Sheffield pub history index
At 133 Pond Street in 1881 census
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Sheffield, Yorkshire.
Residents at this address
Located on the corner of Pond Street and Harmer Lane and numbered 133 Pond Street after the 1870s renumbering. It stood opposite Rawson’s Pond Street Brewery. *
This beer house was formerly known as the Rawson Arms but following, and no doubt hoping to capitalise on, the opening of the Midland Railway Station in 1870, the name was changed to the Midland Hotel or the Midland Railway Hotel; the names are used interchangeably. I’ve written it below as it is shown in each reference document. *
This beerhouse is much confused with the Midland Station Hotel located on the corner of Pond Street and Sheaf Street (or Station Road). The newly built Midland Station Hotel opened in 1879 and was demolished in about 1903 to make way for road improvements. *
Summary of licensees *
Date established not known *
As the Rawson Arms (88-90 Pond Street) *
1850 - William Shuttleworth *
1851-1854 - James Travis or Travers *
1857-1862 – Mrs Mary Green *
As the Midland (Railway) Hotel (88-90 Pond Street then renumbered as 133 Pond Street) *
1870-1871 - John Kirk *
1874-1876 – William Lee *
1879 - John Henry Hides *
1881 - Mrs Emma Young *
1881-1882 – John Greenhough *
1886-1888 - Thomas Park *
1889-1891 – Albert May *
1893 - Frederick Freeman *
1895 - William Barnstall *
1901-1903 - William Lee *
1904 - ceased operating and believed to have been pulled down that year *
History and Sources *
1845 White’s Directory – not found. 88 Pond Street occupied by a grocer named John Sheldon and 90 by George Rixham, an awl maker, neither of who have been identified as beerhouse keepers. *
1850 – Rawson Arms beer house, Pond Street, William Shuttleworth (Sheffield Independent - 4 May 1850) *
1851 Census – 88 Pond Street, James Travis, Carpenter. No 90 not listed, but see White’s below. I suspect the hotel occupied 88 & 90. *
1854 – White’s Directory – 90 Pond Street, James Travers, beer retailer *
1857 – P O Directory - 90 Pond Street, Mary Green, beer retailer *
1861 Census – Rawson Arms, 88 Pond Street, Mary Green (widow), beerhouse keeper. *
1862 – White’s Directory, 88 Pond Street, Mary Green, beerhouse keeper. *
1868 – Rawson Arms, Pond Street. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 03 Oct 1868) *
1869 – John Kirk, 88 Pond Street, beer house license granted (Sheffield Independent - 25 Sep 1869) *
1870 – Midland Railway Station opened. (Sheffield Independent - 1 February 1870) *
1870 – John Kirk, landlord of the Midland Railway Hotel, Pond Street. (Sheffield Independent - 16 December 1870) *
1870 – John Kirk, landlord of the Midland Hotel, Pond Street. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 24 December 1870) *
1871 Census – Midland Hotel, 88 & 90 Pond Street, John Kirk, publican. (confirmed on corner of Harmer Lane) *
Pond Street was renumbered in 1870s. *
1874 – ref to Midland Hotel, 133 Pond Street (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 04 July 1874) *
1874 – William Lee, landlord, Midland Hotel, Pond Street, advertising for a brewer. (Sheffield Independent - 9 Sep 1874) *
31 Aug 1876 – William Lee, former landlord of the Midland Hotel, Pond Street was in the process of moving to his new business when £5 was stolen from the counter. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 20 October 1876). *
1879 – White’s Directory – John Henry Hides – beer house keeper, 133 Pond Street (not named). *
1880 – John Greenhough contact on advert for staff (see below). (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 14 October 1880) *
1881 Census – Midland Railway Hotel, 133 Pond Street, Mrs Emma Young. Mrs Young was wife of John Young of the Royal Oak, Pond Street. They seem to have kept the two hotels concurrently, though probably for a very short time. *
1881/Emma Young/Publican/46/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Mary Young/Daughter/21/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/George Young/Son In Law, Carter/20/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/William Greenhough/Son, Bellhanger/16/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Rose Booth/General Servant/20/Sheffield, York/Census
1881 White’s Directory – John Greenhough, beer seller, 133 Pond Street. Almost certainly a relation of Emma Young, whose late 1st husband was William Greenhough of the Barrel Inn, Pond Street. It could be her son, John Arnold Greenhough, though he was actually an engraver. *
Jan 1882 – John Greenough [sic], beer seller, Pond Street convicted of selling short measure. *
1882 – Beerhouse to let, apply at the Midland Railway Hotel, Pond Street. Not certain this is the Midland itself to let, but seems likely. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 07 February 1882) *
1885 – Midland Railway Hotel, 133 Pond Street. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 31 March 1885) *
Mar 1886 – Midland Hotel Beerhouse, Pond Street to be let by application to Pond Street Brewery. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 09 March 1886). *
Same month, advert worded to let, “Midland Railway Hotel Beerhouse, opposite the brewery, Pond Street, by application to Thos Rawson & Co.” *
Same month again, a differently worded advert described it as..” a good beerhouse on the corner of Pond Street and Harmer Lane, application on the premises.” *
Aug 1886 – Thomas Park, Midland Railway Hotel, Pond Street (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 14 Aug 1886). *
1887 – Thomas Park, landlord of Midland Railway Hotel summoned for breach of licensed hours. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Friday 20 May 1887) *
Apr 1888 – Thomas Park landlord, Midland Railway Hotel, Pond street. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 06 April 1888) *
Jan 1889 – A May, Midland Railway Hotel, Pond Street. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 2 January 1889) *
1891 Census – Midland Hotel, Pond Street, Albert May, Innkeeper (on corner of Harmer Lane and next to 131 Pond Street, so by deduction, 133 Pond Street) *
1892 – Midland Railway Hotel, Pond Street to let. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 5 July 1892) *
1893 Kelly’s Directory - Frederick Freeman, beer retailer, 133 Pond Street. *
1895 Pawson & Brailsford Directory – William Barnstall, beerhouse keeper, 133 Pond Street *
1898 – ref to Midland Hotel on corner of Harmer Lane. (Sheffield Independent - 16 February 1898) *
1898 – Midland Railway Hotel, Pond Street to let. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 14 May 1898) *
1901 Census – 133 Pond Street, William Lee, publican (Inn not named) *
1902 – William Lee, landlord Midland Railway Hotel summoned for allowing drunkenness on his premises. (Sheffield Evening Telegraph - 4 September 1902) *
Feb 1903 – Application by William Lee to renew license refused after objections by the Chief Constable. He had been convicted of running a disorderly house. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 20 February 1903) *
Feb 1904 – reported that the alehouse license of the Midland Hotel had lapsed. The item actually has “pulled-down” in parentheses, but whether we take that literally is unclear. (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 5 February 1904). *
1905 – White’s Directory – 133 Pond Street not listed. *
1911 White’s Directory – 133 Pond Street not listed. *
1911 Census – 133 Pond Street in multiple occupancy (6 families with 1 room each). Not a beerhouse *
1921 Census – 133 Pond Street , 24 people living in 8 rooms. Not a beerhouse. *
133 Pond Street demolished as part of slum clearance in 1930s and now part of the bus station site. *
* Provided By Bill Swift