The Spread Eagle


Recommended Posts

hello everyone. My mother grew up in Nottinghamshire, my grandparents, Joseph and Winnifred Gilbertson ran a pub called the Spread Eagle, back in the 1940's-60's. I have so little information about it and would love any anecdotes, photographs memories. A street address would be great as well.

Thanks

Daniel

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ayup Gilbertson,

I only live a few miles from Newark if you want I can nip down at the weekend and get a few pictures for you, anything in particular?

Rog

Link to post
Share on other sites

wow, thanks Rog, that's a very kind offer. I would love to see the building the pub was in, what it is now (is it still a pub?), and perhaps a few shots of the patch of street where this building is, adjacent buildings. But really, whatever you could get would be fantastic.

My wife and I have started talking about making a trip over there ourselves once we've saved up enough to do so. It might be a couple years before this is possible, but if/when it happens I'd love to buy you a few pints.

Thank you so much.

Daniel

Link to post
Share on other sites

hey,

my aunt just emailed me the address. She seems to think it was 7 Middlegate, and she remembers there being a fish and chips shop 2 or three doors down (this is where her addiction to fish and chips started). She also mentions a cobbled walkway which led from the pub to the market square.

hope this helps

thanks again Rog for offering to take a few pics for me, and everyone for their quick and interesting responses..

Daniel

Link to post
Share on other sites

Newarkontrent001.jpg

Hi Daniel,

This is a pic of Middlegate Newark, it would seem that No7 no longer exists as original building for whatever reason, no one I spoke to today on the street had any knowledge of the Spread Eagle.

more pics to follow

Rog

Link to post
Share on other sites

Newarkontrent002.jpg

The shop called Fab and Shirt Sleeves are on the site of number 7 Middlegate as you can see it's a more modern building probably 1960's buildings either side are old though, does this suggest a fire at number 7?

Rog

Link to post
Share on other sites

Newarkontrent003.jpg

Possibly a partial success to your quest Daniel, on the left in this picture a few doors up probably number 13 or 15 is a chip shop, Bentley's fish restaurant could this be the one your aunt spoke of? there are plenty of private alley ways along here, (non accessible though) that lead to the market square, some are still cobbled as you say, i will try and get some more pics for you next weekend if time permits, hope this has been helpful

Cheers

Rog

Link to post
Share on other sites

Newarkontrent004.jpg

Nearly forgot this one, It's across the road from the first picture (the half timbered one) on the corner of Middlegate and Kirkgate as you can see it's the Boars head built in 1883. if the Spread Eagle was at number 7 you could have fell out of it's door and staggered across the road about 20 feet and fell in the Boars head pub.

Rog

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

Roger,

thank you so much for all the amazing photos. I've been away all week without internet access, but logging on this morning and seeing the photos you took for me was fantastic. I appreciate the effort. Sad to see that the building at #7 is gone, but really interesting to see the rest. I'll pass these along to my aunts and see if it triggers any memories. I'm sure it will.

Thanks again!

Daniel

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 years later...

The Spread Eagle Goldsmith Street Nottingham (As it used to be called)...that the one? Don't think it's there now...may be wrong...I think it's part of the college now.

NB00592.jpg

Used to have a pint of Bass in here in the evening when I was doing my HNC (Chemistry) at the Technical College (later Trent Polytechnic) around 1969/70. The landlord was a dour old geezer but he did do a mean cheese and onion cob

No wonder I couldn't get a girlfriend in those days. What a geek. Studying at college and smelling of chemicals, fags, beer and cheese and onion!

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

The Spread used to be great in the mid 60,s upstairs in the cocktail bar. There used to be an extremely camp bar man called Simon who worked there. We would often ask him for something we knew he didn't stock upstairs, and when he'd gone we used to help ourselves to free drinks. Very naughty but some of my mates were poor students. The landlord banned us several times but always relented as his profits were very soon down. Great days.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes somewhere halfway down I think.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes somewhere halfway down I think.

Link to post
Share on other sites

No, my fingers were cold. I'd just been in the freezer to prepare madams tea.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...