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	Picture source: John Hillier-Smyth
The Packet House was situated on the corner of Bridge Street and Mersey Street. This was an extremely busy pub, known by everybody in Warrington. The last landlady, Mrs Ethel Smith, retired in Summer 1976 after many years. Greenalls then decided to turn it into a 'fun pub'. It was a failure and unsuccessfully changed names several times over the next few years, but could never match the popularity of the old Packet House. It eventually closed down and now stands derelict. The building is for sale as a possible office site.
Source: Richard Smith
One building of historical interest situated in Warrington town centre, standing empty and neglected needs to be saved for future posterity, that building is “The Packet House Inn”, built in 1764 it stands on the south east corner at the lower end of Bridge Street, it is the last remaining commercial link that our town has with the river Mersey. The Inn served as a ticket office and waiting area for weary passengers awaiting the arrival of packet boats enabling them to make the eight hour journey from Warrington to Manchester or Liverpool via Runcorn where they would board the steam ferry to continue their journey across the river Mersey . Long distance travel in those times would entail travelling by stage coach and the journey to and from Liverpool when available would generally only be affordable to affluent people also the road to Liverpool was notorious for its poor condition between the city and Prescot being badly rutted and impassable after rain had softened the ground, leaving the less fortunate folk the alternative method of travel by the river and this is where the Inn played it’s part in provided shelter, food and drink for some of those weary and exhausted passengers who may have walked many miles to reach the packet stage situated across Mersey street. Owner or Licencee. 1764. The Packet House had originally been built as a private dwelling with the first occupants recorded as living there was a Mr Joseph Dennett a surgeon, also recorded as living there was Mr John Boardman the Clerk Rector of Warrington. 1799. Occupied by John Foster and his wife Mary, Nicholas Gremshaw is also recorded as living there. 1818. Licensee. John Winchurch. The building is now a licensed public house called “The Queens Head”. 1820. Licensee. David Summer. 1821. The Inn has a change of name from the “Queens Head” to the “Packet House Inn”. The reason for this name change is that inn was being used as a depositary for packages and parcels being deposited there from the packet boats travelling up the river from Liverpool where they were loaded on to the coaches to continue their journey to Manchester. 1823-1836. Licensee. Samuel Eyton. 1828. The owner Anthony McGovern dies, John Rylands is executor of the will and the pub is sold to a William Fairhurst. 1844. Licensee. John Newton. 1848. Licensee. John Blythe. 1852/3. Warrington Council announce that plans have been drawn up to widen Bridge Street with the first phase having a direct affect on the buildings of lower Bridge Street, the “Packet House” would be one of them. 1854. All plots of land at the lower end and front of Bridge Street are under the ownership of George Preston which are leased to a William Wood as tenant who has a certain pump and house in the area known as the “Queens Head” yard, the areas affected include the shop on the corner of Bridge Street with Mersey Street this being part of the site known as the “Packet House Inn” and occupied by Frances Blythe, the Licensee appears to have rebuilt part of the Inn resulting in the shop on the corner of the building being removed thus causing the “Packet House Inn” to have a distinctive bowed corner (part of which has been retained to date although with the removal of the doorway on the corner and replaced by a window only the upper part of the bow remains). With the removal of the shop the Inn became the last building on the north corner of Bridge Street with Mersey Street. 1857. Licensee. Mrs Frances Blythe. 1857. Licensee. Leonard C Smith. 1861. Licensee. Ethel Smith. 1864. William Wetch (the surname may not be correct as the record is written in pencil and barely legible) . The Packet House had a name change to “The Railway & Packet House Inn”. 1871-1875. Licensee. William Atherton. Name of the Inn recorded as “The Railway & Packet House Inn”. 1876. Licensee. Elizabeth Lightfoot. 1881. Licensee. Thomas Clare. 1890-1895. Licensee. John Monks. 1901-1907. Licensee. Elizabeth Monks (wife of John Monks). 1908-1912. Licensee. Arthur E. Denham. 1913. Licensee. J. H. Fair. 1921. Licensee. S. Fair. 1929-1948. Licensee. Louise Fair. 1949-1957. Licensee. Leonard C. Smith. 1961-1976 Licensee. Ethel Smith. Little is known about the years after 1976 other than in the 1980’s “The Packet House Inn” name was dropped and it became the “Continental”, later another change in ownership took place with the name again changed to “TigerToo” and then Bar Zero. The establishment finally closed its doors in the 1990’s. June 2022 the Packet House is put up for sale, who knows what its future will be?.
Mark M (August 2025)
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Other Photos
Date of photo: 1960s	Picture source: Mitchell Jones
Date of photo: 1967	Picture source: Hania Franek