The Wellington Inn A Rotherham Advertiser article of 1900 suggests that the Wellington Inn was licensed as far back as 1800. On 7 th September 1820 a list of subscribers to the fund for replacement of church bells included Joseph Wild, Wellington Inn, who contributed a guinea, according to records in John Guests Historic Notices of Rotherham. The Landlords Licensees: 1820 to 1822 Joseph Wild; 1828 to 1841 Frances Wild; 1845 Francis Colley; 1849 William Waterton; 1852 to 1856 Joseph Green; 1860 George Parkin/ Robert Poulter; 1868 Edwin Acaster; 1871 to 1881 Edward Milnes; 1884 Alfred Brown; 1888 to 1901 Emma Brown; 1909 Edwin Wragg; 1910 Thomas Pladdy; 1911 John Thomas Jolly; 1928 John Cawkwell; 1933 John Covan. Joseph Green was born in Wentworth in 1812. He married Ann Maria, an Essex girl and they had at least two children. Joseph was a grocer on Westgate before he took over a beerhouse in Sheffield called the Saw Makers Arms, on Burnt Tree Lane. Robert Poulter was born near Wetherby in 1815. His first marriage produced a daughter, Emily. He married his second wife, Elizabeth Brown, a Sheffield girl and they had at least two children, William and Frederick. In 1851 Robert was a smith at a rail wheel manufactory in Masbrough. In 1861 he was at the Wellington. By 1871 he was at The Falstaff on Effingham Street. His widow was still running that public house in 1881. The periodical parades of the Riflemen provided another treat...19th & 36th Companies...A band, under the leadership of Mr Bob Poulter, landlord of the Wellington Inn, and in later days of the Falstaff, rendered these occassions of great importance and enjoyment to the younger generation. George Gummer Reminiscences of Rotherham 1927 Edward Milnes was a fitter by trade. In 1871 he was living in Rose Crown Yard on Quarry Hill with his first wife, Mary. Emma Brown was born in Dalton in 1850. She had been the second wife of Edward Milnes, though he was fifteen years her senior. She had then married Alfred Brown, who had died before the 1891 Census. Edwin Wragg was the son of a butcher in Masbrough; an uncle was a butcher and farmer in Brampton En Le Morthen. Edwin married Florence White from Sheffield and set up in business as a pawnbroker in Mexborough before moving to Rotherham. A report in the Rotherham Advertiser of 25 th August 1900 said that Mrs Emma Brown had applied to alter the Wellington Inn. This was also an application to reconstruct, the idea being to provide a separate entrance for the sale of liquor off. The premises had been occupied over a hundred years as a licensed house. Mrs Brown and her former husband had occupied the premises for 30 years. The proposed plans would give an increased capacity for supplying drink of about 25 square yards. The plans were approved. Following on from this, and after a delay to consider the implications of road widening, an application was submitted to Rotherham County Borough Council, in August 1901, by the
Trustees of R.J.Bentley to reconstruct. The architect was a G.A.Wilson of Sheffield. The building was to be set back 6ft.6ins. behind the original frontage. (3392A). The following week this was clarified as Emma Brown, Wellington Inn, applied to reconstruct. The Bench approved of certain proposed alterations but in consequence of the Corporation bringing the matter to the notice of the owners the alterations were not proceeded with. Amended plans were now submitted in accordance with the wishes of the Corporation. This rebuilding was approved and the job completed in 1903. The Rotherham Advertiser of the 11 th February 1939 reported that Mr A.S..Furniss gave notice of his intention to withdraw an application by Messrs R.J.Bentley's Trustees for an off-licence at the junction of Wortley Road and Old Wortley Road and, alternatively, for the removal of the licence of the Wellington Inn, Westgate to the same site in Wortley Road. His client had gone into the question, and an adverse mining report as to the suitability of the site for a heavy building of the character desired had been received. In 1994 the Wellington was offered for sale, at an asking price of around 75,000. It reopened, after refurbishment, as a Ward's Free House called the Wellington Boot Inn, in October of that year..
The rebuilt Inn
The Boot is now on the other foot for one of Rotherham's most run-down pubs. From a dingy dump, the Wellington Boot, probably better known as the Wellington Inn, has undergone a complete transformation into a smart new pub which attracts both young and old. Regulars who can remember what the old Wellington was like will be absolutely amazed by the refurbishment that has taken place at the West gate hostelry. Since last August, when the new owners, Richard and Pamela Bingham, finally got the keys, the huge three-storey building has been totally revamped into a smart, attractive pub offering good beer, good food and a good atmosphere. It has cost Richard and Pamela about 65,000 to make the change. Now a series of small pokey rooms have been opened up into one large split-level area where you can find beer at 1 a pint at several new bars, a disco on Friday and Saturday nights and live music on Sundays. And it is not just the downstairs that has been revamped. The pub now also boasts a smart new function room complete with its own bar and music facilities which can be hired for the evening for as little as 30 a night. With its new wooden floor, the room is perfect for dancing. The pub can arrange a DJ and will also provide buffet-style catering from this weekend. The function room has already seen several very good evenings for various customers and many more are already booked. And it is not just upstairs that is attracting some new customers. At the rearr of the building is a large courtyard, complete with stables, that Richard and Pamela are hoping to turn into an alternative outside summer venue complete with seating and music. The old pub, built in 1903, has never seen anything like it. It actually closed for trading in February last year and stood empty and desolate until its new owners spotted its potential.
It is a marvellous building on a good site which is only yards away from the pub circuit which the youngsters use on the weekends, said Richard. Word is already getting round about the place and we are gaining customers all the time. These customers include the youngsters in the evenings and the regulars at lunchtimes, some who can vouch for the massive change in the place since the refurbishment. In fact The Boot, as it has quickly become known as, is beginning to be the place to be if you fancy a drink in Rotherham these days.
A flourishing music project which is expanding due to its growing success has launched a fund-raising campaign to pay for its move. Get Sorted, a music academy for children and young people, is in its tenth year and needs to move to a new building lo accommodate its 400 students. Currently the academy is based in a building on Westgate in the town centre, but the project hopes to move next door to the much larger former Wellington Boot public house. Genya Johnson, from the academy, said: The new building is much belter, but it needs a lot of work to turn it into a music centre. We need donations, but also tools and goods would be
appreciated. We need everything from plasterboards, doors, flooring, limber, tools and worktops. We have been going for ten years 'and have done a lot of work in the area. If everyone just gave 1 it would make such a difference and would show that people appreciate what we do. It is estimated the cost of refurbishing the building will be between 20,000 and 25,000. Get Sorted works with students from all different backgrounds and with all levels of talent, including students with disabilities and special educational needs. It also offers support to young people who are excluded from school or need somewhere to learn because they are unable to cope with mainstream school. The centre provides out-of-school one-to-one tuition and provides a venue for young musicians to perform to an audience.