1920s
The Griffin Inn dates back to the early part of the 18th Century and subsequently changed its name to the Griffin Hotel. In the 1830s it was still a coach inn, from which The Accommodation coach, and others, provided a regular service to local towns and even to London. It is worthy of note that in 1851 a Bizarre Breeder tulip ‘Paul Pry‘ was shown, the name also of one of the Griffin Inn coaches. Whether it was named after the coach, or the man is not known. A hundred years later the horse pulled coaches had been replaced by trams. The photograph (courtesy of the Wakefield Museum) from the 1920s shows the Hotel behind the tram on the left. Another photograph may be seen here. It was demolished a few years later when road widening around the Bull Ring took place. A number of shows were held there around 1848.
The hotel was also the location of the meeting on 7 November 1843 at which the formation of the National Miners’ Association took place.