The Berkeley Public House Formerly The Minorca

The Minorca on the corner of King Street and Wallgate

By Wigan Local History and Heritage Society for The King Street Project

A Grade II listed building since July 1983, the building stands at the corner of 27-29 Wallgate and 2, 4 and 6 King Street. There is evidence that a Thomas Martin, had a house, farm, and malt kiln on the site in 1762. It is thought to have been a public house since circa 1820, possibly earlier as a building called the Minorca or referred to locally as “William Roper’s” was in existence in 1790, previously referred to as Thorntons.

The Minorca is reputedly named after the Balearic Island, now Menorca, which was lost in battle to the French in 1756 by Admiral John Byng, who was subsequently shot by firing squad on the quarterdeck of his own ship.

The Minorca was used extensively in the 1790s and early 1800s for various land and building auctions, in addition to public meetings concerning declared bankrupts.

Previous owners/publicans include:

1806-1807 – Mrs. Billinge
1809 – John Croudson
1816 – John Walls
1818 – Ellen Green, married Nicholas Cowell in 1819
1825 – Nicholas Cowell
1828 – Peter Aspinwall

By 1843 Minorca was in the possession of the Wigan Brewery Company.

1854 – John Chadwick

The building was altered in 1857 to the designs of Alfred Waterhouse, the eminent Victorian architect.

Between 1858-1869, John Hesketh was the tenant with a large outside catering business for organisations in various locations around the town and surrounding areas.

In 1857, George Cox opened his Livery Stable. This was a short-lived venture, with the closing of the business in 1859, with four Horses, three Cabs, two Drags, one Gig, plus clothing, head collars, etc offered for sale.

In 1894, the whole estate of the Wigan Brewery Company was offered for auction of one lot, including the Minorca, comprising of the brewery, 86 public houses, and the extensive Wine & Spirit Store in Rodney Street trading under Henry Robinson & Co.

The auction was the result of a court case involving the owner, Ellen Ann Robinson Morris, a spinster, lunacy claim having been committed to an asylum.

The auction lot was bought by Magee Marshall & Company for £150,000. (£14m today). The stables and other buildings were not included in the sale, there were also right-of-way restrictions with adjoining properties although access to ashpit in the yard was included. At the time of the sale Jane Kenny was the tenant/landlady.

Thomas Wall, (founder of the Wigan Observer in 1853) was the first tenant in 1845 of the premises known as Minorca Buildings, the only tenant until the property was purchased by the brewing company Messrs Magee Marshall. This may have prompted the alterations by Alfred Waterhouse in 1857.

1891 census the Licensed Victualler was Jane Keaney, a widow aged 39 living with Jane, her niece, Gertrude Bost (Best?), four servants and a visitor. There were three servants described as waitresses and one as a cook.

The 1901 census recorded William Seddon as Hotel Keeper.

The 1911-1921 census shows the Minorca Hotel being managed by Martha Lord and her son James, both employed by Magee and Marshall & Company, brewers, later taken over by Greenall Whitley & Company Ltd, of Warrington in 1958.

The Berni Inns company took over the building in 1968 and undertook an extensive redesign of the property, comprising two restaurants, four bars, plus a bier keller.