The Alison Arms first opened its doors as a licensed premises in 1863 and remains open today. This page concentrates on the Wilson family, who occupied the public house from 1871-1887.
George and Betsy Wilson are my 3x great grandparents descending from their son Henry.
The Roots of the Wilson Family
On the 23rd of February 1841, George Wilson a wheelwright and innkeepers’ son, married Betsy Collier a domestic servant and blacksmith’s daughter from Preston.
Nine months later they welcomed their first child, a son called George Jnr and set up home in the parish of Heapey.
Four more children followed over the next ten years, Elizabeth, James, Tyson and Henry.
By 1851 the family had moved 10 miles west to Walmer Bridge, a small village neighbouring Much Hoole and Longton.
George was a master wheelwright at this time, whilst Betsy was occupied in the home. Also staying with the family on the date of the census is Joseph Proctor a farm labourer from Manchester.
Julia Wilson, the couples fifth child is born in 1853. Over the next two years the family move again, this time 11 miles away to a home in Coppull Moor on the outskirts of Chorley.
The family continues to grow with four more children; John, Sarah Ann, William and Hannah, born in 1861.
1861
Whilst George and Betsy were awaiting the birth of their ninth child Hannah, their eldest had already grown and sought employment.
George Wilson followed in his father’s footsteps working as a wheelwright. Elizabeth Wilson was employed as a servant at nearby ‘Cherry Croft’ on Wigan Lane and James Wilson from at least the age of fourteen worked as a servant/plough boy for Mr James Schofield of Charnock Hall.
Bankruptcy
Petition for adjudication of Bankruptcy
On the 17th of June 1862 George Snr was required to surrender himself to the County Court at Chorley for a ‘first meeting of creditors’, having been adjudged bankrupt under a ‘Petition for adjudication of Bankruptcy‘, filed five days earlier. It is not clear whether George instigated the Bankruptcy process himself or if it was a creditor who filed the petition.
“The Bankruptcy Act 1571 allowed a bankrupt to discharge debts to creditors by an equitable distribution of his assets, after which he could trade again.” – Family History ‘Companion’ – Mark Pearsall
Two of these petitions of Bankruptcy were filed, the second on the 9th of August the same year. A full conclusion comes with a dividend meeting taking place just over a year later on the 4th – 9th February 1864.
License Application
1863
Whilst George’s bankruptcy proceedings were ongoing, a local brick maker named Ralph Platt made a request for a ‘new license’ to sell beer from his premises in Coppull Moor. The application was refused in Aug of 1863, but four months later Ralph appealed that decision, and his application was granted.
The application appeal transcribed below from December 1863 gives a great insight into the area around the Alison Arms at this time.
Ralph Platt v Robert Townley Parker and others
Mr Knowles appeared the appellant, and Mr pope for the respondents. The house, Mr Knowles said, was situated in the Township of Coppul, on the turnpike road between Preston and Wigan. Near to the house were several coalmines, where great numbers of men were employed. The house was situated between two licensed houses, one of which was 800 yards distant, and the other 1,100 yards. The appellant was the owner of the house, and he had spent a considerable sum of money making it suitable for a licensed house. Within about 200 yards from the house there were 200 occupied houses, and from 200 to 400 yards distant there were 13 more occupied houses, containing altogether a population of 265 persons. The plans of the house were produced and several witnesses were called who spoke in favour of the application. Mr Pope briefly addressed the bench, and after a short consultation the learned chairman said that they would grant the application.
On the census of 1871, George and Betsy are recorded as occupants of the ‘Alison Arms’.
George Wilson Jnr
George and Betsy’s eldest son George Wilson Jnr aged thirty in 1871 was living on Bolton Street, Chorley, later to be known as the ‘White Bear Inn’ making him the first recorded landlord. With him was his wife Mary Ellen and their four children. George was still occupied as a wheelwright, as well as a beer seller.
A troubling turn of events unfolds for George in Aug 1871 as a result of falling into some debt.
After the passing of the ‘Bankruptcy Act 1869’, George was able to opt for a less hostile form of arbitration to get himself out of a sticky financial spot that he – like many other traders – had unfortunately found himself in. This form of debt settlement was called ‘liquidation by arrangement’ and was a much less intrusive experience to the one his father George Snr had experienced just a few years earlier. It was likely George Snr attended public examinations and was subject to judicial supervision.
The Gazette article that brings George’s debt to light also includes the term ‘composition with creditors‘, suggesting that he was dealing with several creditors. The route that George was taking would give him the option of paying back a ‘lessened’ amount over a period.
On the 6th of September 1871 the first general meeting with creditors was scheduled to take place at the Town Hall, Chorley.
Having found no further details of the case I am unable to confirm the outcome; however, it was reported in the Chorley Guardian that on Wednesday 22nd of November 1871 George Wilson Jnr had died.
Cause of death was Encephalitis a week after taking ill with Catarrh.
George was living at No.12 Railway Street in Chorley and was buried at the Parish Church in Coppull.
Drunkenness Charges
George Wilson in the ‘Wigan Observer’ July 1873
Just one month after the offense shown in the article above, Betsy Wilson attended a trial in place of her husband George on another charge of permitting drunkenness. An article in the Chorley Guardian describes how a local man named John Hale was found to be drunk in the Alison Arms whilst a local PC by the name of Errington was on duty in the area.
The PC entered the kitchen of the public house and witnessed five men sitting around a table.
Hale, with a glass half full of ale was getting up to buy a man named Cooper another drink. The PC had reckoned him staggering whilst doing so and asked for the landlord, who he was told was “away from home”.
John Hale that day had been making hay for George Wilson, after which he entered the ‘Alison Arms’ to eat and had three glasses of ale according to himself and the witnesses. George & Betsy’s son Henry who had been left in charge whilst George was absent, was spoken to by the PC and repeated that evidence.
Henry deposed that on the 13th of August, he and his sister were left in charge of the house. Their parents warned them not to have any drunken people in and told them not to fill them any drink should they gain admittance. On the 13th of August he was mowing hay and a man named Hale had been helping him, to whom he gave three glasses of ale to go with his supper. When the constable went in, the man was in the witness’s opinion, sober, and on the officer inquiring where his father and mother were he told him they were away. His father George came home the day following and the man walked then soberly out of the house.
Betsy Wilson when called to speak said “that her husband was laid up with rheumatism and had been for nearly a fortnight”. On the 13th instance, she and her husband were away from home, the latter being ordered to Blackpool by his medical advisor. The night before Betsy left she saw her son Henry, and said to him “permit no drunkenness”.
“After a short consultation, the chairman said there was doubt in the case and they should dismiss it.”
Diluted Spirits
1881
As well as tales of drunkenness, other interesting breaches of the rules make it into the local newspapers.
On Monday 21st November 1881, George Wilson was summoned at Chorley under the ‘Food and Drugs Act’ for selling diluted spirits. One month earlier a Superintendent named Beetham had paid a visit to the ‘Alison Arms’ and was served half a pint of rum by George. On analysis it was ascertained that the drink was 45% weaker than the utmost limit allowed by the ‘Food and Drugs amendment act’. George was fined 10s 6d and costs with the conviction endorsed on his license.
George Wilson wasn’t the only local landlord to have been charged. Landlords of Coppull’s ‘The Railway Hotel’ and ‘The Wheatsheaf’ were charged with the same offense.
A Household of Grandchildren
In April 1881 George and Betsy had four of their Grandchildren residing with them at ‘The Alison Arms’.
Soloman Halliwell was the son of Elizabeth Wilson, George & Betsy’s first-born daughter. Louisa Wignall was Elizabeth’s stepdaughter from her second marriage.
Betsy and John Wilson were the children of Julia Wilson who was working as a domestic servant at this time.
Disputes & Scuffles
One evening in October of 1882 P.S Johnson entered the ‘Alison Arms’ and was confronted by George Wilson stating that one of his customers had drunkenly made a strike at him and was refusing to leave the premises. The local in question was John Glover. After being asked to leave several times by the constable and George, Glover still refused.
Great Grandfather of the website author is Henry Wilson’s son William Wilson born 10 Jun 1901 in Coppull, Lancashire.
John Glover was summoned to court the same month and insisted he wasn’t drunk as George Wilson had accused but was innocently playing a game of American bagatelle when a man named Richard Hatch began a quarrel with him before striking him in the face which rendered him for a brief moment, insensible. George Wilson had heard the commotion, entered the room where they were and ordered the two men to leave. John Glover claimed that he felt this was unfair as he hadn’t struck back. The case was dismissed.
Fighting Females
In July of 1882 Betsy found herself breaking up a fight between two women, Catherine McKean and a local woman called Mrs. Hale.
The case ended up in court and described that the women had a disagreement that ended in a struggle on the floor of the Alison Arms. Whilst the women fought a man named Edmond Cooper was accused of involving himself by pulling Catherine McKean up by the hair and as a result had pulled a handful of it out. Catherine claimed that Cooper had kept some of her hair in his pocket to show people.
Witnesses were called to give an account. James Clarkson, Thomas Woodcock, James Ainscough and Jane Fisher all disproved the assault claiming the two women had “lugged” each others hair out and that Betsy Wilson had had to turn Catherine McKean out of the Public House. The case was dismissed.
Pastry Feast – A feast of pastry type foodstuffs, usually held in ‘Public Houses’ predominately in Northern England from September to April time.
Retirement
1887
After 14 years at the ‘Alison Arms’ George and Betsy Wilson retired to nearby Town Lane in Welch Whittle.
James Lilly was the next landlord of the Alison Arms.
George Wilson died aged seventy one in October of 1889.
Betsy remained on Town Lane until her death in 1896 aged seventy three years old.
What happened to the rest of the family?
Click onto ‘page 2’ for more details.