Dalton Brook.
A Personal Website by
John Doxey.
Main Photo Content Jonathan Dabbs
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Dalton Brook. A Personal Website by John Doxey. Main Photo Content Jonathan Dabbs |
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The Grapes Hotel |
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Grapes Hotel Doncaster Road Dalton pre 1940. The photo has been retouched by me on computer, the original has a tear and fold marks, plus several blemishes. the people at the front of the Grapes were barely visible and you could not see much of the detail. |
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The Grapes Hotel was known as the Grapes Inn and prior to that as
the Grapes Tavern in the 1800's, like
all Inns it was the meeting place for the locals as well as passing travellers, there are many stories and legends surrounding the Grapes and also the
people who owned or worked at the premises.
Samuel Simpson Head M Male 38 Worksop, Nottingham, England Inn Keeper Farmer Of 23 Acres Employing 1 Labourer
The future Licensee of the Grapes in 1881
was listed as
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The Grapes Hotel was known as the Grapes Inn and prior to that as
the Grapes Tavern in the 1800's, like
all Inns it was the meeting place for the locals as well as passing travellers, there are many stories and legends surrounding the Grapes and also the
people who owned or worked at the premises.
Samuel Simpson Head M Male 38 Worksop, Nottingham, England Inn Keeper Farmer Of 23 Acres Employing 1 Labourer
The future Licensee of the Grapes in 1881
was listed as
In 1901
Joe Steeples 36 Yorks Outwood Yorks Dalton Publican
Dwelling The Grapes Inn 1905 James Henry Steeples, Joe Steeples and
Catherine Arundel were the licensee’s of the Grapes Hotel, Dalton Brook
during the years 1905 to1926. The Steeples family were well known in the
Rotherham area. Their son
Laurie became a legend of Snooker
Terry Steeples was the
manager of the Rotherham Empire in the 1950's and 60's and was responsible
for bringing some of the rock n roll singers of the day like Craig Douglas
to Town.
Stewart Mason writes that Richard "Dick" Davis was the "chucker out" at the Grapes public house
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One of the many legends surrounding the Grapes was sent in by Raye Kelly concerning the day his Grandad F. Kelly had a fight outside the Grapes Hotel with Ian ( iron ) Hague from Mexbro, it was just before Haigh was due to fight Sam Langford for the title. this was pre 1918 I don't quite know which title, anyway the tale goes that due to his poor performance outside the Grapes, all the betting went off him and sure enough he lost.
Peter Lawery writes
A plaque on the outside wall of The Montagu Arms at Mexborough,
South Yorkshire
British Boxing Greats
Peter Oxley writes
As usual, we'd finish playing when it was
too dark to see the ball, but this time instead of going straight home we
would go into The Grapes car park and wave cars into a parking position
before opening the door for the occupants. If there was a posh-looking car,
we'd scramble to get there first. Sometimes they'd give you threepence or
even a tanner, after which we'd nip in Bellamy's chippy for some fish and
chips. Mr Foster, who ran the Grapes in those days, had two fierce
Alsatians, each of them the size of a small horse, which he used as guard
dogs. Mr Foster didn't like us taking money from his valued customers, among
whom were Rotherham United players, and even the chairman Louis Pursehouse,
so he'd let his dogs loose on us and we'd run off in blind terror to climb
the nearest tree or high wall to get out of their way.
My great grandfather worked at the Grapes Inn as a cellarman. This would be
about 1945-1950, as my mum can remember visiting him there when she was a child.
He must have been past retirement age as he died in 1951, aged 75years. I am not
sure how long he worked there for. His name was Thomas Gill.
Roy Nixon writes
My
Grandma used to like to go there sometimes where she drank Red Biddy
Raye Kelly writes
Above the Grapes Hotel was
a billiard hall with about 8 full sized tables , perfect when wagging it from
school if you gave the old guy who looked after it a ciggy you were in for the
day access was around the back up a VERY rickety fire escape type
staircase,
Geoff Walker writes "John, here’s a story relating to the “Steeples”
family and The Grapes in particular. Now up some wooden steps round the
back of The Grapes you entered the Billiard Hall, and I along with a good
few mates, Jack Pugh would probably be among them, honed our initial skills
in there.
Here lies the body of Albert Barker,
Typical of young Merrills that one ‘egh…."
J H Kelsall age 36 who was living at 16 Kelvin St Dalton worked at the Grapes prior to July 1924, at that time he signed on as a collier at Silverwood A photographic look at the demolition of the Grapes, click on link to the right |
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Sources Rotherham Records Census records 1881, 1901 Stewart Mason Peter Oxley Geoff Walker |
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This site is listed as a local source of History on
An excellent government sponsored program dedicated to the enrichment of School learning nationwide. Rotherham Schools included. |
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All text and pages as formatted and presented on this site Copyright John Doxey and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without consent. Photos, and information Copyright to Primary Sources where applicable
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