The need for a public house in the Moors grew as the population there increased. Furthermore, the adjoining Pitchcroft was the traditional place of open-air entertainment, and on the occasions of the races, fairs, military reviews, or when the fine weather brought the citizens walking on the croft, the Prince of Wales public house did well on the passing trade.
In 1878, the Prince of Wales changed hands, and Nathaniel Taylor, an auctioneer and valuer, was commissioned to provide an inventory of the furniture, fittings, tools and brewing equipment, the quantity of ale on the premises, and all other items, and to value the same. This inventory gives a good picture of a city public house in the days when the publican owned his own house and brewed his own beer.
An Inventory and Valuation
of a portion of Household Furniture: Brewing Plant: Stock-in-Trade: Signs: Licenses: Shop Fixtures and other Effects at the
PRINCE OF WALES PUBLIC HOUSE
situate in the Moors, in the Parish of the Tything of Whistones in the City of Worcester, from
Mr. George Mason to Mr. George White
Taken and Made August 20th, 1878
Chamber No 1 Buff Coloured roller Blind and fittings: Short muslin Curtain.
Chamber No 2 Iron French Bedstead; Straw Palliasse in 2 parts; Flock Bed; Short netted Curtains; Buff Coloured roller Blind.
Landing Oak Cupboard with Shelves inside and pair of panel folding doors Rail with 4 hooks.
Chamber No 3 Buff Coloured roller Blind and fittings; Short netted Curtains.
Front Chamber No 4 Coloured roller Blind and fittings.
Hop Room 2 loose deal Shelves, 16ft. Bundle of Spills. 6 Whisps.
1877 Hops 5 pockets of 1877 Hops. Part of a pocket of ditto. 2 Boxes of Pipes. 12 pint Bottles of Stout.
Smoke Room Two wire Blinds in mahogany frames, lettered 'Smoke Room' Buff Coloured roller Blind and fittings. Painted Wainscoting round Room 61 ft by 4 ft high, Loose painted Seat with back and elbow, 11ft. Dittoo with rail back, 12 ft. Painted Seat under double window, 8ft 6.. Painted Seat with back and elbows and folding top, 5ft 6". Painted Seat under front window with support and back angle, 8ft. Painted loose Seat with back and elbow, 6ft 6", 2 glass Gas Consumers. 5 spill Cans and match box. 12 cast iron Spittoons. 2 oil paintings in gilt frames. Engraving 'The Sultan' in pine frame and glazed. Coloured Engraving 'News from Abroad'. Ditto 'The Clock Tower' framed and glazed. Coloured Engraving 'Spanish Contra bandista' in gilt frame. 2 Coloured Engravings 'Child' and 'Ship'. Painted oblong Table 4ft 4" x 2ft 2". 8 day Clock in rosewood Case. Large Meat Dish. 2 blue and white Meat dishes. Drab Coloured Dish. Double brass hat peg. Bell with wires, cranks and fittings and pull.
Best Parlour Mahogany top oblong Table on American birch frame 5 ft x 20". Table 4 ft x 20" 6 Cast iron Spittons. Oil Cloth as fitted to Room 8 ft x 8 ft. Small piece of Ditto, 2 buff coloured roller Blinds and fittings. Painted Shelter Board 5ft 6" high. The pitch pine Seating round Room with Circular Angles and Head boards stuffed and finished in American Cloth 29 ft. Ash Pan. Double Coat Hook.
Kitchen 5 Windsor Chairs, Deal 2 leaf Table, Deal Coal Box, 2 Baking Tins and Stand to Ditto. Copper and block, Tea Kettle shaped to grate. 3 plate chimney Glass in gilt frame 4 ft x 18, Buff coloured Roller Blind and fittings, Painted frame of Shelves over Bar Window, Deal Window board with support and till Drawer, 2 Tin Beer Warmers, One Gallon Beer Can, Pewter Quart, Pint and half pint Beer Measures, 4 motion Beer Machine in mahogany Case with Piping and barrel taps and union joints, One tin funnel, 5 moulded Ale Glasses, 8 tall button Ales, 3 glass Cups, 9 small assorted Ales, 3 glass Cups, 6 blue and white Quart Jugs, 4 blue and drab Ditto, Water Jug, 2 Quart Cups, 26 blue and white pint jugs, 4 assorted Pints, 2 blue and white pint Cups.
Brewhouse Pair of Deal beer Coolers on carriages with lead pipe and tap to Cellar. 12 bushel Mash taps with tram and putcheon, Length of Gutta percha Tubing 20 ft, Brewing Thermometer, Deep running off Tub, 2 brewing Ladders, 2 brewing Stirrers, Copper bottom brewing Sieve, Cane bottom Sieve, Dropping Bag and hoop, Box end Wort Spout, Wood tunpail, Oval iron pot Cover, Furnace Shovel, 2 long handled Gawns, 2 pieces of timber for Furnace, 100 gallon Copper Furnace with Stacvk grate and fittings, 40 gallon iron Furnace with Stack grate and fittings.
Yard and Garden The erection of Greenhouse with brickwork and fittings and boarded back. The wood erection of Alcove adjoining Greenhouse with seating 26 ft 6", shelves etc. Ditto on opposite side with oak frame Seat 25 ft Shelves, 5 short deal Forms, Painted x legged Table, Painted Flower Stand and round Seat in Garden, Strong painted Seat with back 10 ft 3" affixed in ground, Flag Pole 22 ft and Union Jack Flag and canvas Sign, 5 Shrubs in Pots, New wood Hoop, Malt Crusher with hopper, post and wheel, Iron Stove with Pan and piping, Piece of new hoop iron, Iron curtain Bar, Old oak Box Bushel, Half Bushel and peck measures, The paling round lower Yard about 120 ft with uprights, Gates etc. About 10 ft short paling at entrance to garden. The woodwork of 2 pigsties with tiled roof, division in centre and paling round same. Wood Egg Case, Deal X legged Table 3 ft, Strong flight of 12 steps, 5 iron Arches with wire works in oak posts at side of house.
Shop Brass Cider Engine with piping, Rope and 2 pulley Blocks, Treacle Tap, Strong pig Bench, Frame of upright Shelves 4 divisions and shelf over door, Frame of 3 deal Shelves 4 ft wide x 4 ft high, Painted nest of 23 drwers under, Strong pig Bench, Frame of Shelves in 16 Compartments 6 ft high x 5 ft 6", 2 Stone spirt jars, 8 pickling and preserving Jars, Milk Pan and Stone pan, Hooks in ceiling, Frame of 2 deal shelves with iron supports 6 ft, Deal Shelf adjoing 4 ft, 2 Deal Shelves 7 ft 6" x 16" and 13", Deal 2 division Corn or Flour Bin, 3 Rails with hooks against Wall, Wide deal Shelf adjoining Counter, Iron Bacon Rail and hooks, Tin flour scales and scope, Stone Vinegar Cask, 3 division Coffee Case, 2 division Treacle Can, 2 Stone Pickle Jars, Painted Candle Rack and Coffee Mill, New Deal Counter 6 ft 6" with panel front and door fitted with shelves. Painted Counter with deal top 8 ft long with 2 drawers and till, The Shaw Board in Window: Railing round and frames of shelves in window with brackets. Money Tester, 3 Bacon Knives, 5 japan tea cannisters in sizes, Avery's Counter Scales and 2 weights, Brass Scales on mahogany Stand, with 6 brass weights, Machine Counter Scales with China Slab & 4 iron weights (1lb. 4lb and 7lb.) Avery's patent platform weighing MMachine and weights, Bell on Shop Door.
Front of House Painted Sign over Shop Door, 2 painted Chequers on Door, Wire Protection to outside Shop Window, Outside Shop Blind, Painted Angle Sign over Entrance Door.
Cellar under Shop Hogshead Cask, 60 gallon Cask, Strong salting Bench, Copper Fountain.
First Cellar Patent Refrigeration with Piping and tap complete, Large Ale VAT Tub, Large English Oak Tunner, Oval 2 eared Skeil, 4 Cooling Tubs, Stand bowl, Deep Barm Tub with skimmer, 3 iron Buckets, 2 wood Buckets, Thermometer and Gauging Stick.
Second Cellar 12 gallon dry Cask, Hogshead Casks No. 1, 2 and 3, Two 56 gallon Casks, Two 60 gallon Casks, 100 gallon Cask, 18 gallon Cask, 25 gallon Cask (two), 36 gallon Casks (two), Wood Tunpail, 2 mallets, spanner, Pincer, funnel etc, The tramming in cellar.
Ale 47 gallons of Ale, 53 gallons of Ale, 106 gallons of Ale, 40 gallons of Ale.
Gas Fittings Upright Gas Burner in Shop, Pendant Burner in Kitchen, Single bracket Burner in Passage, Bracket Burner in best Parlour, 2 Pendant Burners in Smoke Room, The Piping from the Metre to the respective Burners about 52 ft.
Licences Retail Licence ..£3.6.1 3/4. Tobacco Licence .. 5s. 3d.
Share from the 20th August to 10th October 1878.
I VALUE the above Effects at the sum of One Hundred and eighty Pounds, eighteen shillings.
August 20, 1878. Nathaniel Taylor, Auctioneer & Valuer, Worcester.