This pub was originally a billiards hall, built in c on a field sandwiched between a house called Sedge Lynn demolished to make way for a cinema and Red Gate Farm. Now a grade II listed building, the original billiards hall and others like this one, in and around Manchester and south London was erected to remove billiards from its usual setting of the public house and to further the aims of the Temperance Movement. The text reads: Holt Croft was the original name for the field where this J D Wetherspoon pub now stands.
Sandwiched between a house called Sedge Lynn demolished to make way for a cinema and Red Gate Farm now home to the local library the site of this pub was developed c Several such halls were built in and around Manchester and south London to remove billiards from its normal setting of the public house and further the aims of the Temperance Movement. About the time the billiard hall was built, moving pictures were shown in the area for the first time.
One early picture house was based in a corrugated iron mission church on Clarendon Road. Another β known as The Longford Picturedrome β offered a wide range of pursuits, including roller skating. Chorlton later had three purpose built cinemas. One of them β known variously as the Majestic, Savoy, Gaumont and ABC β stood next door to this pub, and later became a funeral directors.
Temperance was very much in vogue in Victorian times. Several local temperance societies were founded in the late s before Victoria came to the throne, but the movement gained momentum throughout her long reign.
(mh=0yBjcbSuDQmA19H8)0.jpg "Model Hooker in Lynn")
The main thrust of this powerful and political force was to control the alcohol consumption of the names. Leading lights included the British Temperance Society, the United Kingdom Alliance which demanded prohibition and the Band of Hope, aimed at children.
