Links
Featured Pub
The Hole In The Wall.
The inn that we have today is an amalgamation of two former public houses, the Market Vaults and...
Historical Hostelries.
Site sponsored by: 
Design and Content Management System by Mark Oliver Brawn
The Albert.
Summary
Live music is a feature.
| Address | Smithfield Road. Shrewsbury |
| County | Shropshire |
| Postcode | SY1 1PB |
| Telephone | 01743 358198 |
| Website | www.thealbert.tk |
| Brewery Website | Banks |
| licencee | Bill & Cheryl Haynes |
| Opening Hours | Mon - Sat 11 - 11 Sun 12 - 10.30 |
| Real Ales | Yes |
| Beers | Banks Bitter & Mild + themed guest beer local brewery |
| Wines and Spirits | General selection of wines & spirits |
| CAMRA | Good Beer Guide 2005 |
| Facilities | Live Music |
| Customers | Good cross section of locals and visitors |
| Accomodation | 2 Single and 1 double room available |
| Recommendation | Very conveniently located near the Rail and Bus stations with excellent CAMRA approved beer with local guest bitter available. Live music is also a feature. |
Smithfield Road was constructed around 1835 but does not appear by name until it was listed in the directory of 1856. It was until the creation of Priory Road the only thoroughfare within the loop of the river to be called a "Road," the rest being referred to as "Streets." The road was built for and named after the new cattle market.
The Albert would have been built around this period and is first mentioned in the 1856 directory. It was erected on part of the old town defences and was named in honour of the Prince Consort.
In 1900 the inn was a free house and was owned by William Williams who was a builder living just two doors away. The inn had seen private and three public rooms and overnight accommodation for two people in a double room. Its customers were described as mostly dealers and farmers.
In 1900 Richard Gough became landlord taking over from Samuel Morris and starting a family link with the inn that lasted three generations. Mr. Gough transferred to Smithfield Road from the Plough in Frankwell and was a tenant for four years until he purchased the Albert with all its fixtures and fittings from Mr. Williams for £4,100. An interesting inventory listing the entire fixtures and fittings of the inn was drawn up by Hall, Wateridge & Owen at the time Mr. Gough became landlord in 1900. It came to £328-3s-8d and the items included seventeen gallons of brandy, three gallons of Irish whiskey, four and three quarter gallons of Scotch, three and a half gallons of gin, sixty-one gallons of cider, thirty-five gallons of old ale and twenty-six and a half gallons of port.
The Gough's brewed and bottled their beer up until 1913 and had had a brew house with sufficient barrels to hold up to 600 gallons of beer. Brewing would often start at two o'clock in the morning and although the ale that they brewed would be stored in a cellar that often flooded, this was a blessing in disguise as the moist earth kept the walls of the cellar cool. Richard was followed by his son Sidney until 1957 when grandson Ken Gough became landlord.