SIR HENRY HALFORD’S ARMS, 49 Aylestone St.

Photo above, Dennis Calow collection.

Mentioned in 1849 directory, only sketchy references, like Aylestone Street as a whole is now part of the Royal Infirmary complex. Who the pub was named after is conjecture as a couple of Sir Henrys, there were two Henry Halfords with links to Leicester. One a Tory MP, who represented South Leicester from 1832-1857. The second (and more more likely), who was born in Leicester worked with his father at the Royal Infirmary before moving to London in 1792. He became physician to King George III, William 1V, and the young Queen Victoria before his death in 1844.

1867, Thomas Knight, also owned the pub. On 24 October 1870, Knight was fined 1 guinea – or fourteen days – for being open after hours.

The rest of the licensees are as follows:

1882 William Knight.

In November 1882 the Aylestone Rd Football Club (Tigers), having just moved into their new ground, held their first ‘smoking concert’ at the pub where songs such as The Lost Child, The Ship That Never Returned and The Song That Reached My Heart, together with recitations (sounds a happy occasion)!

In 1883 Margaret Knight, put the pub up for sale together with the brewhouse; she was still there in 1888 when John Ward took over. Then supplied by the Beeston Brewery as a tied house.

1895 Joseph Tomkins
1896 William Bailey
1898 George Knighton

September 1899, the licence was passed to a J. Beacroft, before William Scotton later that month.

1901 William Hinks
1904 George Haigh
1908 Charles Bloxham
1912 James Holwell
1916 Alice Holwell
1917 Henry Bray
1920 Arthur Popple
1921 James Devlin

The licence was refused at the Brewster sessions in April 1922, and the house closed on 25 May 25 the same year. Compensation of £2145 was paid to the owner, with £94 going to the tenant.