The Ship Inn, West Cowick

The Ship Inn is located opposite the end of Finnley's Lane in West Cowick. It is a very old building which, according to the current landlord, was originally a farmhouse. 

The origin of the name of the pub is a mystery. Although West Cowick is less than a mile from Snaith, which was a busy port and ferry on the River Aire in medieval times, there seems to be no reason why a public house in West Cowick should be called The Ship or The Ship Inn - both names seem to have been interchangeable. Why, for instance, is there no pub in Snaith called The Ship? Or at Turnbridge, which was also an important port in years gone by?

The only clue to the name may be in some extremely large beams which were discovered in the attic of the pub many years ago. Could these have been repurposed timbers from an old ship ... hence the name?

Or there may be an alternative theory!

Early 1700s - Robert Daltry?

I have found no evidence to prove that Robert Daltry was an Inn Keeper before the licence at West Cowick passed to his widow, Barbara Daltry in 1771. In fact, the Daltry family (under a number of spellings!) seem to have been butchers. However, it is possible that until his death Robert ran the farm in West Cowick , the farmhouse of which eventually became The Ship Inn. Maybe he raised animals on his farm to supply his family's butcher's business and, at the same time, carried out small-scale brewing to supply the village?

The licensing of inn keepers in 1753 would have forced him to make this business more official although, unfortunately, records prior to 1771 are not available. Following Robert's death, maybe his widow decided to supplement her income from the farm by continuing the production and sale of beer.

1771 - Barbara Daltry

The earliest confirmed record that I have found of an Inn Keeper in West Cowick was in 1771, when Barbara Daltry was granted an alehouse licence. (West Yorkshire England Alehouse Licence 1771 - 1962 on Ancestry; Ref. No. QE32/37; Osgoldcross Wapentake Brewster Calendar. Grateful thanks to Joyce, a descendant of John Stephenson, for providing me with this information!)

Records suggest that Barbara was Barbara Moss (1700-1779) who married Robert Daltry in Snaith on 31st December 1724. Robert died in 1757 and it seems that he may have been the original holder of the licence, which then passed to Barbara on his death?

Licensing of inn keepers began in an Act of 1753, during the reign of George II, which ordered that the Clerk of the Peace was to keep a register or calendar of these recognisances. Calendars for Osgoldcross are available on Ancestry from 1771. An Act of 1828, during the reign of George IV, consolidated and revised the licensing laws and made the taking of recognisances redundant. The involvement of Quarter Sessions in licensing then lapsed until the Licensing Act of 1872.

In order to obtain her licence, Barbara would have agreed to be bound over in the sum of £10 to observe the legal and moral obligations of an innkeeper, such as to "... keep the true Assize in uttering and selling Bread and other Victuals, Beer, Ale and other liquors….and not fraudulently dilute or adulterate the same … and not use any Pots or other Measures that are not full size."

Barbara was not to permit drunkenness and tippling on her premises, but to set and uphold an acceptable standard of behaviour by remaining sober at all times. All gambling was prohibited within the house itself and also in adjacent areas such as outhouses and servants' quarters. Sports and sundry amusements such as bull or bear baiting and cockfighting were forbidden, as was the sale of liquor on Sundays during the usual hours of Divine Service. An additional duty was that of excluding "men and women of notoriously bad fame or dissolute girls and boys" from the ale house. (https://knottingley.org.uk/history/spencer/pubs_breweries01.htm)

In the same year, there were four other applications for alehouse licences in Cowick. These were from John Carter; John Walker; Elizabeth Tyler and Thomas Arthington. Sureties for all applications, including Barbara's, were given by James Daltry, butcher and Richard Ward, farmer, both of Cowick.

Applications from women were quite common, especially from widows who were seeking to renew licences previously held by their husbands. It would seem, therefore, that the role of women as publicans was socially acceptable in the eighteenth century.

1778 - John Stephenson

Barbara was granted a further licence in 1773, sureties being granted on this occasion by John Padget, butcher, and Robert Daltery of Knottingley. However, by 1778 the licence had been granted to John Stephenson (1743-1814), the husband of Barbara's daughter, Barbara Dawtry (born in Cowick in 1742). This was probably due to the ill-health of Barbara (Senior), as she died the following year. Barbara (Junior) had married John Stephenson in Snaith, by Licence, on 13th July 1766. According to the marriage register, John's occupation at that time was 'Mariner'. Could this be a clue to the origin of the name of the pub, The Ship Inn? From this date on, it appears that John gave up his life at sea and devoted his time to running the pub. So was the name chosen as the last remaining recognition of his previous occupation on board ship?

If this is, in fact, the origin of the name, it would seem that the pub was not known as 'The Ship' until 1778 at the earliest. This may confirm the suggestion that the building wasn't originally purpose-built as a public house but was probably a farmhouse, where a side-line of brewing ale or beer was carried out. It was common for a farmer to be involved in small scale brewing in his farmhouse and outbuildings to provide beer for his own domestic use and for the needs of his farm workers, and also to sell to other members of the village. Before the availability of safe, clean drinking water, ale and beer formed an essential part of the staple diet of the population, with men, women and children alike all drinking alcoholic beverages. It seems likely, therefore, that the naming of the pub only came after the licence passed to John Stephenson, when the building became more of an official 'public' house, rather than a private farmhouse with small brewery.

In the West Yorkshire Land Tax Records of 1795 and 1796, John Stephenson is listed as the owner occupier of a property for which 1s.6d. tax is payable in both years. This is one of the lowest amounts of tax payable, according to the records.

In 1803 John is still given as the licence holder and victualler, with Richard Hope, victualler, providing his surety. This was a returned favour, as John provided surety for Richard Hope in the same year. However, John died in Cowick in 1814 and the licence passed to his widow, Barbara Stephenson, nee Daltry. Sadly, Barbara died two years later and at this stage the licence passed to their daughter, Barbara Stephenson.

1816 - Barbara Stephenson

Barbara was born in Snaith in 1775. She was the daughter of John and Barbara Stephenson (nee Dawtry), and was the executor of her father's will in 1814.

According to the History, Directory & Gazetteer of Yorkshire, Vol. I: West Riding, published by Edward Baines, Barbara was still the Victualler at The Ship, West Cowick in 1822.

1828 - Rachael Stephinson

It seems that Barbara Stephenson may have died, unmarried, in West Cowick in 1834, although records are rather vague around this time - there were a lot of Stephensons in Cowick and Snaith at this time! However, by 1828, Rachael Stephinson (Barbara's relation, perhaps, with an alternative spelling of the surname?) was listed as the Publican. (Pigot and Co.'s National Commercial Directory, 1828-9, p.1105)

1840 - Samuel Denby

The records are rather sparse between 1828 and 1840. However, at the time of the 1840 Tithe Map, the owners of The Ship Inn are given as Sarah Cooke and John Stephenson, while Samuel Denby is actually running the pub.

The relationship of Sarah Cooke and John Stephenson as joint-owners is interesting. John was born in 1795 in West Cowick. It seems likely that he was related to John Stephenson (Senior) in some way.

On 5th April 1841, at Pontefract Sessions, John Stephenson (Junior) was indicted for a crime against Sarah Cooke!

"And that John Stephenson, late of Cowick in the West Riding of the County of York, Labourer, on the twelfth day of January in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Victoria ... Queen ... with force and arms at the parish of Snaith ... one copper kettle of the value of three shillings, one brass pan of the value of one shilling and one earthenware jar of the value of three pence, of the Goods and Chattels of one Sarah Cooke then and there found, did then and there feloniously steal, take and carry away against the peace of our said Lady the Queen, her Crown and dignity. Acquitted."

So, was John stealing from his business partner? It is possible, although his acquittal suggests he wasn't actually guilty. But the fact remains that Sarah took him to court in the belief that he had stolen from her! Guilty or Not Guilty? We shall never know! Nevertheless, John certainly seems to have become more respectable (or maybe not!) in his later life as, in the 1861 census, his occupation is listed as 'Retired collector of Inland Revenue'! He is living at this time in West Cowick, in a property named Cowick Cottage.

So, who was Sarah Cooke and what was her relationship to the Stephensons? Is she the same S. Cook, of Clifton, Gloucestershire, who acted as executor of Barbara Stephenson's (1775-1834) will in 1835? (Index To Death Duty Registers 1796-1903, FMP, TNA IR27/235). In which case, was she a beneficiary of the will, inheriting joint ownership of the pub?

Returning to the Tithe Map, the site is numbered 359 on the map - this location covering The Ship Inn and an orchard. Next door (358) is a farmstead and yard which formed part of the estate of Viscount Downe, but was run by John Ibbotson. It is possible that this is the white house still standing in the village, which appears to have stables behind it - maybe these served as stables for the pub?

A house and yard (360), occupied by Joseph Boothroyd, is located alongside the pub site, with a further two houses and an orchard (361) occupied and owned by Mary Farrar.

We learn more about Samuel Denby from the 1841 Census, which was taken on Sunday, 6th June 1841. From this we see that Samuel is listed as the Publican. He was 35 years of age and, like the rest of his household, was born in Yorkshire. He is living there with his wife, Rebecca (age 35), son Daniel (5), son Thomas (4), daughter Elizabeth (2) and son George (age 1 month). Also in residence was female servant, Ann Shillito.

Samuel Denby died on 11th April 1871 and is buried in Holy Trinity Churchyard, East Cowick, alongside his wife, Rebecca, and two of his children, Samuel and Elizabeth. An inquest on Samuel's death was held at The Forester's Arms Inn, Carlton, on 13th April 1871, at which Samuel's son, Samuel Marsh Denby, was a witness. Apparently, 66 year old Samuel (Senior) had recently been working as a potato merchant. On Tuesday, 11th April, around noon, he arrived at the Forester's Arms in his gig and was seen smoking his pipe and drinking '3 pen'orth of gin'. He appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. However, having been served a plate of beef steak, he began to cough and choked almost immediately. A verdict of accidental death by choking was declared.

Sadly, just under 40 years later Samuel's son, Samuel Marsh Denby, died in 1910, again in tragic circumstances. Samuel had previously been following in his father's footsteps as a potato dealer, but at some point changed his occupation to that of a maltster in West Cowick. Prior to his death, he had been attended by a doctor, as he had been ill for about a week. On the evening of Friday, 16th September, he left his house, saying he was going into the garden to gather some fruit. When he had been absent for rather a long time, a search was made and, at around 11 pm, he was found dead in a water tank, in approximately two and a half feet of water. The tank had formerly been used by Samuel in connection with his malting business. Around his body was a barrel hoop, which appeared to have been worn with a view to keeping his arms close to his body. (adapted from Hull Daily Mail - Saturday 17 September 1910)

1851 - John Tuke

By 1851, occupation of the pub had changed again. According to Francis White's General Directory of Kingston-upon-Hull, and York, 1851, The Ship was now being run by John Tuke. However, John is absent from the pub in the 1851 census, which names his wife, Mary Tuke (nee Hymers), as the Inn Keeper. Mary does not appear to be widowed, so presumably John was elsewhere on the night of the census.

His two daughters were at the address - his unmarried daughter, Sarah Ann, was 20 years old and was listed as a Dressmaker, while his younger daughter, Ann Barbara, was 12 years old and was listed as a Scholar. The family were all born in Cowick.

John Tuke was still in residence in 1854 and 1855. (Directory of Leeds, Bradford, etc. 1854) and Slater's Commercial Directory of Durham, Northumberland & Yorkshire, 1855)

Interestingly, a reference is made to a John Finningley in the Leeds Intelligencer, dated Monday, 24th March 1794. Apparently he was celebrating his fifth marriage, at the age of 76, to Miss Sarah Haigh, age 34. The wedding took place at Snaith and both parties were from Cowick. Could it be that Finnley's Lane was originally named after the Finningley family?

1871 - James Tuke

At the time of the 1871 census, James Tuke (a relation of John and Mary, perhaps?) is listed as the publican of The Ship Inn. Unfortunately, James died two years later, in 1873, at the age of 68.

Between 1874 and 1881 advertisements appeared in local newspapers offering The Ship Inn to rent.

In 1874, the Inn was offered to let with Garden and Joiner's Shop.

On Saturday, 30th May of the same year the following article, about a gentleman who seems to have enjoyed rather too much ale in The Ship Inn, appeared in the Pontefract Advertiser:

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY

West Cowick - Thomas Beevers was charged with having been drunk and disorderly at West Cowick on 24th May. P.C. 548 proved the case. In the neighbourhood of the Ship Inn on the evening of the day named, he had found defendant with a crowd round him, getting his coat off to fight. His son advised him to put on his coat and hold his noise and a witness, adding an exhortation to the same effect, was received with abuse, defendant asserting his intention to do as he liked. He was drunk. Fined 5s and 10s.6d. costs.

1888:  By 1888 the site appears to have extended into the adjoining properties. Two pumps, presumably serving the pub, are also shown on the map above.

1892:  In 1892 a new brewery was built in Spa Well Lane. It stood on the same site as a previous brewery and this new building is the one that can still be seen in situ today. The business was very successful and the brewery went on to own 26 public houses, including The Ship Inn in Cowick. The Hartley family became one of the main landowners in Cowick.

It is possible that Hartley's bought The Ship Inn in the same year, as the property was offered for sale by auction in that year. The auction was held at the Downe Arms Hotel, Snaith, on 27th October 'at 4:30 for 5 o'clock in the afternoon precisely'.

The following advertisement appeared in the Howdenshire Gazette on Friday 21 October 1892:

"All that Fully-Licensed INN or PUBLIC HOUSE known as the "Ship Inn" at Cowick, in the occupation of Joshua Waterland, with Stable, Slaughter-house, large Vegetable and Fruit Garden, Front Garden and Outbuildings.

This Lot is Copyhold of the Manor of Cowick and Snaith, the fines in which Manor are merely nominal.

To view apply to the tenants; and for further particulars to the Auctioneer, Pollington, near Snaith; or at the offices in Snaith of

E.&T. CLARK, Solicitors, Snaith and Goole

28th Sept., 1892."

Also offered in the same advertisement were three thatched cottages in Cowick. Sadly, no thatched cottages remain in the village, but there must have been many at one time. The bidding on these cottages commenced at £20 and Mr Bland was the successful bidder, purchasing the cottages for £120.

The bidding on The Ship Inn commenced at £250 and was withdrawn at £430, Mr E. Fish being the last bidder.

1893 - Fred Hymers Tuke

According to a report in the Howdenshire Gazette, on Friday 30th June 1893, the licence of The Ship Inn was transferred from Joshua Waterland to Fred Tuke, son of previous publicans John and Mary Tuke, at Snaith Petty Sessions on 29th June.

Fred Tuke was born in 1867, but sadly died in 1898, at the young age of 30.

1901 - George Cook

The Ship Inn is listed as Plot 248 in the Snaith & Cowick Rate Books, which are held at the Treasure House, Beverley (Ref: PUG/5/3/12). The Publican is George Cook and the brewery is J. Hartley's Brewery. George probably took over the pub at the death of Fred Tuke in 1898. The rent in 1901 was £15 per annum.

1909 - J.W. Smith

Eight years later, the Valuation Books of Airmyn, Gowdall, Rawcliffe, Snaith and Cowick list The Ship as Plot 1149, with J.W. Smith as the Publican and Hartley's Brewery Co. Ltd. as the brewer. (Treasure House, Beverley, Ref: NV1/151)

At the time of the 1910 Lloyd George Domesday Survey, the entry for The Ship Inn shows that the buildings were valued at £30, with a rateable value of £25.10s.0d.  The occupier at this time - and presumably the Publican - was still J.W. Smith and the pub was owned by Hartley's Brewery, c/o Alf Hartley who was living at Cowick Grange. The rent was £14 per annum. While the tenant paid all rates and taxes, repairs were the responsibility of the owner.

The building comprised 3 rooms upstairs, plus a clubroom (?). Downstairs there was a bar, scullery and two front rooms.  The gross value of the site was assessed at £500.  Included on the site was the adjoining property, which was being used as a shop, also occupied by J.W. Smith. Was this the butcher's shop which is mentioned in the advertisement of 1881?

One reason why I wonder whether this building also formed part of the public house complex at some point is that, according to old OS maps, there were two pumps in the yard of this house, whereas there are no pumps showing within the grounds of the pub. Naturally, a public house would require water!

Furthermore, the description of the Fernleigh property is intriguing: "Kitchen range and cupboards; 2 front sitting rooms; staircase to 3 bedrooms and box room; pantry; wash house; coal house; fowl house; cowhouse and stable; hen house used to be slaughter house; shed; privy. All unused except fowl house."

Earlier references to the Ship Inn site including stables and slaughter house suggest that these might be the ones referred to in the description of Fernleigh Cottage (at the top of the map on the left). The only question is the final sentence in the description: "Property stands on the corner facing Ship Inn". This sounds more like it might refer to the property on the corner of Finnley's Lane (at the base of the map on the left). However, according to the tithe map of 1840, this property comprised of a house, orchard and blacksmith's shop, occupied by George Serjeantson. This is confirmed in the 1841 census, when George's occupation is given as blacksmith. However, in the back yard of the white house next to The Ship Inn there are the remains of buildings that look that they might fit the descriptions of stables and slaughter house, so this site seems more likely.

1911 - Mr Sidebottom

At the time of the 1911 census (2nd April 1911), the occupier - and presumably the publican - at the Ship Inn was a Mr Sidebottom. It seems that Mr Sidebottom must have been a recent arrival at the pub, according to an article which appeared in the Cleckheaton & Spenborough Guardian on Friday 30 June 1911, synopsis below:

CLAIM AGAINST A VALUER AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.

At the Dewsbury County Court yesterday Mrs Ellen Ainley, of the Royal Albert Inn, Heckmondwike, claimed £56 15s. 11d. from Mr Thomas Duckless Clegg, valuer, Goole, being money received for a valuation at a public house which had been kept by her deceased son at Cowick, and also certain furniture from the widow, Mrs Ethel Ainley.

The action was brought by Mrs Ellen Ainly, wife of James William Ainley, Heckmondwike, as executrix of the will of James Arthur Ainly, who was her son. The female defendant was the James Arthur's widow. Under the terms of the will, James Arthur Ainley gave everything to his father and mother. In case any question arose as to any hardship upon the widow of the deceased, it was stated that the plaintiff was a very large creditor of her son; in fact, he had practically nothing but what she had lent him to go into the Ship Inn at Cowick and he made the will in her favour to repay what he had borrowed. Furthermore, the estate was by this time insolvent.

James Arthur Ainley died at his mother's house at Heckmondwike and a valuation was arranged at the Ship Inn between the outgoing and ingoing tenants. The total amount of the valuation was £56 15s. 11d. The Ship Inn was owned by Messrs. Hartley's, brewers, to whom the incoming tenant, Mr Sidebottom, paid £10 deposit, followed by £46 15s. 11d. in cash. At this time, the valuer was not aware of James Ainly's will.

The widow of James Ainly explained that her husband had died at 2.30 on the morning of 18th December, while the couple were visiting his parents. Two hours later she was told to leave her in-law's house. Mrs Ainly was expecting a baby at this time and went to stay with her sister. Her husband had given her £2, which was demanded by her mother in law, 'with a good deal of abuse'. Her brother in law then said that he was going to Cowick to take possession of the public house. Mrs Ainly, Junior, then went straight to West Cowick and, not knowing what to do, she told the policeman what had happened - he advised her to keep possession of the pub. Twice she asked her mother in law whether her husband had left a will, but she could get no reply.

It would appear that the judgement permitted Mrs Ainly Junior to keep her furniture but, sadly, not much else.

1921 - Stephen Teale

According to the Hull Daily Mail, published on Thursday, 1st December 1921:

The license of the Ship Inn, Cowick was temporarily transferred to Mr Stephen Teale, and Supt. J. Budge remarked that before he could agree to a permanent transfer being granted, he desired to see the agreement with the Brewery Company.

However, this transfer was quite short-lived as the following notification of bankruptcy appeared in the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer on Wednesday, 27th August 1924:

Receiving Orders and Adjudications: Stephen Teale, residing and carrying on business at The Ship Inn, Cowick, Snaith, innkeeper.

1930s - Margaret Scott

The photograph on the left below, of a Jazz Band celebrating a coronation, was taken outside the Ship Inn. It is likely that this was taken in May 1937, in celebration of the coronation of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth. At the time, Arthur Jubb (on the left, in the suit) was the Band Secretary and Mr. L. Clayton was the Bandmaster.

The second photograph was taken behind The Ship Inn, probably in the same year.

Back row: ?; Ted Punton; Tim Deighton; Tom Render; Mrs Scott (Landlady); Jack Deighton; Ernie Cooper; Tom Lapidge; Ned Jowsey

Front row: Raith Penistone; Ernie Jones; Mrs Jones; Bob Deighton; Jack Smith; Bert Cooper; Arthur Jubb; Bill Bridges

At the time of the 1939 Register, the Licensee at The Ship Inn was still Margaret E. Scott, age 62. Margaret's name is over the door of the pub in the 1937 photograph of the Jazz Band above - so presumably she, and/or her late husband, took over the pub between 1924 and 1937.

1940 - William H. Brooksbank

The following report appeared in the Hull Daily Mail on Thursday, 16th May 1940:

CAR TURNED FOUR SOMERSAULTS

West Cowick Man Fined £15 on Drink Charge

William H. Brooksbank, licensee of the Ship Inn, West Cowick, near Goole, was fined £15 at Goole on Wednesday, for being drunk in charge of a motor car, and was ordeered to pay costs on a summons for driving the car in a dangerous manner. Brooksbank pleaded guilty.

Superintendent W. Watson said at 3.30 pm on Saturday last a farm labourer named Edward Wild, of Airmyn, near Goole, was working at the side of the Rawcliffe Road, Airmyn when he saw a car approaching from Goole at a speed of about 40 miles per hour. Suddenly the car began zig-zagging from one side of the road to the other and then mounted the grass verge and turned four somersaults before coming to rest facing Goole.

As the car stopped, two men were thrown out into a ditch by the roadside. Wild ran to them and defendant scrambled out of the ditch and said: "I'll give you something if you'll say nowt about it". Wild noticed that Brooksbank was drunk and that he had difficulty in standing upright.

Brooksbank's defence asked that his licence should not be suspended as, in addition being licensee of the Ship Inn, he was employed as a shipyard worker at Goole, and needed his car to travel to and from work. The Bench decided to endorse the licence.

1942 - Mrs E. Garner

On a happier note, the following report appeared in the Hull Daily Mail on Monday, 2nd March 1942:

Married at Goole

The wedding took place at Goole Parish Church on Saturday of L.A.C. Arthur Wilson, R.A.F., youngest son of Mrs E. Garner, Ship Inn, West Cowick, near Goole, and Miss Dorothy B. Wood, only daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Wood, of Western Road, Goole.

The bride, given away by her father, wore a two-piece suit of turquoise and a spray of pink carnations. She was attended by Mrs. K. Watkins, who wore a sea-green tailored suit and also had a spray of pink carnations.

Mr W. Chambers was best man. The honeymoon is being spent at Manchester.

WWII to Post-War

I have been unable to find many details of the Innkeepers of the Ship Inn during the period following WWII. However, names that I have been given include Mr and Mrs Bateman who, apparently, were well-known locally for having a rather mischievous monkey who had a tendency to 'steal' customers' beer money out of their pocket!

Other names that I have been given are Mr Brownbridge, Mr Moffatt and Fred Horton. I would love to hear from anyone who has further information on these publicans, please.

And, bringing the story of The Ship Inn right up-to-date, we come to the brilliant current proprietors, Sonia and Paul Northway, who are famous locally (and further-afield!) for their excellent Sunday Lunches!!