History of The Top House Pub, Springhead, Oldham

"In 1863 Samuel Lees came to open this newly-built beerhouse in Springhead, which he called the Commercial Inn. Mr Lees was an enterprising man and a year or two later he made his first application for a spirits license. This was refused, but it was third time lucky in 1867.

The magistrates were told he owned the Commercial and the adjoining cottage and that he had previously kept another beerhouse for four years without a complaint against him. He had a 'respectable signed memorial' (petition) for the license and his rates were £24, which represented an annual rental value of £32. The license was granted on the condition that the backyard, shared with the tenant next door, was divided so that there was a yard accessible only from the pub.

The Commercial became a popular venue: in March 1868, ninety carders, card room hands, winders, minders and piecers from Mr Andrew's mill 'partook of an excellent dinner' there. After the tablecloths were removed 'a very pleasant evening was spent in singing, dancing and reciting'. There were loyal and patriotic toasts and toasts to Mr Andrew and their hosts, Mr and Mrs Lees.

Samuel Lees often put on concerts for his customers, but on one occasion the entertainers didn't turn up. The local paper reported: 'Samuel Lees...was disappointed that a troop of genuine niggers from Oldham never turned up or sent word last Saturday. He said he lost a few shillings through having posters printed.'

The 1871 census found that Samuel and Mary Lees were both 35 years old and they had four children: John (16) and William (12), who worked in a cotton mill, Abraham (8) and Ann (3).

The next licensee of the Commercial was a gentleman by the name of Wilkinson Wilkinson. In 1881 he and his wife, Mary, were 52 years old, and living with them were their 19-year-old daughter and barmaid, Martha, and a lodger called Maria Hill. The address of the pub was first given as Co-operative Street around this time.

Two years later Mary Wilkinson had the licence, so her husband may have died, and by 1891 53 year-old Joseph Slater was in charge. Ann Slater was 50 and they had three children: George (17), a grocer's assistant, Mary, a barmaid, and John. Living with them was Ann's sister, Elizabeth Mellor.

The Commercial was used for coroners' inquests and one held in February 1892 was reported in the local paper. Allen Sanderson, aged 3 years 5 months, had gone into an empty house in Queen Street and died after drinking from an unlabelled bottle. The former tenant of the house, Aaron Walhurst, was found and he stated that the bottle contained boiler cleaning fluid which he had obtained from the Clough Spinning Company's mill. The verdict was accidental death.

In the 1890s the Commercial was owned by John Kenyon of the Clough Fold Brewery, Rossendale, and they sold the pub to Gartsides of Ashton in February 1921. In the 1920s and 1930s there was a new name over the door every year or so, then in 1939 James Boardman arrived and he stayed until 1953, making him the longest-serving licensee up to then. His arrival coincided with the takeover of Gartsides Brewery by Bents of Liverpool.

The next big change was in 1967. when Bass Charrington took over Bents & Gartsides. After a number of licensees came and went in the 1960s, Jean Ogden arrived in 1969 and she was at the Commercial for fifteen years, just beating James Boardman's record to become the pub's longest-serving licensee. The pub was owned by the Bass leasing company when Edward Heap, took over in 1984 and he had alterations made in 1990 and 1992. For many years the Commercial has been known as The Top House and this became the pub's official name in 1996."

RECENT INFORMATION
Edward Heap left in September 2000. The present Licensee is Dion Lee Heap (no relation). The ownership has also changed and The Top House is now part of the Punch Taverns group.

The history of The Top House is quite well documented thanks to local author Rob Magee, in his book "Springhead and Lees Pubs (including Alt) he has this to say :-

"In 1863 Samuel Lees came to open this newly-built beerhouse in Springhead, which he called the Commercial Inn. Mr Lees was an enterprising man and a year or two later he made his first application for a spirits license. This was refused, but it was third time lucky in 1867. The magistrates were told he owned the Commercial and the adjoining cottage and that he had previously kept another beerhouse for four years without a complaint against him. He had a 'respectable signed memorial' (petition) for the license and his rates were £24, which represented an annual rental value of £32. The license was granted on the condition that the backyard, shared with the tenant next door, was divided so that there was a yard accessible only from the pub. The Commercial became a popular venue: in March 1868, ninety carders, card room hands, winders, minders and piecers from Mr Andrew's mill 'partook of an excellent dinner' there. After the tablecloths were removed 'a very pleasant evening was spent in singing, dancing and reciting'. There were loyal and patriotic toasts and toasts to Mr Andrew and their hosts, Mr and Mrs Lees. Samuel Lees often put on concerts for his customers, but on one occasion the entertainers didn't turn up. The local paper reported: 'Samuel Lees...was disappointed that a troop of genuine niggers from Oldham never turned up or sent word last Saturday. He said he lost a few shillings through having posters printed.' The 1871 census found that Samuel and Mary Lees were both 35 years old and they had four children: John (16) and William (12), who worked in a cotton mill, Abraham (8) and Ann (3). The next licensee of the Commercial was a gentleman by the name of Wilkinson Wilkinson. In 1881 he and his wife, Mary, were 52 years old, and living with them were their 19-year-old daughter and barmaid, Martha, and a lodger called Maria Hill. The address of the pub was first given as Co-operative Street around this time. Two years later Mary Wilkinson had the licence, so her husband may have died, and by 1891 53 year-old Joseph Slater was in charge. Ann Slater was 50 and they had three children: George (17), a grocer's assistant, Mary, a barmaid, and John. Living with them was Ann's sister, Elizabeth Mellor. The Commercial was used for coroners' inquests and one held in February 1892 was reported in the local paper. Allen Sanderson, aged 3 years 5 months, had gone into an empty house in Queen Street and died after drinking from an unlabelled bottle. The former tenant of the house, Aaron Walhurst, was found and he stated that the bottle contained boiler cleaning fluid which he had obtained from the Clough Spinning Company's mill. The verdict was accidental death. In the 1890s the Commercial was owned by John Kenyon of the Clough Fold Brewery, Rossendale, and they sold the pub to Gartsides of Ashton in February 1921. In the 1920s and 1930s there was a new name over the door every year or so, then in 1939 James Boardman arrived and he stayed until 1953, making him the longest-serving licensee up to then. His arrival coincided with the takeover of Gartsides Brewery by Bents of Liverpool. The next big change was in 1967. when Bass Charrington took over Bents & Gartsides. After a number of licensees came and went in the 1960s, Jean Ogden arrived in 1969 and she was at the Commercial for fifteen years, just beating James Boardman's record to become the pub's longest-serving licensee. The pub was owned by the Bass leasing company when Edward Heap, took over in 1984 and he had alterations made in 1990 and 1992. For many years the Commercial has been known as The Top House and this became the pub's official name in 1996." RECENT INFORMATION Edward Heap left in September 2000. The present Licensee is Dion Lee Heap (no relation). The ownership has also changed and The Top House is now part of the Punch Taverns group.

Rob Magee's book and others in the series are available from most good bookshops including 'Hammicks' in Oldham town centre. ISBN 1 85216 110 8 (text reproduced with kind permission)