The Fleece

58 East Street is where The Fleece, formerly the Golden Fleece was located. It was one of Chichester’s oldest inns. An ale house stood on this site in 1641 and may have existed at a much earlier date. It had become an inn – offering food and accommodation by 1710 under the name Coach or Coach and Horses and later the Bell.

What was the Fleece Inn
The Fleece to the right in 1950s – from a promotional film for Hiawatha
Fleece Inn 1908-13 (1)

From 1812–1823, the city’s Member of Parliament was William Huskisson whose nomination as a candidate took place at the Fleece on 28 September 1812. In 1827, Huskisson joined the Duke of Wellington’s government, serving in various roles, including President of the Board of Trade. He had the dubious distinction of becoming the world’s first railway fatality when he was killed by George Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830.

It is also said that an earlier Member of Parliament, William Cawley, was born here. Cawley was one of the regicides, who signed the Death Warrant of King Charles I, following his trial for treason in January 1649.

The inn provided extensive stabling under proprietor Charles Morgan around the 1890s and by L. Gould who took over premises occupied by Morgan in Little London Mews.

The Fleece Hotel advert of 1894
Change of ownership in 1895

However, soon motor carrier services were developed with services to Portsmouth and surrounding villages in the 1920s.

1920 Motor carrier advert from The Fleece run by Selman

Of the licensees, the popular John Kemp Alderson, Sergeant -Major of the Chichester Company of Volunteers, became tenant of the Fleece in 1917. Licensing legislation was not often adhered to and the recently appointed licensee Vernon Carter was fined in 1942 for buying spirits from an unauthorised person who had stolen them from his employer, Messrs A. Purchase wine merchants.

The inn was the meeting place for various societies including the ‘Ancient Order of Foresters, Court Prince of Wales No. 4879’ and the ‘Good Intent Friendly Society’. In 1934 The Fleece had the largest Slate Club of any licensed premises in Chichester with a membership of 220. These clubs were not run for healthy members but for those who might fall sick. At the close of the Club year it paid out £1 3s per member.

The Fleece closed in 1987 to be occupied by retail outlets.

(1) With thanks to Gravelroots.net http://www.gravelroots.net/history/180.html

 

One thought on “The Fleece

  1. I remember this place well. I was born in 1937 when my father Basil (Bill) was a barman here and my grandfather James Copeman was the Landlord. In the yard behind the hotel were several businesses that occupied what had been stables. One of them was a garage the owner of which also was a taxi driver, I cannot remember his name, but he took me and my mother to the hospital when I cut off the top of the big finger of my right hand.

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