Resident provides historic pictures of popular Warrington pub

The Queens Wolf Pub, located on Orford Lane, has operated under several names over the decades, originally named the Wheatsheaf when it first opened.

Val provided pictures of the pub back when it was the Wheat Chief (Image: Supplied) Val Drinkwater, from Padgate, grew up in the establishment as her parents took over the running of the pub from her grandfather and the original landlord, William Hughes.

She returned to the pub last month to the delight of the current landlady, Jenny Chadwick, with a collection of pictures showing the pub dating back to the 1940s - some even earlier.

The pictures provided by Val show the pub as it was decades ago when it was named the Wheat Chief (Image: Supplied) Providing some insight into the history of The Queens Wolf, Val told the Warrington Guardian: “My family moved there when I was seven. My grandfather was the original landlord of the Wheat Chief, it was newly built, and he took over it in around 1901.

“I was told by a family member that back then; landlords of pubs would brew their own beer, and my grandfather did the same.”

Val’s mother, Betty Millington, took over from her father, William after he sadly died in 1948, moving into the pub with Val and her father Reginald.

Val Drinkwater grew up in the pub from the age of seven (Image: Supplied) Describing the atmosphere of the pub back when she lived there, she added: “The area was very much more built up with houses then, than it is now. There were houses all around and it was a busy pub. It was a working men’s pub back then.”

The 78-year-old stated that the business was a real ‘family affair’ with her auntie and cousin working behind the bar while her uncle helped her dad with cellar work on the weekends.

Val's mother Betty Millington took over as pub landlady from her father and the original landlord William Hughes (Image: Supplied) Recalling what it was like to grow up in the bustling environment of a thriving pub, she said: “On reflection I realised it was quite a privileged up bringing because my mum and dad were always around, even if they were working, they were always there.”

Val went back to visit the pub, 50 years on, with her nephew John and was showed around the pub by its new landlady Jen. She said despite its many changes and renovations over the years, the building was still ‘recognisable’ from how she remembered it to be.

The pub reopened in March and was renamed The Queens Wolf. Jenny took over from the previous owners in 2021.

Val was recently showed around the pub after 50 years by landlady Jenny (Image: Supplied) Speaking on Val’s visit, she said: “We showed Val around including to the rest of the building upstairs.

“The current fire escape door went into her old bedroom. She looked in and said, ‘oh my gosh, what have you done to my room’.”

Old pictures Val had found in her possession and showed to Jen showed her family stood outside the pub back when they ran it, as well as behind the bar and in the upstairs rooms of the building from back when they used to live as residents above the main bar area.

Old pictures show how the pub used to look back when the Millington family used to run it (Image: Supplied) We sent our photographer down to capture some new pictures of Val stood behind the same bar decades on, pulling a pint, like she did in one of the original pictures.

Meanwhile Jenny spoke of how the pub is restoring its great reputation it once had all those years ago and doing its best to support other areas of the community.

Part of this included the staff hosting a charity auction night to raise money for Rock Steady Boxing – an initiative to help those suffering with Parkinson's to keep fit and active.

Val Drinkwater at The Queens Wolf Pub in Orford (Image: Supplied) “I went to see them at their gym based under the arches near Warrington Central Station and I was in tears,” Jenny said.

“It’s such a nice thing they are doing, and the age range is massive, with attendants as young as 30 and as old as 80s.

“The head coach Tommy has got Parkinson's as well. He has a gym in Widnes too. The doctors now recommend people diagnosed with the disease to go to him.

The pub held an auction night for Rock Steady Boxing (Image: Supplied) “But he is still not getting any funding for it, so we did a charity auction night to raise some money.”

The pub auctioned off boxing memorabilia and managed to raise £1420 in aid of Parkinson's disease.

“The local community is trying to get behind it. We are hoping to raise more money for them in the future.”