Clarence Stores, 173 Earlsdon Avenue North, Earlsdon
| Alternative Addresses: | 171 Earlsdon Avenue North | ||
| These premises have been known by different names during their history: | FROM | TO | NAME |
| 1912 | 1929 | CLARENCE STORES | |
| 1929 | 1971 | CLARENCE | |
| 1971 | 1991 | PORT O' CALL | |
| 1991 | present | OLD CLARENCE | |
Since Earlsdon's creation from 1852 there had been a strong mix of progressive Liberal politics and non-conformism, particularly Wesleyan Methodism. Hence Earlsdon was never as well supplied with pubs as other watchmaking areas in the city such as Chapelfields and Spon End. In 1912 the inhabitants of the Earlsdon Avenue North area strongly objected to plans for an off-license on the corner with Coniston Road. They were unsuccessful and the brewery built a pub that operated as an off-license alone for the next 15 years until permission was obtained for a full public house license.
So, from May 1914 to 1929 it operated as the Clarence Stores with an off beer-house license only; the first license being granted to Alfred Wagstaff on the understanding that the full licence of the Clarence Hotel in Smithford Street was surrendered.
The licence was passed on to Samuel Horace Brown in October the following year, who, in March 1919, made an application to remove the licence from Star and Garter in Bishop Street in order to obtain a full licence for the Clarence, but at this time the granting was refused.
However, in April 1928 a modified application was successful, although only to be facilitated once the premises extensions and alterations were complete, so in late 1929 the license of the Waggon and Horses, Well Street, was transferred to the Clarence and the license of the Victoria Vaults in Victoria Street was also surrendered to facilitate this transfer.The Duke of Clarence was William IV's name before he became King. He had a short naval career and took his seat in the House of Lords as the Duke of Clarence. Some Clarence signs show the four-wheeled carriage which was named after him. | |||
LICENSEES:1912 - 1915 Alfred Wagstaff 1915 - 1929 Samuel Horace Brown | |||
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