2017

NY0336 : Site of "White Swan" pub, Nelson Street, Maryport - October 2017

taken 6 years ago, near to Maryport, Cumbria, England

Site of "White Swan" pub, Nelson Street, Maryport - October 2017
Site of "White Swan" pub, Nelson Street, Maryport - October 2017
Appearing on the 1866 OS Map, the "White Swan" was acquired by the State Management Scheme in November 1918. As it is not shown on the 1925 OS Map, it was probably instantly closed following purchase.

The building seen here was not part of the pub - OS Maps suggest the "White Swan" was situated within the fenced area now surrounding an electricity sub-station. Date of demolition has not been found, but seems to be post-1970.
The State Managed Pubs & Breweries of Carlisle and District :: NY4459

To supply munitions for the Great War, a huge complex was constructed north of Carlisle. Starting in the autumn of 1915, some 10-12,000 “navvies” built a glycerine plant at Dornock between Eastriggs and Annan, while a distilled ether plant was erected between Mossband and Longtown. Eventually stretching some 7 miles long by 2 miles deep with 17 miles of perimeter fencing, at its peak it employed some 20,000 people – mainly women but with a considerable number of male construction workers.
Unfortunately, the influx of “navvies” gave rise to serious drunkenness problems in the City of Carlisle. While Carlisle had some 120 licensed premises in 1916, many were small, one-roomed affairs which simply could not cope with the crowds. Also, the local Constabulary were greatly pressed, with 953 convictions for drunkenness in 1916 (compared with 250 in 1914/15). In addition, there was concern a “tired and emotional” worker could accidentally reduce the area to a very large hole in the ground!
The Government’s answer was to “nationalise” all the pubs and breweries in Carlisle, a process begun in July 1916 and which quickly extended out to Longtown in the east and Maryport in the south-west. Pubs around Gretna and Eastriggs were also included. All were under the control of a local Board, based at 19 Castle Street, Carlisle (now a bookshop), which imposed strict opening hours, a maximum (and very low) alcoholic content for beer and spirits, and a ban on “treating” (buying a round for your mates).
Many old or inadequate pubs were quickly closed. But the scheme did not end with the cessation of hostilities on 11 November 1918, with the last pub – the White Swan in Wigton – only being acquired in January 1921. Indeed, Government control of these pubs and breweries continued until 1971, with return to private ownership not completed until 1973.
As the Scottish pubs soon moved to the control of a local Board, this Shared Description is intended to cover only the pubs and breweries purchased by the Scheme in what is now north-west Cumbria, or built in the years 1916-1971 – or what may now be found on the site (if anything). Many have closed – some have been demolished and some are under new developments or even roads! But there is one excellent book on the subject – “The Carlisle State Management Scheme” by the late Olive Seabury (Bookcase – 2007 – currently out of print), while “Carlisle Breweries and Public Houses 1894-1916” by Steven Davidson (P3 Publications – 2004 – also out of print) is a very useful starting point. Also, the web sites: “The State Management Story” LinkExternal link (not regularly updated) and Wikipedia at: LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright The Carlisle Kid and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Energy infrastructure
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · October 2017 [13] ·
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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NY0336, 330 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
The Carlisle Kid   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Friday, 27 October, 2017   (more nearby)
Submitted
Saturday, 28 October, 2017
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NY 034 367 [100m precision]
WGS84: 54:42.9931N 3:29.9820W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NY 034 367
View Direction
Northeast (about 45 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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