Brown Cow

Located next to Whitechapel church, this is another local pub steeped in history with no known sources of it's origins.

In the 1940's the Brown Cow was headquarters to a club named "The Brown Cow Pothole & Mountaineering Club, incorporating the Royal Antediluvian Order of Gentle Strollers." The coat of arms for the club apparently hung proudly behind the bar. The idea arose out of petrol rationing and members decided to organise pleasant bus rides and rambles into the dales. To qualify as a member you had to either climb Pen Y Ghent or explore a pothole.

1834 - Pigot's Trade Directory - Brown Cow, Cleckheaton. Landlord recorded as Robert Swires.

29 Sep 1838 - Property Auction - Landlord recorded as Thomas Sellers.

1841 - Trade Directory - Pigot & Co., National & Commercial Directory records Thomas Sellers at the Brown Cow

6 Jun 1841 - Census entry - White Chapel, Cleckheaton. Premises not named but evidence suggests it was here.
Thomas SELLERS  40  Cardmaker (all born in Yorkshire)

Hannah SELLERS  40

Joseph SELLERS  15  Moulder

Susannah SELLERS  14

Elizabeth SELLERS  10

William SELLERS  8

Edwin SELLERS  6

Emma SELLERS  5

Hannah SELLERS  4
Thomas SELLERS  2 

30 Mar 1851 - Census entry - White Chapel, Cleckheaton. Premises not named but evidence suggests it was here.
Hannah SELLERS  Head  Wid  51  Innkeeper  North Bierley

Sarah SELLERS  Dau  U  26  House servant

Elizabeth LUMB  Dau  M  22  Visitor

William SELLERS  Son  U  21  Iron & brass founder  Hartshead Moor

Edwin SELLERS  Son  16  Farm servant

Hannah SELLERS  Dau  13  Scholar  Cleckheaton

Thomas SELLERS  Son  12  Scholar

Albert SELLERS  Sarah's son  5  Scholar
William Hy SELLERS  Sarah's son  1

14 Oct 1856 - Death Notice - Emma, aged 4, daughter of John Tasker of the Brown Cow Inn, Whitechapel.

1857 - Kelly's Post Office Directory lists Mrs Hannah Sellers at the Brown Cow, Whitechapel. She is also a farmer.

7 Apr 1861 - Census entry - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton.
John TASKER  Head  M  50  Woolsorter, innkeeper & farmer 8? acres  Halifax

Hannah TASKER  Wife  M  48

Sarah Ann TASKER  Dau  U  19  Factory girl  Cleckheaton

Harriett TASKER  Dau U  17  Factory girl

Teresa TASKER  Dau  15  Factory girl

George TASKER  Son  13  Scholar

Walter TASKER  Son  11  Scholar

Arthur TASKER  Son  6  Scholar

Richard TASKER  Visitor  15  Carpenter  Halifax
Leonard TASKER  GrSon  4m  Cleckheaton 

27 Aug 1869 - Brewster Sessions - Application for a new licence by John Tasker of the Brown Cow. Refused on grounds he had previously purchased stolen corn.

2 Apr 1871 - Census entry - Brown Cow, White Chapel Lane.
John TASKER  Head  M  60  Publican & farmer of 12 acres  King Cross

Hannah TASKER  Wife  M  57  Publican

Sarah A TASKER  Dau  U  29  Nurse  Cleckheaton

Louisa TASKER  Dau  U  25  Mill hand

Terasa TASKER  Dau  U  25  Mill hand

George TASKER  Son  U  23  Millwright

Walter TASKER  Son  U  20  Plumber

Arthur TASKER  Son  16  Currier
Leonard TASKER  Son  10  Scholar 

21 Jun 1873 - Property Auction - Large sale of property including the Brown Cow Inn with brewhouse, cottage, stables, barn and other outbuildings, yard and gardens and four closes of land with valuable beds of coal. Occupant at this time recorded as John Tasker. A later article says it was sold for £760. 

27 Jun 1878 - Inquest - Landlord recorded as Thomas Marsden.

16 May 1879 - Court Case - Landlord of the Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton, Thomas Marsden was charged with allowing drunkenness in his premises. Case was dismissed.

3 Apr 1881 - Census entry - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton.
Thomas MARSDEN  Head  M  57  Publican & farmer 6½ acres  Fulwood nr Sheffield
Elizabeth MARSDEN  Wife  M  53
Isaac MARSDEN  Son  19  Currier ap
Martha Ann MARSDEN  Dau  13  Scholar

10 Aug 1881 - Property Auction - The Brown Cow Estate, belonging to Mr Marsden and consisting of public house, three cottages and upwards of 6 acres of land were offered for sale. Bidding started at £800 and stopped at £1650. The property was withdrawn. 

Oct 1881 - Brewery - Acquired by Joseph & John Overend Wood.

26 Aug 1887 - Court Case - Landlord of the Brown Cow Inn, Whitechapel, Paul Woodhead was a witness in a bastardy case at Barnsley.

1 Mar 1889 - Newspaper Article - To be sold, old licensed public house, known as the Old Brown Cow, at Whitechapel, near kitchen. Contains: Bar, 2 sitting rooms, snug, taproom, kitchen, scullery and 4 bedrooms, all in good order; also 3 cottages adjoining, good stable, piggeries, fold or yard and six and a half acres land. Apply to Paul Woodhead on the premises.

5 Apr 1891 - Census entry - Brown Cow Inn, Whitechapel Road.
Andrew HIRST  Head  M  36  Publican  Gomersal
Mary HIRST  Wife  M  32  Longwood
Ann HIRST  Mother  Wid  76  Living on her own means  Gomersal

8 Aug 1894 - Newspaper Article - Two Scholes men held a wrestling match outside the Brown Cow. One of them fell awkwardly and broke a leg. He later died from his injuries.

24 Jan 1895 - Newspaper Article - Thomas Walker Wilson, the landlord of the Brown Cow (a quaint little hostelry near the Old White Chapel), found a dog in an apparently dying condition. It later died and the cause of death was recorded as rabies.

2 Aug 1899 - Property Auction - The Brown Cow, along with 2 cottages, was bought by Whitakers Brewery, Halifax for £3085. An adjoining plot of land (almost 7 acres) was bought by T. W. Wilson of the Brown Cow for £700.

Jan 1900 - Brewery - Acquired by Richard Whitaker & Sons.

31 Mar 1901 - Census entry - Whitechapel Road, Cleckheaton. Premises not named but evidence suggests it was here.
Thomas W WILSON  Head  M  40  Innkeeper  Liverpool
Hannah E WILSON  Wife  M  38  Cleckheaton
Edgar WILSON  Son  11
Nora WILSON  Dau  9
Ethel WILSON  Dau  2
(NB - Thomas' wife Hannah was the daughter of Benjamin Longbottom who was landlord of the Horncastle Inn. Thomas Walker Wilson would later be killed in a munitions factory explosion at Hipperholme in 1917.)

11 Dec 1906 - Probate Calendar - Hannah Elizabeth Wilson (wife of Thomas Walker Wilson) of The Brown Cow, died 16 Jul 1906 and left an estate valued at £1100.

2 Apr 1911 - Census entry - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton.
Alderson BROWN  Head  M  34  Publican  Cleckheaton
Edith Annie BROWN  Wife  M  30  (2y, 2/2)  Assisting in the business  Armley
William BROWN  Son  2  Wortley
John Alderson BROWN  Son  8m  Cleckheaton

1920 - Electoral Register - Old Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton. Occupants recorded as Herbert & Edith Brown.

19 Jun 1921 - Census entry - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton (7 rooms)
Herbert BROWN  Head  M  39y 2m, Cleckheaton, Publican (OA), At home
Edith A BROWN  Wife  M  34y 4m, Easingwold, House duties
Fred BROWN   Son  14y 4m, Cleckheaton, Taker off woollen textiles, Lund Bros., Clarence Mill, Cleckheaton
Ernest BROWN  Son 13y 4m, Cleckheaton, Doffer woollen textiles, as above
Jack BROWN  Son 12y 4m, Cleckheaton, School whole time
Phyllis BROWN  Dau  6y 8m, Cleckheaton, School whole time
Mary BROWN  Dau  1y 9m, Cleckheaton

1925 - Electoral Register - Old Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton. Occupants recorded as Aquilla & Annie Louisa Roberts.

1930 - Electoral Register - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton. Occupants recorded as Annie Louisa Roberts, Harry & Hannah Clough and Ada Siddall.

1935 - Electoral Register - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton. Occupants recorded as Harry & Hannah Clough and John & Annie Cooper.

3 Jun 1938 - Court Case - Ella Clough, wife of the landlord Ernest Clough, was summoned for supplying outside of permitted hours. Fined £1 (x3).

1939 - Electoral Register - Brown Cow Inn, Whitechapel Road. Occupants recorded as Ernest & Ellen Clough and Harold Chesterman.

29 Sep 1939 - 1939 Register entry - Brown Cow Inn, Whitechapel Road.
John W CLEGG  b. 29 Nov 1885  M  Publican
Ethel B CLEGG  b. 28 Jan 1891  M  Unpaid domestic duties
Mary HIRST  b. 3 Aug 1917  M  Unpaid domestic duties
George H HIRST  b. 25 Sep 1915  M  Corporal Royal Air Force on weekend leave

1947 - Electoral Register - Brown Cow Inn, Whitechapel Road, Cleckheaton - Occupants recorded as George & Edith Hudson.

14 Jun 1951 - Licence transfer - Brown Cow Inn, Cleckheaton. From George A Hudson to Edward Thomas Errey.