B.F. Johnson - Consett

[Elliven]

Can anyone please help with information on this man who was an innkeeper in Consett/Berry Edge at a mystery pub named Tattersalls Inn which was a fully licenced hotel not just a beerhouse.  He and the pub had several mentions in the press around 1860-1864 and he had a couple of mentions in Sporting Life as a promoter of events like horse racing and pigeon shooting but there is very little else on him in public or private life and he does not seem to appear on the 1861 Census so I have no idea of the address of the pub even though he lived on the premises.  I'm guessing that the pub changed its name at some point as few pubs in Consett ceased to exist around that time.  Many thanks in advance of any help.

[Elliven]

I forgot to the mention that the initials BF are suspect as in one report it is RF and in another it is UF

[Milliepede]

he does not seem to appear on the 1861 Census

Any likely sightings 1851 or 1871 which may help?

[QueenoftheWest]

There is a Robert F. Johnson, publican, living at Middle Street, Conside in 1861. He is aged 50 (born c.1811).

FindMyPast has transcribed the 'F.' as 'H.' but I think it looks more like 'F.' Maybe I'm wrong, though.

Queenie 

[JenB]

There is a Robert F. Johnson, publican, living at Middle Street, Conside in 1861. He is aged 50 (born c.1811).

FindMyPast has transcribed the 'F.' as 'H.' but I think it looks more like 'F.' Maybe I'm wrong, though.

Queenie 

Just about to post the same thing - I'm pretty certain it's an F.

Added - check the F in his daughter Frances's name

[Elliven]

Milliepede

No other clues at all.  Everything I know about him was in the original question

[JenB]

I forgot to the mention that the initials BF are suspect as in one report it is RF and in another it is UF

I have looked at the original publications and have no doubt that the correct initials are R.F.

In which case the person found by Queenie in reply #3 seems to be your man in 1861.

However I can't yet find him in any other census

[Elliven]

Queenof theWest and Jen B

Middle Street was one of the relatively few streets that were in Consett at that time and it became the main shopping and socialising street so that would have been my guess (but only a guess).  There were six pubs in that street but none of them were named Tattersalls Inn.  So after your comments I think it must have been one of them.  Mr Johnson was very keen on sport and gambling on it.  Tattersalls was the biggest betting and horse sales agency of the day in England.  I am now guessing that Tattersall's was no more than a nickname (although he did use it in his advertising).  However, The Edinburgh House, another pub in that street advertised itself as the Jubilee Bar so it is not without precedent locally.  Thanks for your contributions.

[Elliven]

Jen B

You might very well be right.  I have found no other mentions of him at all outside the 1860-1864 time period so I think his time in Consett was short which is odd because Middle Street was and still is the busiest street in Consett and contained most of the better hotels in the town.  So I cannot understand why he left so abruptly and just seems to have disappeared.  There are no press reports or obituaries on him and that is unusual for a prominent citizen so I don't think he died there.  You and Queenie have given me the only evidence of his location.  The biggest and best establishment in Consett was in Front Street but he was not there as the owners and licensees are all known in the five year period I quoted.