it does not appear under either name in 'A Pub on every Corner', vol 1, which may mean that the record office do not have a photo of it, at least with either of those names.
I'll have a browse for Fletcher in the Report Book, but it is not indexed for personal names and may take time.
D

[alcavtay]

Daggers got there first - with better information- while I was typing! Here's my bit though,
I can't help you with a photo but looks like it could have gone through quite frequent name changes...

Kelly's 1894 directory:
Spearman, Mrs Elizabeth Jane, Spirit Vaults, 10A Hunter St and 13 St Stephen St.

Gore's 1900 trade directory, Public houses
Harlequin (The) Edward A Morton 11 and 13 St Stephen St, Clayton St.

Amanda

[MaryA]

Well thank you so much, I found the name on the 1901 census, but I didn't know if it would have been a nickname, it did give me a bit of a giggle.

I haven't found Robert Fletcher in anything in later years so if anything turns up in a different directory I'd be glad to hear about it.

Thanks again.

[daggers]

Mary
I could not find a John Fletcher in the 1909 book, but there were the following Fletchers, possibly related:

Joseph, Manager, George III, London Road (Threlfalls)
Joseph Harold, Manager, Victoria, 1 Great Charlotte Street (Bents)
Robert, Manager, Fox, 54 Walnut St (Threlfalls).

If your John was still calling himself a manager in 1911 he might have been working as a relief manager, filling in for vacancies etc., and so not holding a licence himself.

As an aside, I see you have 'Parle' in your list of interests. A couple of that name held licences in 1909. Do you want details? I worked with a Parle in the late 1970s/ early 80s, before he went to work in Australia in a cotton business. Any link?
D

[dickiesam]

Hi MaryA,
Is there a typo in your post? John instead of Robert?

At 10 Day Street in 1910+1 The residents were:
FLETCHER, Robert - Head - Widower - 60 - Public House Manager - Burscough, Lancs
FLETCHER, John Joseph - Son - U/m - 30 - Barman - Burscough
FLETCHER, Mary Ann - Sister - U/m - 63 - Burscough

The 1901 has Robert at 13 St Stephens Street [Public House], Liverpool.
FLETCHER, Robert Head 50 Public House Manager Burscough
FLETCHER, Catherine Wife 45 Public House Manageress Ireland

The Water Closet, aka Public Toilet, is next door at #11 St Stephen's Street!

Edit to add:
Halfway through my Weetabix when the joke hit me..... You had the wrong sort of P house!

[MaryA]

The Water Closet, or Public Toilet, is next door at #11 St Stephen's Street!

Edit to add:
Halfway through my Weetabix when the joke hit me..... You had the wrong sort of P house!

Ooops, well now I'm embarrassed So perhaps it was The Harlequin, stop peeping at me in the water closet

Daggers, thank you for the other look ups, I have to look at this Robert's children to discover whether the Robert at the Fox might be his son. No Josephs amongst his children so the other isn't ours.

Not sure about the Parle, this is grandmother's family and we were only aware of 2 brothers who went to America around the turn of the century, and one sister who married and remained in Liverpool as did she. It was only discovering her father on the 1911 census and finding that he had mistakenly entered all his children, that we found another few. I have an Annie Parle born 1882, who is quite unknown to me, except I have suspicions she may have been working in Waterloo in 1901, not having found a certain marriage for her yet, she could have had an illegitimate child.

The other is the eldest, William who did indeed have a family and one surviving grandchild I have discovered but they moved to the Birkenhead area before 1911, so the grandchild was born in 1941 on the Wirral, could this person be the one you worked with?

[big g]

thanks guys and gals for the humour!