A view of the Old Green Tree Hotel, Brotton; with plenty of bystanders to fill the picture for the photographer. Dating was not a problem, Nivard Ovington came to the rescue and his assistance is given further in this post. Note that the building as well as having a thatched roof only has a window in the gable end, no upper storey as the building has had since pre 1913 (based on a postcard view elsewhere on the Archive). Also the shop front to the left of this view, is now a series of houses before The Penfold and the more modern Spar convenience store. Nivard Ovington has assisted with: “The alterations were between 1901 and 1906. ‘Daily Gazette’ for Middlesbrough March 13th 1900: “Today at Guisborough Police Court Mr W RICHARDSON, solicitor, applied on behalf of Mr T WEBSTER, for sanction to alterations to the Green Tree Inn Brotton. Thus was a thatched house, 200 years old, and had been in the occupation of the present tenants family for over a century. Application granted”. ‘Daily Gazette’ for Middlesbrough March 6th 1906: “There is a report of an application by the landlord of the Green Tree Inn Brotton, requesting a seven day licence as there was at present only a six day licence, it is mentioned that it had recently been rebuilt. Application was refused. It was mentioned that when George WEBSTER took the Green Tree over in 1878 it was a seven day licence but he gave up the seventh day as he was a farmer as well, since then it was a 6 day whereas all other public houses were open seven days”. In 1907 the licence for the Green Tree was transferred to Robert Henry HEAD. ‘Whitby Gazette’ February 7th 1908: “Robert Henry HEAD of the Green Tree Brotton applied for a seven day licence. Its mentioned that the Green Tree had been rebuilt ‘five or six years ago’. The seven day licence was granted”. I descend from the WEBSTERs mentioned above, the earliest I have them there is 1823. 1823 ‘Baines Directory of Brotton’: Webster Richard , victualler : Green Tree.
But they were clearly there longer than that, Richard WEBSTER born 1767 at Brotton was my g.g.g.g.grandfather. In the photograph the man standing in the left doorway is probably Thomas WEBSTER”.
Image courtsey of The David Linton Collection and many thanks to Nivard Ovington for his assistance in dating and names of possible people in the image.
The alterations were between 1901 and 1906. ‘Daily Gazette’ for Middlesbrough March 13th 1900: “Today at Guisborough Police Court Mr W RICHARDSON, solicitor, applied on behalf of Mr T WEBSTER, for sanction to alterations to the Green Tree Inn Brotton. Thus was a thatched house, 200 years old, and had been in the occupation of the present tenants family for over a century. Application granted”. ‘Daily Gazette’ for Middlesbrough March 6th 1906: “There is a report of an application by the landlord of the Green Tree Inn Brotton, requesting a seven day licence as there was at present only a six day licence, it is mentioned that it had recently been rebuilt. Application was refused. It was mentioned that when George WEBSTER took the Green Tree over in 1878 it was a seven day licence but he gave up the seventh day as he was a farmer as well, since then it was a 6 day whereas all other public houses were open seven days”. In 1907 the licence for the Green Tree was transferred to Robert Henry HEAD. ‘Whitby Gazette’ February 7th 1908: “Robert Henry HEAD of the Green Tree Brotton applied for a seven day licence
Its mentioned that the Green Tree had been rebuilt ‘five or six years ago’. The seven day licence was granted”. I descend from the WEBSTERs mentioned above, the earliest I have them there is 1823. 1823 ‘Baines Directory of Brotton’: Webster Richard , victualler : Green Tree.
But they were clearly there longer than that, Richard WEBSTER born 1767 at Brotton was my g.g.g.g.grandfather. In the photograph the man standing in the left doorway is probably Thomas WEBSTER.