Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Manchester Mercury - Tuesday 26th April 1785
Advertisement in the Manchester Mercury.
The history of this renowned hotel in Blackpool goes back to 1775, when a local farmer named Lawrence Baily considered expanding his business into the hotel industry. Construction began in 1776 along the shoreline of the Blackpool promenade, with plans for the hotel to feature 34 bedrooms, three dining rooms, and a coffee lounge. The building process took several years and was finished in 1785, with Mr. Baily promoting the amenities of his hotel in the same year. I look into this history up to the current year of 2025 and how it continues to stand and tell its story.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Advertisement in the Manchester Mercury.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Advertisement in the Manchester Mercury.
As the hotel consistently impressed its visitors, Mr Baily took care to make his guests feel at ease. In the very early days of this hotel, there were only three other establishments that were viewed as competitors. These hotels were the Forshaws Hotel, Hudson's Hotel, and Hull's Tavern. In 1826, the Baily Hotel was purchased by a gentleman named Robert Dickson, who chose to rename it the Higher Royal Hotel. Locating historical records from this time was not straightforward, as newspapers often referenced both the Higher Royal Hotel and Baily's Hotel in connection with Mr. Dickson.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An advertisement in May 1825
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An advertisement showing Mr Robert Dickson, shortly after the purchase. The hotel remains the same name during this year.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
This was one of the advertisements that was not directly connected to the Blackpool Hotel. As we can see from this document, the name Robert Dickson is shown at the bottom, quoting "at his hotel, Blackpool".
In 1852, Mr Robert Rossall acquired the Blackpool Hotel from Mr Dickson, resulting in yet another name change. It was renamed the Rossall's Dickson Hotel (also known as the Dickson Hotel), marking its fourth title. Before this, the hotel had been known as Bailys Inn, Bailys Hotel, and Royal Higher Hotel. The establishment frequently hosted auctions related to house clearances. Additionally, it served as the venue for a meeting regarding the new church in Blackpool, where Rev. W.A. Mocatta was set to propose the concept of this new church. The Rev. C. Hesketh was also invited to the meeting.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
As we can see in the Weekly Chronicle newspaper, we see an advertisement for Rossall's Hotel in the Travellers and Tourists Column
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An example of the hotel being used for auctions for house clearances. There were quite a few of these that I found during my research.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the meeting that was arranged to discuss the new church held at Rossall's Hotel, Blackpool.
In the Preston Chronicle Newspaper, dated Saturday, 26th July 1856, an announcement was made regarding developments in the area that would benefit Blackpool. Recognised as the "Queen of the Lancashire bathing places", improvements were proposed to enhance the area's appearance to attract more visitors. It was noted that places like Southport were flourishing while Blackpool appeared neglected, but this was set to change in 1856 with essential improvements. With the improvement act secured five years earlier, the sewage system was extended, creating more development opportunities.
Work is set to commence on the primary pathways, carriageways, and shops, which will now be "well lighted with gas", featuring a wide variety of shops and market stalls. The plans further detailed the intention to create additional public rooms for meetings, sports activity areas, and a concert hall to attract more visitors with singers and performances. The area is undergoing transformation, with the "Temple of Arts" building being repurposed for public use, land areas being developed, and the beach receiving extra attention leading up to the Rossalls Hotel, which aims to establish the "finest Marine Parade on the Lancashire Coast".
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An interesting article showing the improvements.
The hotel would once again undergo a change in ownership in 1861, when a gentleman named William Bailey purchased it from Mr. Dickson. An article in the Preston Pilot, dated Saturday, May 18, 1861, reported the transfer of ownership to Mr. William Bailey. Prior to this, the Fleetwood Chronicle on May 17, 1861, included an advertisement detailing the hotel's developments under the new ownership, indicating improvements made by the new management. At this time, the hotel was renamed Baileys Hotel under the new ownership of Mr William Bailey.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the new ownership to Mr William Bailey.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the changes to the hotel and its new name.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An interesting advert showing the ownership changing.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Advertisement seeking a kitchen maid.
In 1864, the Blackpool Tradesman Ball had taken place at the Baileys hotel, the first time in many years. More than 100 guests attended the event in a room decorated with evergreens, flowers, chandeliers, and on the walls, replicas of the Royal Arms and representations of Her Majesty and the late Royal Consort. At 9 PM, everyone would form two double lines along the length of the room to witness Mrs J. Thomson and Mr J. Braithwaite opening the ball with a popular dance known as "The Triumph," accompanied by the music of Norwood's Celebrated Quadrille Band. The band would be part of an orchestra, led by Mr Norwood, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all.
The ball lasted until midnight, at which point everyone proceeded to the hotel’s drawing room, where the Bailey Hotel had arranged a refreshment area with various foods, including poultry, game, pies, jellies, and fruits. After enjoying the meal, they returned to the dance floor, reveling in the festivities until the early hours of dawn, marking the ball as a significant success.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Details about the Blackpool Tradesmen Ball.
In 1864, a new advertisement appeared in the Fleetwood Chronicle, indicating that the new lock-up coach house and stables were now included.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Advertisement showing the additional lock-up coach and stables.
In 1867, the Tradesmen Annual Ball would returned back to the Bailey Hotel after being hosted at other hotels in the last couple of years. There was also another meeting held at the Baileys Hotel called the Blackpool Agricultural Society with Mr Harrison as the chairman. In this very meeting, an agreement was made with the name of this society to change to "The Blackpool and Fylde District Agricultural Society", which including the annual show meeting and Blackpool annual horse sale.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Advertisement showing the Tradesmen's Annual Ball for 1967
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
The Blackpool and Flyde District Agricultural Association meeting at the Baileys Hotel.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Advertisement showing the Tradesmen's Annual Ball for 1868
In 1868, reports emerged indicating that a fire had started in the smoking room of the Bailey Hotel, which was linked to the dining room and located beneath the nursery windows. The report details that this wooden room was being used as a storage space for old furniture and some flammable materials. Upon the arrival of the Blackpool fire brigade, they faced challenges in connecting to the hydrant on the coast side of the hotel because of some road materials. Fortunately, they discovered another hydrant in a place known as Queens Square, where they could connect without any problems. Thanks to the main supply delivering a significant volume of water to the firefighters, the fire was extinguished fairly quickly.
Following an inspection of the fire damage, Mr. Bailey was informed that the damage was minimal, with an estimated cost of £25. In light of the issues encountered with the first hydrant, a new rule was implemented to ensure that these areas remain unobstructed at all times to avoid similar occurrences in the future.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Details about the fire at the Baileys Hotel
In 1869, a further evolution took place when James Harrison, involved in stabling, established an arrangement with the Bailey Hotel to offer horse and carriage rentals. This new initiative addresses multiple needs, from horse stabling to rentals, with every aspect thoroughly checked. The hotel would also see a name change, now known as "Baileys Family Hotel," with the removal of the Dicksons name, and the introduction of a new billiard and smoking room. Additionally, the hotel will serve as the venue for the Grand Concert featuring the Bury Parish Church Choir on Friday, July 9th. In 1876, construction would start with shops on the roadside.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing this new connection and extension to the Bailey Hotel
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the new name for the hotel.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the advertisement for the Grand Concert with the Bury Parish Church Choir.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
This view is not very good however, what we can see is the stables and hotel advertised together.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
This view is not very good however, what we can see is the stables and hotel advertised together.
For several years, Mr. William Bailey has been undertaking extensive additions to the hotel to prepare it for the new demands from customers, including an increase in visitors. The newspaper article explains that the hotel had to undergo reconstruction to accommodate more rooms. The advertisement reveals that the suites of apartments are now elegantly furnished, the public dining and drawing rooms have been updated to meet modern requirements, the billiard room, equipped with two excellent tables, has received some renovations, and a new hotel store has been introduced to supply families with wines and spirits at wholesale prices. Furthermore, Mr. William Bailey opted to remove 'Family' from the name, reverting to its original names, the Baileys Hotel. Research also suggests that the relationship with James Harrison's Hotel Livery Stables has been dissolved, as there are no advertisements indicating a connection to the hotel, with the service continuing to operate independently.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing a change to the advertisement for James Harrisons stable as the Baileys Hotel.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the news of the changes made to the hotel with the new areas added,
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing how the advert had changed from the years above.
Unfortunately, Mr. William Bailey has passed away (the year of his death is currently unknown), leading to the transfer of ownership of Bailey's Hotel to his wife, Mrs. Bailey. Mrs. Bailey found managing the hotel to be a significant challenge, as it was not her area of expertise. With no family members interested in continuing the hotel business, she decided it was time to put the hotel on the market. The hotel was described as 'very aristocratic and family-oriented,' featuring spacious rooms for private hire and a dining room suitable for any event. Mr. Banks (it's strange to see my surname mentioned in this historical context) from W. Banks & Co. solicitors read the terms of the sale, which indicated that the property would be subject to the purchaser obtaining a valuation of the furniture contained within the hotel.
This was the description given about the hotel and what it offered;
The basement : A large commodious wine, beer, bottling, meat, milk, coal and wood cellars, washhouses, drying closets, pastry larders and bakehouse.
The ground floor: A spacious drawing room that was 43ft 5in by 30ft 10in, dining room room 55ft by 28 ft 4in, coffee room and two sitting rooms, all with sea views, bar parlour, sitting rooms, smoke room, billiard rooms 38ft 3in by 28ft 6in, linen room, pantries, kitchens, stillroom, scullery, order office, large vaults, taproom, w.c. lavatories and other requisite rooms necessary for a large and first class hotel.
The first floor: 26 bedrooms, one suite of rooms, seven private sitting rooms, three house maids pantries, bath room, four w.c.s
The second floor: 27 bedrooms, one suite of rooms, three housemaids closets, linen store, bath room and three w.c.s
The third floor: 16 bedrooms for hotel and servants usage.
Mr. Banks stated that no other hotel in the United Kingdom is as large as the Bailey's Hotel, which has a profitable offering. The additional £360 from the rents of the shops linked to the building is beneficial, as they were the only ones available at that time, giving them a prime opportunity to earn more potential profit. At the auction, Mr. John Hatch was instructed by the solicitors, W. Banks & Co., to put the freehold of the hotel up for public auction on 2nd September 1891. It was announced on 4th September 1891 that the bidding started at £40,000 and increased to £51,000 after a long pause from other bidders, until another raised it to £52,000 in bids of £500 each time, culminating in a final price of £53,500 from a gentleman named Mr. Clarke. In the absence of any other bids, the auctioneer, Mr. John Hatch, would communicate to the venue that the hotel was not sold, as it did not achieve the reserve price he had set. Therefore, the hotel was withdrawn from the sale.
Concerns were raised regarding the unsold status as Mr. John Hatch informed the inquirers that Mrs. Baily had received additional offers surpassing the final bidding price at this auction house, and that the reserve price would remain undisclosed. However, he suggested that if the bidding had increased by £10,000, they would be nearer to the reserve price. Research indicated that there were two primary parties interested in the hotel: a syndicate of gentlemen from Manchester and Messrs. The other interested party was Spiers and Ponds, known for their ownership of tractors and hotels, with Mr. Clarke representing them at the auction.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing the announcement of the sale with Mr John Hatch.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
A bit of history of the Bailey's Hotel in the Blackpool Gazette and Herald in 1891
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing a lot of details about the auction and the description you see above.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing a lot of details about the auction and the description you see above.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Details about the attempted sale in 1891
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
One of the shops that was at the Bailey's Hotel, which I found to be a great find!
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
This newspaper article shows you about the rumour at the time about the Spiers and Pond Limited wanting to purchase the Bailey's Hotel.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
This newspaper article shows you about the rumour at the time about the Spiers and Pond Limited wanting to purchase the Bailey's Hotel.
A rumor began circulating that a company called Gordon Hotels had acquired Bailey's Hotel in 1894. The Gordon Hotels chain operated numerous hotels in the South of England. However, this claim regarding the ownership of Bailey's Hotel by Gordon Hotels was proven to be untrue. The hotel remained unsold until 1895, when a person from Manchester showed interest in making an offer. Negotiations started with proposals suggesting an investment of £18,000 to £20,000 for renovations, along with plans to enhance the Winter Gardens in Blackpool by constructing a new ballroom at a cost of £50,000.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
Showing a rumour of the new owners being the Gordon Hotels company, which was later proven to be incorrect.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
This small part of the Stockport County Express shows that there was an interest in the hotel.
The history of the Bailey Hotel comes to a close in 1896, when it was announced that Mr. J. T. Murray had acquired the hotel. With this change in ownership, the name was transformed to what we now know as the Metropole Hotel, a company that had just been founded at that time. The story of this extraordinary hotel ends here as chapter two explores the new phase of the former Bailey Hotel, which has a deep-rooted history from its beginnings until 1896.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An article about the sale of the Baileys Hotel and its new name.
Image found at the British Newspaper Archive website - Link
An article about the sale of the Baileys Hotel and its new name.
Thank you for exploring the Butlins Memorabilia website's Butlins Hotels section. This is a newly developed area of the site, currently being designed to provide you with the best information that Butlins Memorabilia has to offer. In the meantime, please refer to the older design located further down, which presents some basic information. Be sure to follow my social media groups (listed at the bottom) or contact me via email for updates.