From the Shrewsbury Journal, Nov 14th 1883

Three houses were destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning 6th November. The fire, which resulted very seriously, broke out in the Fighting Cocks Inn, Oakengates. The fire was first discovered about 4 o'clock am and although available assistance was rendered, the inn and two shops adjoining were completely burnt-out, only a portion of the wall being left standing.

From what we gather it appears that on Tuesday night shortly after closing time the inmates of the fighting Cocks in retired to bed, leaving everything apparently safe. About 4am they were woken by an alarm of the fire, and then getting out of bed they were astounded to find that premises were in flames.

At that time the fire had made such headway that the persons in the house namely Mr Henry Harrison, the landlord of the Fighting Cocks Inn, Mr Harrison (his father), Mr Frank Lloyd (a Shrewsbury man), his wife, a child, a female servant and a male lodger, had to escape by an upstairs window.

The alarm reached Wellington about 4:30am. Under the direction of Chief Superintendent Webb to sell off the engine and members of the brigade started the scene, on arriving there a slight delay she took place owing to a scarcity of water, however this difficulty was overcome by getting a supply from the canal and the engine began to play upon the fire.

It was soon found that all hopes of saving the inn had gone and Superintendent Webb had to direct his attentions to saving the adjoining premises. It was not until several hours of hard work that the fire was brought under subjection, and then the inn with the whole of its contents destroyed together, with the adjourning fishmonger's shop in occupation of Mr J Lewis of Shifnal.

A shop and occupation of Mr Maudesley, clogger of Shifnall was also partially destroyed, the whole of the premises which belonged to Mr J Leek solicitor of Shifnal are insured, and also the furniture of Mr Harrison, but the effects of Mr Maudsley and Mr Lewis are not insured. We understand that Mr Maudsley has lost over 30 pounds worth of stock, but Mr Lewis's loss is trifling. The Fighting Cocks Inn was the oldest in in Oakengates bearing the date 1656 and having been licensed for 132 years.

John Taylor charged Gabriel Pickering with assaulting him on the seventh Inst November 1883 in Oakengates. The complainant deposed that on the 7th he was at Oakengates. There was a fire at the Fighting Cocks Inn, Mr Webb, the superintendent of the Wellington fire brigade asked him to work at the pump. He did so and was there all day until half past 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

Afterwards they went down to the Crown Inn and Mr Webb ordered a gallon of beer for them. They went into the kitchen but there was no fire there and as the weather was very cold they went into the bar where there was a fire. The landlord said he could not draw them anything there, three more quarts were coming to them but they must go into the kitchen to drink them.

They told him there was no fire there upon which he ordered them out of the House. The defendant, who was in the bar, jumped up and knocked the witness down, and when he got on his feet again struck him on the side of the head.

William Haywood and Joseph Clay gave corroborative evidence for the defence. Richard Corbett, landlord of the Crown Inn, said the defendant was drunk, very insolent, and challenged Pickering to fight. Police Constable Derbyshire stated that the complainant was very drunk and used threatening language towards Pickering. The witness had to lock him up, and he had been fined that morning for drunken disorderly on the occasion. The bench dismissed the case.