Falling out of favour? The Queen's Head's old landlord and auctioneer

Picking out the historical details from this picture of the Queen's Head, Watnall is interesting detective work and makes a great "Tale from Watnall Hall". It reveals a possible falling out between the pub's landlord and its owner up at the hall, Sir Lancelot Rolleston...

Agricultural Depression

The picture is from around 1898-1906 when the landlord was Mr. Graham C. Holmes, a well-established local auctioneer who took over the pub tenancy as a sideline and ran his auctioneering and valuing business from there. As shown below, his name often appeared in newspapers of the time when a farmer was forced to sell off his farm. Farming was Watnall's major industry and it was in the middle of an agricultural depression¹ which had perhaps made this sad work his speciality. Unfortunately the local papers were full of such adverts... 

Friday November 10th. 1899

By MR. GRAHAM G. HOLMES.

TURKEY HOUSE FARM, STRELLEY (NOTTS.)

MR. GRAHAM G. HOLMES is instructed by Mr. Uriah Dilks, to SELL BY AUCTION. upon his Premises on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13th, 1899, at 11 o'clock prompt, the whole of his FARM STOCK.

13 COWS and HEIFERS (newly-calved and in-calf), STIRKS, and rearing CALVES, 5 HORSES and FOALS. In-pig SOW dne February, Fat PIG (28 stones), 11 Store Pigs, 15 couple FOWLS, 4 Ducks, Milk Churn, Butter Boards, Hay Rakes, Forks, Bonny Rakes, Gathering Rakes, Shovels, Hoes, Picks, Chain Gears, Plough Pads, Light Harness, Tackling for four horses, complete, Wheel Barrow, Seed Harrows, Drags, Iron and Wood Ploughs, Roller, Horse Rake, Reaper, Mower by Barnlett (nearly new), Pulper, Knife Straw Cutter, Corn Mill, Weighing Machine, Ladders, Pig Troughs, Sheep ditto, Stack Cloths, 4 Carts and gormers complete, Spring Cart, 3qrs. Black Oats, &c., &c.

The Beast are healthy, and have been reared on the premises.

The place of Sale is 14 miles from the Ilkeston and Kimberley Stations.

For particulars see posters, and apply at the place of Sale, and of the Auctioneer, Watnall, Notts.

Mr. Holmes's obituary appeared in the local newspaper in 1923. Notably absent are condolences from Sir Lancelot and Lady Maud Rolleston from Watnall Hall, the owners of the Queen's Head. You would certainly expect them to pay their respects to a former landlord of the pub that they own, as do the other great and good from the area, the Barbers, Dr. Northwood, etc, etc. What could have happened to their relationship? They were certainly living at the Hall at the time and very influential in the area.

Two potential areas of conflict come to mind:

- Sir Lancelot awarding tenancy of the Queen's Head to Joe Haywood c.1901 for saving his life in the South African War . Perhaps Mr. Holmes was not so keen on Joe's "reward". He would have been in his fifties so not yet ready to retire. Indeed his obituary in the local paper below states that he stayed on at the Queen's Head until 1906. 

- Sir Lancelot was always a champion to his local farmers, sitting on the Greasley agricultural committee even while still a young man fresh out of University, setting up a cooperative scheme to help local farmers get their goods to market and supporting them in any way he could. Did he object to Holmes's line of work, profiting off the farmer's misfortune?  

20th April 1923
DEATH OF MR. GRAHAM G. HOLMES, OF WATNALL.
FUNERAL AT NUTTALL CHURCH. 

The death of Mr. Graham Gordon Holmes, auctioneer and valuer, of Cantelupe House, Watnall, which occurred somewhat suddenly in the early hours of Friday morning last, removes one of the most familiar and respected figures practising in the counties of Notts, and Derbyshire. Mr. Holmes, who had attained the age of 73 years, was a wonderfully robust and active gentleman up to twelve months ago, when he unfortunately had a seizure, which impaired his general health and reduced his vitality, but it was not until three weeks ago that he had to take to his bed, and even then and up to a few hours before his death he discussed business matters with his son, Mr. Douglas Holmes, who has been conducting the business now for some time past and will continue to do so.

Deceased was a descendant of an old farming family in the Cossall district, and although born at Chilwell, his early days were spent in the Kimberley district, and afterwards the family went to Cossall, where subsequently Mr. Holmes took to the business of auctioneer and valuer established by his father in 1857. About the year 1898-9 Mr. Holmes took over the Queen's Head, Watnall, and continued his professional business there until 1906, when he left the licensed house and took up residence at Cantelupe House, Watnall, which had been built for him. 

In the course of his professional career Mr. Holmes travelled extensively in the two counties of Notts, and Derbyshire, and was well known and highly respected by a very wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Apart from his business he, was, however, seen little in public, home and his gardens having a great fascination for him, and he was a great lover of all animals and birds. In his young days he played cricket for Watnall, and was a chorister at Greasley Church in the days of the Rev. Baron Von Hube. Deceased leaves a widow, two daughters (married), and one son.

THE FUNERAL

The interment took place in Nuttall Churchyard on Monday, following a service in Church conducted jointly by Rev. Canon Bowden and Rev. S. J. Galloway. The family mourners included Mrs. Holmes, widow; Mr. Douglas Holmes, son; Mr. and Mrs. Paynor, West Bridgford, son-in-law and daughter; Mr. Stevenson, son-in-law; Mrs. Forster, Miss Holmes, and Mrs. Gregory, sisters; Mr. R. and Mrs. Fletcher, Beeston, brother-in-law and sister-in-law and Mrs. Harvey, Wollaton, niece. Amongst the close friends and personal acquaintances of deceased who were present in Church to pay a final tribute of respect we noticed Dr. Northwood, Messrs. W. Barber, W. B. Hanson, W. Oldershaw, W. H. Attenborough, J. J. Wyeld, R. and C. Jackson (Nottingham), Mr. Blakeman (Nottingham), Mr. and Mrs. Green (Brinsley), Mr. and Mrs. Brassington, Mr. Ed. Key, and Mr. Houghton (Hemshall Hall), Miss Elson, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Blow (Nuttall), Mr. Hind (Kimberley), Mrs. Smith, Mrs, Bagshaw (Nottingham), Mrs. Laughton (Huckanll), Miss Buchanan, Miss Farnsworth (Watnall), Mrs. F. Farnsworth (Newthorpe), and Mr. Robinson (New Eastwood).

The bearers were Messrs. W. A. Buchanan, B. Lawton, F. Farnsworth, R. Smith, J. Dykes, and J. Harwood.
At the close of the service Mr. Gleadow played the Dead March.
The floral tributes were profuse and of lovely description, and included the following:-
With much love from his sorrowing Wife and Douglas.
With gratitude to the Almighty that a life so well spent was so peacefully ended, from Sybil and Claude to dear Father.
In ever-loving memory dear father, from Mabel and Billie and his sister, Mrs. Gregory (Sandiacre).
With deepest sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher (Beeston).
To dear grandpa, with best love from Madeline.
With deepest sympathy from Violet and Gordon (The Firs, West Hallam).
The Misses and Robert Jackson's deepest sympathy (Belt Inn, Nottingham).
With deepest sympathy from Mrs. Salt (Stanton Dale). With deepest sympathy from Mr. and
Mrs. F. Farnsworth (Newthorpe). With deepest sympathy from Mr. and Farm, Nuttall.
With deepest sympathy ríom Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan (Watnall).
With deepest sympathy from Miss Buchanan (Watnall).
With deepest sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. Smithurst (Watnall). With deepest sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. Laughton and Family (The Ruffs, Hucknall).
With sincere sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth and Family (Watnall). From Mr. and Mrs. Dykes (Watnall), with deepest sympathy.
With deepest sympathy from Mr. and Mr. Green (Brinsley).

Notes and sources

The Ripley and Heanor News, and Ilkeston Division Free Press;

1 - The great depression of British agriculture occurred during the late nineteenth century and is usually dated from 1873 to 1896. Contemporaneous with the global Long Depression, Britain's agricultural depression was caused by the dramatic fall in grain prices that followed the opening up of the American prairies to cultivation in the 1870s and the advent of cheap transportation with the rise of steamships. British agriculture did not recover from this depression until after the Second World War. Other countries in Western Europe such as the Netherlands experienced the same agricultural crisis (1878–1895) as a result of the market being flooded by cheap grain from the United States and Canada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_depression_of_British_agriculture