The Strugglers Inn, Lincoln.

[Bucktaylor64]

The Strugglers is a fine pub.

I also am led to believe there is a tunnel leading to the castle.

[Alan7636]

The struggler Inn is truly a fascinating place and the stories surrounding the premises and the part my ancestors played in its history never cease to amaze me.

I and my family moved from darkest Bedfordshire to sunny Lincolnshire almost one month ago and on the second week in our new home I sat down with my lunch together with a copy of that day’s publication of the weekly Lincolnshire Echo. Imagine my surprise on seeing a full page article by the Heritage officer of Lincoln City Council, John Herridge about  my 3 x Great Grandfather, Philip Ball, the then Landlord of the Struggler.

The article went into great detail about the destruction Philip caused to the Castle walls, which of course resulted in the discovery of the lost Roman gateway, the political upheaval that ensued and his subsequent incarceration in the famous Fleet Prison.
 
It seems over 160 years after his tragic death in Leicester Asylum the story of his escapades and the mayhem he caused to the authorities are still newsworthy.

Alan

[Bucktaylor64]

In the 90's Parliamentary and council election counts were held in the nearby Lawn visitor centre and on the night of the counts, the various political candidates would often have a few drinks in the Strugglers prior to finding out if they had been elected.

The Strugglers is one of many fine Ale Houses in Uphill Lincoln. A real old fashioned pub selling quality real ales.

[Bucktaylor64]

The nearby Victorian Prison, in the Castle Grounds is where the long drop was first introduced for hanging the condemned.

It was also used for the TV series Downton Abbey.

[Geoff-E]

There seem to be lots of stuff about him in the British Newspaper Archives .

A December 1850 article states he "is now an inmate of one of the Yorkshire Lunatic Asylums". 

[Alan7636]

Hi Geoff

Good to hear from you again.

Yes Philip was originally in the Lincoln Asylum (The Lawn) and from there he was transferred to Hull Asylum. Evidently Lincoln and Hull had reciprocal arrangements in the mid 1800's.

I have yet to find out how he ended up in the Leicester institution but I have seen the records held at Leicester Archives and it makes heart rendering reading. For a man who was very intelligent he ended his days a broken and very ill man. 

Alan