The Royal Oak stands in prime position on the corner of Earlsdon Street and Moor Street. Externally it has changed little since it opened in 1859. Opened by John Sabin, who came from a family of publicans, he unfortunately died at the early age of 31, leaving a young widow Sarah. Richard Welton moved in to help her run the pub, the couple married, and Richard held the licence until his death — also selling meat from beasts killed in a slaughterhouse at the back of the pub.
Richard died in 1895 and the Oak became the property of Northampton Brewery. William Mayo — a young Earlsdon lad born in Arden Street — became licensee, holding the post for thirty-five years through successive brewery owners: Robinsons (1897) and Ind Coope (1929). Over those three and a half decades his sturdy figure became a familiar sight to every Earlsdon resident.
Leonard Lawless was his successor, serving another thirty-plus years, followed by his son Harry, who put together an interesting collection of memorabilia: wine bottles hanging from the ceiling, German bayonets, an old pipe about two feet long, a ‘Laughing Cavalier’, and a beautiful brass horse mounted on velvet above the fireplace. The tradition of maintaining a ‘locals’ pub with no gimmicks — just good beer — has been continued by subsequent licensees.