Lost Derby Pubs - Annie Winter at The Copeland Arms

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One of our running themes at Bygone Derbyshire is stories concerning the public houses of Derbyshire. Here Peter Seddon recalls the Copeland Arms in Derby, just one of the articles in our ever-expanding 'Lost Derby Pubs' series.

I am too young - or more accurately not sufficiently old - to have sampled a pint in the Copeland Arms. It closed in 1963 when I was seven years of age. But as a fan of 'real ale' I would certainly have dropped in given the opportunity, for this was one of the last pubs in Derby to brew its own beer on the premises.

Here is what is known of this 'lost' pub's history.

It was first recorded in 1846 as an anonymous beerhouse, and still had no specific name in 1862. It was situated in Copeland Street, and by 1874 had been named the Copeland Arms. The street - and therefore the pub - were named after a Mr. John Copeland of Lincoln, who in 1824 had bought the land on which the street was pitched. He acquired it from the Castlefields Estate for £22,000. Copeland Street originally ran from Traffic Street to Liversage Street, and the area was ultimately cleared in the 1970s.

Of the succession of licencees, only two have been documented in any detail - both women. In 1919 the inn was taken over by Sarah Johnson, a widow formerly of the Cossack Inn, another lost Derby pub.

She was succeeded by her daughter Mrs. Annie Winter in 1935. There is good reason why Annie Winter is remembered in beer-loving circles, for she brewed her own ale on the premises for almost three decades. She was certainly still brewing in 1957 - at the age of 78 - and quite possibly until she retired in 1963, when she sold the freehold to Offilers' Brewery.

By all accounts Annie Winter was a great character, one of the last female brewers in Derby and also treasurer of the Derby Ladies' Licenced Victuallers Association. Her retirement heralded the end of an era, for in 1963 the Copeland Arms closed its doors forever.

Annie Winter in 1950, at work on her latest batch of ale in the Copeland Arms. No white coat or hygenic head-covering, and a conspicuous absence of gleaming stainless steel - evidently Health and Safety regulations were rather more relaxed at that time

So that is another of the countless 'lost pubs of Derby' which were once at the hub of communities. Only one photograph of the pub exterior is known to survive - shown here - and an interior picture shows Annie Winter busy mashing in 1958 - in one sense a mere candid snap, in another a historic archive record. The final picture shows her serving - a nostalgic image frozen in time.

Anyone who had a drink in the Copeland Arms during the Annie Winter era would by now (2007) have attained the age of 60 or above - so that means there are still plenty of people out there who might have first-hand recollections.

If you do remember the Copeland Arms or Annie Winter, why not add some comments to this article. Just click on 'edit' and start writing below.

A CORRESPONDENT HAS ADDED THE FOLLOWING:

My name is David Fowkes. I was born in 1941 in the terraced house adjoining the Copeland Arms which was owned by my great aunt, Annie Winter.

My father was Jack Fowkes who worked full time as the pub's brewer and cellar man. My mother Doris served and played the piano at weekends.

During the war there was a fuel shortage so pubs could not get deliveries of beer. This made the home brewed pubs very popular. I was told that there was boy scouts at the bus and railway stations guiding people where to get a drink.

I can actually remember a woman being lifted over a 6' gate to get into our already overcrowed pub yard. I was told that there was 35 pubs in the area between the railway and bus stations.

My dad was brewing round the clock as fast as the beer fermented.

Annie Winter finished brewing in 1961. The brewing equipment was sold to the Friary Hotel in Derby for £100 including the brewing copper. This copper is now on display in the Coors Museum at Burton on Trent.

The Copeland was sold in 1963 to Offilers Brewery who put a tenant in till the pub was demolished. The pub stood opposite the now Dulux Trade Centre.

My mum dad and me with Aunt Annie moved to a house in Normanton to look after her. But unfortunately both my mum and dad died before her. Aunt Annie died in October 1971 aged 87.

She was a truly wonderful person.

Pages linking here

Derbyshire Pubs - Your Stories Wanted!

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