Sheffield pub history index
Directory of Pubs in the UK, historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Sheffield, Yorkshire.
Residents at this address
In 1865 the license of the Royal Oak was taken by my great, great grandfather, John Young. Young had a number of business interests, amongst which was horse slaughtering, an activity that he developed in the Royal Oak Yard behind the pub . In due course John was
joined in business by his sons and traded at John Young and Sons. On John’s death, one of his sons, Benjamin Young took over the pub, to be followed in turn by his son, also Benjamin, then by Benjamin’s widow, until the site was compulsorily purchased for redevelopment in 1932. *
Another website states that the Royal Oak opened in 1796 but I can find no source for this assertion, so am reluctant to just repeat it.
The address of the Royal Oak was 83-85 Pond Street in 1879, but before that it was numbered 138 Pond Street. I did wonder whether the pub had moved, but maps surveyed in 1850 and 1889 are attached showing the Royal Oak in the same place, so we can conclude that Pond Street must have been renumbered sometime between 1871 and 1879, with even numbers on the west side and odd numbers on the east side. I also a attach an insurance map of 1896 which shows this later numbering.
However, there is also indication that a renumbering took place in the 1840s as well, as the Royal Oak was formerly at No 8 Pond Street.
Summary of landlords : *
1820-1823 – Benjamin Armitage *
1825 – Thomas Rodgers *
1828 – Jervis Layland *
1834 – 1842 – George Stocks *
1844 – 1845 – Henry Hurt *
1848 – 1864 – John Horncastle *
1864 – 1865 – Miss Sarah Ann Horncastle *
1865 – 1883 – John Young*
1883 – abt 1909 – Benjamin Young the elder *
Abt 1909 – 1917 – Benjamin Young the younger *
1917 – 1920 – Mrs Mary Young (widow of the above) *
1920 – 1932 – Mrs Mary Barlow (former Mrs Young above) *
Landlords of the Royal Oak *
Dec 1820 – Benjamin Armitage “at the sign of the Royal Oak, Pond Street”. The Royal Oak and other properties offered for sale by auction. (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 02 December 1820) *
1822 - Benjamin Armitage – Victualler, Royal Oak, 8 Pond Street (Baines’ Directory of Yorkshire) *
1823 – Benjamin Armitage – Victualler, Royal Oak, 8 Pond Street (Baines’ Directory of Yorkshire) *
1825 – “The House of Mr Rodgers, the sign of the Royal Oak, Pond Street” (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 08 January 1825) *
1825 – Thomas Rodgers, victualler, Royal Oak, 8 Pond Street (Gell’s Directory of Sheffield) *
1828 – Jervis Layland – Royal Oak, 8 Pond Street (Pigot’s Directory) *
1833/George Stocks / Victualler /../../Whites Directory of Sheffield **
1834 – George Stocks, Royal Oak, Pond Street (Pigot’s Directory) *
1836 - George Stocks, Royal Oak, Pond Street (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 27 February 1836) *
1837 – Royal Oak, Pond Street, occupied by Geo Stock, offered for sale at auction (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 09 September 1837) *
1841 Census - George Stocks, Publican, Pond Street (does not state that it is the Royal Oak but a newspaper article confirms George Stocks of the Royal Oak, Pond Street in Jun 1841, as does the directory below). *
1841 – George Stocks, Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street (Rodgers’ Directory of Sheffield) *
1841/George Stocks/../../../Pigots Directory **
George Stocks of the Royal Oak died 15 Dec 1842 (Sheffield Iris - Saturday 17 December 1842) *
1843 - Royal Oak offered to let following death of the owner, William [sic] Stocks. (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 28 January 1843). I think could be an error and should read George. The clippings attached seem to suggest that the Inn was bought by Thomas
Rawson & Co of Pond Street Brewery, though another website suggests they acquired it in 1851. *
1844 - Landlord was Henry Hurt. Summoned for allowing card playing in his house (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 10 August 1844 ) *
1845 – Henry Hurt, chaser, fluter and victualler, Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street (White’s Directory) *
1848 - John Horncastle, Royal Oak, Pond Street. Ref to an organised fight (boxing?) (Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle - 14 May 1848) *
1849 – John Horncastle, Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street (White’s Directory) *
1851 Census - John Horncastle, licensed victualler 138 Pond Street. The inn is not named but concurrent newspaper reports tell us that he was landlord of the Royal Oak. *
1851-1857 - Mr John Horncastle confirmed as landlord of Royal Oak by multiple newspaper references (Sheffield Independent - 7 June 1851 to Sheffield Daily Telegraph - 24 December 1857 ) *
1852 – John Horncastle, licensed victualler and wood turner, Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street (White’s Directory of Sheffield) *
1852/J Horncastle/../../../Whites Directory of Sheffield **
1854 & 1856 – John Horncastle, victualler, Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street (Kelly’s 1854 and White’s 1856 Directories of Sheffield) *
1856/John Horncastle / Victualler /../../Whites Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham **
1861 Census – John Horncastle, publican, The Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street. (widower). Note the pub was next to No 8 Court for ref below. *
1862 - John Horncastle, victualler, Royal Oak, 138 Pond Street (White’s Directory of Sheffield) *
John Horncastle of the Royal Oak died 19 Feb 1864 (Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Monday 22 February 1864) *
12 May 1865 - License for the Royal Oak transferred to John Young from Sarah Ann Horncastle. (Sheffield Independent - Saturday 13 May 1865). Miss Sarah Ann Horncastle was John Horncastle’s daughter. *
1871 Census - John Young – publican, The Royal Oak Public House, Pond Street. (not numbered, but shown between 156 and court 8, similar to 1861, so assume still numbered 138) *
Sometime between 1871 and 1879 Pond Street was renumbered. *
1879 - John Young licensed victualler, Royal Oak 83-85 Pond Street. (White’s Directory of Sheffield) *
1881 Census - John Young licensed victualler, Royal Oak 83-85 Pond Street. Also Kelly’s Directory *
1881/John Young/Licensed Victualler/54/Chesterfield, Derby/Census
1881/Clara Young/Daughter/19/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Clara Young/Daughter in Law/33/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Joseph H Young/Grandson, Auctioneers Clerk/15/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Fanny Morton/Domestic Servant/20/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Herbert Cooper/General Servant/19/Sheffield, York/Census
1881/Harry Topham/Boarder, Fish Salesman/24/Sheffield, York/Census
John Young died 2 Dec 1883 and the license passed to his son Benjamin *
1891 Census - Benjamin Young, publican Royal Oak 83-85 Pond Street. *
1901 Census - Benjamin Young, licensed victualler, 83-85 Pond Street *
1901/Benjamin Young/../../Whites Directory
1901-1905 – Benjamin Young, victualler, Royal Oak 83-85 Pond Street (White’s Directories of Sheffield, 1901, 1905) *
Benjamin Young died 31 Jan 1909. The licence was taken over by his son, also Benjamin Young but may have been sooner as the latter is shown as Publican at 83 Pond Street on his son’s baptism in 1907. I cannot find an account of the relevant licensing meeting 1911 Census - Benjamin Young jr., licensed victualler, Royal Oak, 83-85 Pond Street. *
1911/Benjamin Young/../../Whites Directory
1919/Benjamin Young/../../Whites Directory
Benjamin Young jr died 26 Dec 1917 and the license passed to his widow Mary (née Hibbard) *
Mary Young remarried in 1920 to Ernest Barlow, and I believe that she continued as licensee until 1932. *
1921 Census - Mrs Mary Barlow (née Hibbard) license holder, 85 Pond Street. *
In 1930 the area containing the Royal Oak was designated for slum clearance. The following year, despite some protests, a compulsory purchase order was approved (No 14 and/or No 15 I believe) and in 1932 plans tabled to widen the street and construct a bus station.
Demolition work began in mid-1933 and in October 1933 the fixtures and fittings of the Royal Oak (and the nearby Greyhound Inn) were sold by order of the city corporation in a "dismantling sale".
(Sheffield Independent -17 October 1933). *
By 1936 the site had been largely cleared as this aerial photo shows. *
The site of the Royal Oak now lies under the modern bus station. *
Benjamin (jr) and Mary Young had a son, also Benjamin Young (1907-1992) who, from 1935, was licensee of the Matilda Tavern, 100 Matilda Street. (Newspaper and 1939 Register) *
Ben and Mary’s daughter Mary Young married Herbert Victor Fletcher and they ran the Crown Inn, Potter Hill, Rotherham (1939 Register). *
* Provided By Bill Swift
** Provided By Stephen Harris
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