Early Days
Alfred J. Allard was born in Canada in 1891, moved to the United States in 1902 and was working as a farm hand in Chelmsford when he was married in 1919. (1) In March 1924 he purchased two parcels of land on North Road. Five acres on the west side included the large circa 1801 home at 140 North Road. Thirty acres of farmland on the east side extended down to the old Middlesex Turnpike. (2) That parcel included present-day Erlin Road and Sheppard Lane and may have included a house at 141 Noth Road.
Alfred was listed as a farmer until 1937, then as operator of a farm stand and lunchroom. (3) The 1940 and 1948 Newsweekly advertisements below show that the lunchroom had become the Lion’s Den, providing liquor, food, and dancing.
In October 1945 Alfred sold his properties to building contractor J. Hartley Stiles of Medford and Frank Milton of Hartford, CT. (4) Hartley, Frank, and Hartley’s son Gerald moved into 140 North Road. In 1949 Hartley’s sons Lester (of Medford) and Gerald were president and treasurer of the Lion’s Den.
Street Names
J. Hartley Stiles and Frank Milton, as president and treasurer of the Lion’s Den in 1951, sold the properties to William T. Sheppard of Lowell, trustee of the William T. Sheppard Trust, in May. (5)
Land developer Erlin Ramsbotham lived at 140 North Road and served as Lion’s Den president and treasurer for William. Erlin Road was accepted by the town on March 8, 1954, and Erlin moved to 17 Erlin Road. He passed away in 1957. His widow Helen Tareila Ramsbotham transferred several lots in the subdivision behind the Den to the William T. Sheppard Trust in September 1957. (6) The same day William, executor of Erlin’s estate, sold the 5- and 30-acre properties to Albert Tareila. (7)
Albert and Shirley Tareila sold the properties to Howard J. and Mary L. Swindell of Brockton in December 1964. (8) Howard and Mary granted a mortgage to Union National Bank in May 1966. (9)
The Tareila and Swindell Years
David Haney posted these captivating stories on the Growing Up in Chelmsford, MA Facebook Group in November 2021:
“There’s a rich story behind the Lion’s Den – people died mysteriously. The guy my dad bought it from died under mysterious circumstances. Then …when he sold it to Howard Swindell he died within 2 days, and 2 days later Swindell’s son hit me and my mom. He T-boned our 65 Chevelle Super Sport convertible while driving at high-speed drunk from the bar as we were pulling out from JM Fields. The car rolled 3 times with my mom and me in it. Unfortunately, my mom suffered serious injuries, but doctors couldn’t save Swindell’s son.
“A fire completely destroyed the interior of the Lion’s Den. Yup, two days later bodies were found inside, and there’s more. The many people dying over this Lion’s Den were lawyers and investors, one of which was my dad’s sister Helen who also owned the Blue Moon on the Pawtucket Boulevard and another bar in N. H.
“Me and Mike Burnett were in the cellar of the bar getting cases of beer out that hadn’t burned when the place caved in on us and nearly claimed both of our lives too. Not one kid in our neighborhood went to school that week … we were all up on the big hill across the street drinking beers!!! I was never so glad to see it torn down and replaced with a big house! Oh my, I hope they’re all OK … I did save a very large picture of a lion in gold from the bar …wish I could’ve kept one of the lions on each booth end too!!”
More Stories from David
“For those of you who’ve seen the horror movie Christine, my dad, Al Tareila, owned the exact same car ...the exact color ..red and white roof …his had the continental chrome spare tire kit on it …was a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere that he bought new …he also had a 1957 blue Belvedere that looked similar …On any sunny day, you could spot both cars parked in front of the Lion’s Den.
“Gram Spaulding was a very nice lady …her place looked spooky and old but …she loved me and made me birthday cakes for 3 yrs in a row…I met her in the Lion’s Den when she came in for cigarettes… then I met her grandson John who eventually joined the Hells Angels …when gram died he let several of the angels move in with him. I made good friends with deacon McGillicuddy, the leader at the time …he took me for rides in his open top T-bucket car and his souped up El Camino too.
“My mom Shirley was a peach and would make special chicken dinners for certain customers …and my dad Al Tareila was tough but fair and did get rough with patrons who got drug and derogatory to my mom who was SOOO pretty and personable …every man was attracted to her.”
Demise of the Den
On March 7, 1969, a fire seriously damaged the interior of the Lion’s Den. Plans to sell the property in September were unsuccessful. In October Mary Swindell had a plan to refurbish the establishment and reopen and applied for an alcoholic beverage license in November. Former manager of the Glenview Lounge, Harold Kecy, lost interest in purchasing the Lion’s Den when the alcoholic beverage license application failed. A variance needed to build a shopping center was denied.
In December 1971 the Union National Bank foreclosed on the mortgage given by Howard and Mary Swindell in May 1966. (10) Albert Tareila of 10 Erlin Road bid at auction and became the owner of the property again. Crews demolished The Lion’s Den on January 26, 1972.
The Hell’s Angels’ house next door to 140 North Road stood as a small cape hidden among the trees. Crews recently demolished it, and they expect to complete construction of the Gardner Preschool for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years in 2026.
References:
(1) Ancestry.com
(2) Northern Middlesex Registry, deed 704/407 dated 3/28/1924
(3) Historical Society Directories
(4) Northern Middlesex Registry, deed 1031/463 dated 10/23/1945
(5) Northern Middlesex Registry, deed 1169/91 dated 5/21/1951
(6) Northern Middlesex Registry, deed 1382/271 dated 9/17/1957
(7) Northern Middlesex Registry, deed 1382/273 dated 9/17/1957
(8) Northern Middlesex Registry, deed1679/29 dated 12/17/1964
(9) Northern Middlesex Registry, mortgage 1751/257 dated 5/16/1966
(10) Northern Middlesex Registry, mortgage default 1991/446 dated 12/1/1971
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