The Royal Oak was one of old Ancoat's first pubs, established around 1815. The Groves & Whitnall house was taken over by Marocca & Son, ice-cream makers in 1938 [1]. The pub cellar was ideal for storing wheels and parts for Marocca's barrel organs and ice-cream carts. When the pub was demolished in later years the cellar, full of wheels and parts, was buried.
The Italians in the area (Jersey Street was the heart of Ancoats' Little Italy) joked: "Canna you imagine in years to come, when people come digging around here; they will think the Romans had a fort here with their chariots, when they find the old cartwheels! [2]." This image from around 1910 shows Maria Street, a passage from Jersey Street towards the Royal Oak.
1. The Old Pubs of Ancoats, Neil Richardson (1987).
2. Manchester's Little Italy, Anthony Rea (1988).
The Italians in the area (Jersey Street was the heart of Ancoats' Little Italy) joked: "Canna you imagine in years to come, when people come digging around here; they will think the Romans had a fort here with their chariots, when they find the old cartwheels! [2]." This image from around 1910 shows Maria Street, a passage from Jersey Street towards the Royal Oak.
1. The Old Pubs of Ancoats, Neil Richardson (1987).
2. Manchester's Little Italy, Anthony Rea (1988).
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