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IVY HOTEL, BARKEREND ROAD, BRADFORD

OVER THE WALL AT TIMOTHY TAYLOR

TIMOTHY TAYLOR'S LATEST BREWERY DEVELOPMENTS

HAMMONDS BRADFORD BREWERY ADVERTISING, DECEMBER 1936

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CASTLE HOTEL, BRADFORD

Sketch from Bradford Weekly Telegraph, 21/1/1899

The Bradford antiquarian, Mr G. Field, wrote a paper on the old halls of Bradford shortly before the end of the 19th century. An article on the ten old halls appeared in the Bradford Weekly Telegraph, dated 21January 1899. One of which became the Ivy Hotel public house. The property in the 'old days' from said to have been covered with ivy, hence its eventual name.
The mansion, with twenty-two bedroom windows on its frontage, was built as a private residence. It stood opposite the top of Harris Street, on Barkerend Road. Samuel Smithson, the owner occupier c1800, is thought to have had the building erected. The Garnetts of Barkerend Mills, bought premises and about the year 1819 let it to Mrs Busfeild and her two sons. They inherited estates from the Ferrand family of Bingley in 1837 and moved there. Swithen Anderton builder and owner of Eastbrook Mills lived at the house 1837 to 1845. Two years later John Stephenson moved into the property, presumably after obtaining a lease. He converted the building into a public house and shop premises.
Brewing seems to have been carried on at the house by the Stephenson family from c1847. By 1856 Jane Stephenson, widow of John, was licensee at the property. In 1871 she employed Henri Sever, a British subject born in Germany, as brewer.
In 1875 Thomas Stephenson took the licence at the pub. He had previously been employed by Messers Garnett & Co. In 1883 the trustees of the late William Garnett sold the Ivy Hotel to Thomas Stephenson, innkeeper, for £3,000. The deeds of the property recorded that the sale included a garden, brewhouse, stable and wash-house. The following year he took his own life.
The local press reported that the incident occurred on Sunday 9th March. His family were worried about his condition in the days before the event and were keeping watch on him. He had got up on the day about six o’ clock and commenced sharpening a knife. His daughter-in-law tried to interfere. But he rushed out into the backyard of the hotel and inflicted a terrible wound to his throat. He died almost immediately.
His son James who had been brewer at the pub in 1881 then took the licence. The pub was auctioned in 1897 and Charles Wright, brewer, wine and spirit merchant, of Leeds, purchased the property for £11,550. This sale included a larger parcel of land.
Landlord, Slater Whitham, bought the Ivy in 1908. His ownership lasted until 1918, when he died. The house was then variously leased to John Smith's and J. Hey & Co; Ltd; of Bradford.
In November 1946 the Ivy Hotel became a news story for the Telegraph & Argus. The high gable part of the frontage of the building started to bulge outwards. Huge wooden supports had to be erected upon Barkerend Road. The next door drapery store was closed. Licensee Joseph Ryder, told the T&A, that he "noticed a slight bulge a year ago, but a few weeks ago it became more prominent."
Repairs must have been carried out as Russell & Wrangham, brewers of Malton, took on the property in 1952, for £14,500.
Melbourne Brewery (Leeds) Ltd; acquired Russell & Wrangham in 1958 through a share exchange deal. Two years later the directors of Melbourne Brewery approached J. Tetley & Son Ltd; and asked the Hunslet Road firm to purchase their company. Tetley disposed of Russell & Wrangham's estate and brewery to J. W. Cameron & Co. Ltd; of Hartlepool, in 1961.
Barrett's City of Bradford directory for 1965 records that the licensee of the Ivy Hotel was a C. Crabtree. Around that time Bradford Council built flats at the back of the pub and the property was demolished. The corporation took until the year 1972 before they paid a purchase price of £13,300 to J. W. Cameron. The Hartlepool brewer subsequently acquired the lease of the Bentley's Yorkshire Breweries house (BYB), Ye Barrack Tavern, Bradford Moor.

Paul Jennings, local historian and Bradford University lecturer, provided me with details of the Ivy Hotel's various sales over the years.

Another view, right, also photographed 19/3/2011.