The former Market Cross pub in Westgate was Frederick Fletcher wine and spirit merchant’s shop in the 19th century.

In the 19th century a building in Westgate housed Frederick Fletcher, wine and spirit merchant’s shop, writes Ruth Crook of Grantham Civic Society.

In the following century, the shop was made into a public house and was called The Fletchers, followed by The Market Cross. It now houses Oblio’s Café.

Frederick’s father John Robert was also a wine and spirit merchant on Westgate. Frederick, born in 1831, was the youngest of three brothers. In the 1851 census, John Robert was running his business single-handedly because Frederick was in the merchant navy.

In 1851 he passed his ‘Only Mate’ exams in Hull, and then his ‘Master’s’ exams in Liverpool in 1854.

By 1861, Frederick was living with his father and a servant and the following year married Lucy Ann Wood. Their only child Beatrice Lucy was born in 1867.

Beatrice remained single and in 1911, then aged 44, helped her 79 year old father to run his business, before he died two years later.