One of Liverpool city centre's oldest pubs, Ye Cracke, has much more to it than just its famous Beatles connections.
The epitome of a traditional city centre pub, Ye Cracke is tucked away on Rice Street just off Hope Street. Originally called the Ruthin Castle, there's been a pub on the site for more than 150-years.
In his book 'Liverpool Pubs', Ken Pye says that in 1862, the then landlord of the Ruthin Castle extended the premises by buying the cottage next door. The pub was only nicknamed 'Ye Cracke' at that time, perhaps because of the narrow entrance alongside it.
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Other suggestions the name could have been due to the lively chatter from the crowded pub's customers, similar to the Irish word 'craic' for convivial conversation. According to Pye's book, the name Ye Cracke was not officially registered until 1892.
While the reasoning behind the ‘Cracke’ part of the pub’s name is a little unclear, the ‘Ye’ part is a thorn - a letter more commonly found in Scandinavian dialects. In this case, however, it is likely just a bit of archaic whimsy considering the pub dates back to the 19th century, but to most people the pub is simply known as The Cracke.
On first glance, The Cracke may seem to be a seemingly normal, local boozer. It has traditional looking bar areas and wood panelling, while decked out with long bench seating throughout.
A menagerie of walled off separate rooms and snugs serve as places to slope off from the music and chatter. But then you walk through another door and find yourself in one of the city centre's most treasured beer gardens - an outdoor oasis that surprises the newly initiated - secluded from the vibrant life of the city that surrounds it.
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For tourists, The Cracke is perhaps best known for being John Lennon’s favourite watering hole. As an art student in Liverpool, former bartenders claim Lennon would drink Black Velvet, a cocktail made from Guinness poured on top of sparkling wine.
It's also where he took his first wife, Cynthia Lennon, on their first date after meeting her at a college dance. A plaque on the wall of the pub also celebrates a further connection with the Fab Four.
It was here in the late 1950s, Lennon and fellow original Beatle, Stuart Sutcliffe, alongside artist Rod Murray and writer Bill Harry formed the 'The Dissenters' - a group of art students who vowed to put Liverpool 'on the map' in their own way. And they did.
In a letter written by a former employee of the pub about John Lennon, they said the former Beatle "could be a real pain at times". Adding: "He would put his feet up on the tables just after we had polished them. The clean beer mats on the tables he would split in half, and as I thought, [he] was always writing poems on them."
"I wish I would have known then what I know now. I would have held on to them instead of putting them in the bin."
Apart from the Beatles connections there is much more to this multi-faceted place. A small bar stands at the front of the whitewashed building as well as a main bar and seating area, complete with pews and murals, including one depicting the Battle of Waterloo.
Then there's the aforementioned beer garden. And like many drinking holes of its vintage there's still a darts area at the back.
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Another unique feature of the 19th-century pub is a tiny side room called ‘The War Office’ furnished with red leatherette benches and is the oldest part of the pub. The War Office is a tiny snug where regulars and soldiers returning from the Boer War could meet to discuss military exploits without boring the rest of the customers.
And former Beatles are not its only prestigious clientele. The Cracke is also the place where Liverpool anaesthetist Thomas Cecil Gray is said to have conceived the techniques that pioneered the field of anaesthetics with some of his methods still in use today.
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Another interesting, if bizarre, fact about The Cracke is that back in 1987, an ancient bye-law was uncovered which stated the pub was out of bounds to drinkers on a Wednesday unless they were accompanied by an animal. The bye-law was unearthed by a disgruntled drinker and local historian who, a week earlier, had been barred from the pub.
The barred historian, Dr Godfrey Swinburne, plotted his revenge by unearthing the bye-law which stated the pub could only serve livestock traders on market days. Reported in the Liverpool ECHO on April 1, 1987 - you guessed it - this turned out to be an elaborate April Fool prank by landlady, Susan Dagnall.
This didn't stop thirsty drinkers being taken in by the ruse and turning up carrying rabbits, hamsters, chickens and guinea pigs supplied by a 'borrow a beast' service that had set up outside the pub. Photographs made the ECHO showing customers with chickens standing on their heads, as landlady Susan Dagnall later said: "It was hilarious, almost everyone fell for it. At one stage there was complete chaos with animals running around everywhere."
John Storton, is the managing director of Yellow Spider Media which looks after The Cracke as part of a triumvirate of classic Liverpool pubs. This includes the Swan Inn on Wood Street and The Pilgrim on Pilgrim Street.
Does Ye Cracke pub awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
Speaking about The Cracke, John told the ECHO: "You get people coming in from all over the world because it's well known for being where John Lennon drank as a college student. But it's not just a pub where John drank in - it's a lot more.
"It's unchanged for probably 150-years. Even more so than the other two (Swan Inn and The Pilgrim) it's stood the test of time and remains unchanged.
"The layout and interior design is quite unique, all the nooks and crannies, it's not just one big open space. The War Office where soldiers were made to go and sit in there and allow them to talk tactics without boring the rest of the customers.
"All these things that people don't associate with it - they just see it as a Beatles tourist destination. And there's not many beer gardens where you can see the Anglican Cathedral from it."
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