Shepherds Arms, 44 Kay Street, Bolton

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The Shepherd Arms pictured in the late-1920s.

The Shepherds Arms was situated at 44 Kay Street at its junction with Charles Street. The pub dated back to at least the 1860s.The first mention we have is when Bernard Brand – sometimes given as Barnard Brand or even Barnard Band – is listed in the 1869 Bolton Directory. That same year he was one of the first licensees to be awarded a licence under the new system of annual renewals. Mr Brand died on 27 October 1870 and he was succeeded by William Henry who had previously run a number of pubs in the town.

In the early-1900s the landlord was Joseph Burtonwood who moved along with his wife Hannah from her family’s grocery store on nearby Union Street.

The Shepherd’s was bought by local brewer Joseph Sharman whose Mere Hall brewery was situated about half a mile away from Kay Street. Sharman’s and its 58 pubs were taken over by Shaw’s of Leigh. When they were in turn taken over by Walker Cain Ltd in 1931 a trading review took place as a result of which the Shepherd’s Arms closed in 1933. [1]

The pub was situated next door to the Kay Street Congregational Mission and the mission expanded into the Shepherds on its closure. The mission closed in 1958 and was demolished in 1959 for the widening of Kay Street. Construction of the St Peters Way extension in the early-1990s meant the landscaping of Kay Street. The lower end, which once contained the Shepherds Arms and the Kay Street Mission, barely exists apart from a footpath where the street used to run. This can be seen below. Note the statue of Atlas from Walmsleys Forge which now stands on the site of the former BankOf England pub. The Bank Of England was just three doors down from the Shepherds Arms. Note that this isn't the same view as in the image at the top of the page. Charles Street runs along the side of the pub in the 1920s image; this view is up Kay Street (as was).

[1] Bolton Pubs 1800-2000, by Gordon Readyhough. Published by Neil Richardson (2000).