Simms Road Inn

In the year 1701, Simms Road Inn, which was then known as the New Property, was leased to the Downall family by Sir William Gerard. In 1875 Sir William released the premises under trust to The Honourable Cansfield for his own use, who then, along with the three other trustees, Lord Gerard, Frederick Gerard and Sir John Lawson sold the premises in 1892 to Brewers of Hindley owners John Law & Mary Shellcross for a grand sum of £ 5404.13.9d. The premises were owned by the Brewery until it was eventually taken over by Matthew Brown in 1924. 

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In 1841, resident inn keeper Elizabeth Birchill and her husband John, along with their five children, began what was to become a 70 year residency for the Birchill family  at Simms Road End. John died on the 8th of August 1890 aged 53 and when Elizabeth died some 24 years later, their son John junior became the licensee at Simms Road Inn. After John junior's wife died in 1912, he became depressed and reclusive and frequently locked himself in his bedroom. On the 10th of August 1914, after his son became suspicious that something was wrong, John junior's body was discovered hanging by his braces from the bedpost with his throat cut. After the coroner's summing up, a jury returned a verdict of 'suicide whilst of unsound mind'. John, who was well known and greatly respected in the community was sadly missed by all. 

 

Simms Road Inn has also been known as Haigh Tree Inn.

However, the premises have not always been used as a public house. The building has been used as a school and also a mortuary, where dead miners were laid out following accidents in the local pits.   

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It is not known when the property became a public house, as the information is locked away in the land deeds of the Gerard family estate, but what is known is that Simms Road Inn has lived through some extraordinary times.