• Pubs & Taverns Home
• Featured Pubs & Taverns
• Featured Articles

The Royal Tiger was situated on Nottingham Road, Somercotes, close to the junction with the High Street. It was the earliest Inn that was built on Somercotes Common.

First mention of the Royal Tiger is probably in Pigot’s Directory of 1849 when it lists the inn-keeper as John Brough. The Inn is also recorded in an article in the Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald the same year that Pigot’s Directory was published and it is likely that the Royal Tiger pre-dates these entries only by a few years.

Various inn-keepers have been recorded between the years 1849 and 1925:

• 1849 - John Brough
• 1855 – Mr. Lomas 
• 1857 – George Rhodes 
• 1860 – Mary Rhodes
• 1862 – Joseph Rhodes
• 1862 – Henry Carlin
• 1876 – George Maltby 
• 1881 – George Maltby 
• 1887 – Thomas Ellis
• 1887 – Mr. Jessop
• 1895 – John Hunt 
• 1908 - John Hunt
• 1912 – Hamlet Yates 
• 1916 - Samuel Gibson
• 1925 – Arthur Ansell 

As with other beer houses and inns in Somercotes the Royal Tiger was used for various meetings and coroner’s inquests. The Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald published on 26th January 1855 ran a short report on an inquest held at the Royal Tiger Inn, Somercotes, when the landlord was recorded as a Mr. Lomas. George Rhodes took over as landlord shortly after this date, but he died in January 1860, and the Derbyshire Courier of 21st January recorded that the licence was “…transferred from George Rhodes, deceased, to Mary Rhodes, his wife.” Mary did not keep the licence for very long though, transferring it to her son Joseph Rhodes. The Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald on 3rd May 1862 records that the licence was transferred once again, this time to Henry Carlin

In 1870 a new meeting or clubroom was opened in the Royal Tiger. This must have been a substantial room, for it is reported in many articles over the following years that large gatherings and dinners took place there, with some 70 to 100 guests seated in some cases. An interesting meeting took place there shortly after its opening, regarding an acknowledgement of the contribution to safety in the mining industry made by John King of Pinxton, who invented a “detaching hook” for mine cages. The meeting was extensively reported in the Derbyshire Courier published on 9th April 1870 – “SOMERCOTES - King’s Patent Safety - On Monday evening last, the 4th inst., a preliminary meeting was held in the new room at the Royal Tiger Inn, Somercotes, to consider the desirability of a public acknowledgment of the efficiency and safe working of Mr. King’s Patent Hook for the prevention of overwinding, and his Grips on Chairs, in cases of breakages in rope &c., both on wood and wire conductors. A number of miners were present, who expressed a wish to have the opportunity of showing their decided approval of his Patent Hook to prevent overwinding, also his Safety-cage, attached to wire conductors, a subscription list being open for Mr. King; also to show the necessity of its application to other collieries, by having a public demonstration, that its merits can be gone into more fully. Mr. King was present and experimented on his models, both working efficiently. The one with four wire conductors was tested by putting a 71b. weight on the chair, and, being pulled up to the wheel, the hook became detached and the arms or wheels had hold of the small wire conductors instanter [instantly]; which test would equal to over 12 tons on the 1¼ conductors generally used at collieries. Several colliery managers and civil engineers were present, and signified their decided approval and entire satisfaction by giving a vote of thanks to Mr. King, who briefly responded, and expressed his great confidence in its efficiency, and has done his very best to make it perfectly safe for the men and easy in application for colliery proprietors. After a few suggestions from several present, it is hoped that some steps might be taken by those who occupy prominent positions at the various collieries in the district, so that some broad scheme may organised to give a fair representation of the great benefit that may secured to miners and the public generally”. It is easy to see why Somercotes may have been chosen for such a meeting, as the proximity of many collieries and ironstone mines would have no doubt been useful to the development and acceptance of the invention.

A Nonconformist Sunday School was also held for some time in the Royal Tiger's clubroom before moving to the Salem Chapel at Somercotes.

In 1887 the Royal Tiger was sold by auction. It is not known who owned the premises at the time, but the result of the auction was reported in the Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald on 29th January 1887: “On Wednesday afternoon Mr. H. Tempest sold by auction the full licenced inn, ‘The Royal Tiger Inn’, Somercotes. The property has a frontage of 62ft to the Nottingham Road. It was sold for £3,000…” The property was bought by Thomas Hardy, of the Kimberley Brewery.

The landlord at the time of the sale was Thomas Ellis, who continued as the manager under the new owners. Like many publicans though, Ellis was not above cheating his customers. Newspapers of the time regularly reported on instances of short selling beer or selling spirits which had been diluted. The Royal Tiger had obtained both a beer and a wines & spirits licence, and the Derbyshire Courier, published on 9th July 1887 reported on the Alfreton Petty Sessions: “Thomas Ellis landlord of the Royal Tiger Inn, Somercotes was charged with having sold gin, which Dr. Allen reported, was 38 degrees below proof. The defendant was fined 10s and costs.” It is perhaps not fare to single out Thomas Ellis in this regard without mentioning that several other publicans were charged with similar offences at the same time, these also being reported in the newspaper.

Thomas Ellis’s desire to make more money though, did not sit well with the new owners. Not long after the court case was published in the newspaper the brewery evicted him and he was replaced by a Mr. Jessop. The licences to sell beer and spirits was still in Ellis’s name, and he seemed reluctant to transfer these to the new landlord, which resulted in a further court case, reported in the Derbyshire Courier on 6th October 1888: “Brewers and Public House Licenses - Mr. Jessop, manager of the Tiger Inn, Somercotes for Mr. Thomas Hardy, brewer, of Kimberley applied for permission to sell at the Tiger Inn.—Mr. Ellis, the out-going tenant, had occupied the premises, which had during the last year or two been bought by Mr. Hardy for a large sum of money, and Ellis was now unable satisfy his creditors. He had been turned out of the place by the brewer, as he said ‘neck and crop,’ and was now unwilling, without some consideration, to sign the licence away. —The Clerk of the Court, however, said that the trustee's signature would be sufficient, and the transfer was made accordingly.” The phrase “neck and crop”’ used in the report means “with briskness and completeness.”

Amongst the many auctions for land and property that took place at the Royal Tiger over the years one of the most interesting includes an early Ford motor car. It was sold on 13th May 1918, and the Derbyshire Advertiser & Journal reported as follows: “… Royal Tiger Inn, Somercotes. For Mr. Gibson, who is leaving; Small Portion Household Furniture and Sundries; Ford Car, 5-Seater, 1916 pattern, with Electric Head Lights, Side and Rear Oil Lamps, Hood and Side Curtains, Spare Wheel, Tools and Accessories. All in grand order and condition. Sale to commence 2 o'clock prompt.”

The architecture of the building as seen in most modern photographs is not in keeping with that expected of the mid to late 1800s. It is believed that the original building stood back from the road and it is known that two cottages were also built at the side of the inn. In 1920 the old building was demolished by the brewery and plans made to replace it with a more modern structure. The two cottages were also slated for demolition. A council meeting took place to discuss the plans, which was extensively reported in the Belper News on 12th March 1920. There seems to have been some disagreement over the proposals and the report is transcribed in full as follows: “PUBLIC HOUSE RECONSTRUCTION - The Survey Committee had passed plans for the re-construction of the Royal Tiger Inn, Somercotes, belonging to Hardy’s Kimberley Brewery Co., and the Chairman recorded his protests against the proposal, because it involved the demolition of two cottages. He knew the cottages were amongst the worst of their class in Somercotes, but when they were pulled down there would be accommodation for two families less in Somercotes. It was urged that the Brewery Co. could not turn out the tenants, unless they found them alternative accommodation, but then they would have two houses less in Somercotes. In committee he moved that the plans be approved subject to the Brewery Co. building two houses for the tenants. The speaker hereabouts was twitted [meaning teased or reproached] about his own proposals in the same place, which include the erection of a concert and dancing room. Why didn't he erect cottages? Mr. Lee was understood to say that “we are not in a position to build cottages without getting a proper financial return for them. Whatever I am doing I am not making cottages less.” Mr. Beastall: “Nor more”. The Chairman: “When I submitted the plans I took no part in the proceedings of the Council, and it was left entirely in their hands to do as they liked. I don’t intend pulling cottages down. I move that it be referred back for further consideration.’ Mr. Ely said he understood the Brewery Co. undertook to provide houses for present tenants before pulling down the inn. The Chairman: ‘No. Mr. Ely: It not fair to say they are going to demolish two houses and turn the people out.’ The Surveyor said the Brewery Co. stated they were prepared to find alternative accommodation, but he had no definite proposal He believed the Rent Restrictions Act would apply. Mr. Ely: ‘They cannot turn the people out and it is not fair for you (the Chairman) to make statements that the Brewery Co, deliberately intend to turn them out. They really cannot do unless they find alternative accommodation.’ Mr. Beastall said it was really the Sanitary Inspector who was forcing the hands of the Brewery Co. The cottages were really not fit for habitation, and it was really in the interests of the tenants themselves that the alterations should be made. Mr. Amos didn’t believe that any house should be pulled down until they had got a new one built its place. Mr. Taylor said no amount of discussion would alter the position. The law was clear on the point of alternative accommodation, and they could safely leave it there. Mr. Hill said they were ‘‘talking and playing to the gallery for notoriety. We can venture to let the law take its ordinary course.” The Chairman: “It is perfectly right what I have said. I am not talking to the gallery but looking to the housing of the district. I am in favour of public-houses being altered and improved, but they should find two houses for the tenants. Two bad houses are better than no house at all. The Chairman’s amendment was lost, only three voting for it and the minutes were adopted.”

As can be seen by the newspaper report on the subject, the proposed plans were eventually adopted, and the premises as seen on modern photographs were built. The exact date for the opening of the new Royal Tiger Inn is not known, but it would have been around 1921. It became one of the “landmark” buildings in Somercotes, which has very few distinctive buildings. The Royal Tiger continued to serve customers throughout the rest of the twentieth century, but a downturn in the industry generally during the early 2000s took its toll on the inn, as it did with many public houses. The Royal Tiger was no exception, and it finally closed its doors during 2013. Unusually, it was not demolished for future redevelopment, but converted into two residential apartments and a retail unit and although changes have been made to the façade it has kept most of its originality.