Photo above: A typical turn of the century scene, a dog in the middle of the pavement, outside the Tramway, facing the photographer.
Nos 5, 7 and 9 covered the one building part lodging house part Tramway Inn
From c.1840 to c1846, The Artilleryman licensee was John Bateman, and he followed by John and Ann Harmer for the next twenty years.
John Harmer aged 16, was living at the lodging house 1841 with father Thomas 70. Lodging House keeper and mother Mary Harmer 60 also Daniel 30. In 1851, Thomas now 81 and Mary 70 were still there along with 21 other lodgers. John Harmer ran the pub.
with children young Thomas and Sarah Ann (photo by courtesy of Eileen Greenwood)
Thomas Harmer died in 1854 aged about 85, wife Mary followed six years later aged almost 80. Lodging House keeper certainly seemed to give them both a long life. Although Thomas would gain a licence for the Duchess of Kent which came the Blue Cock on the corner of Royal East Street/Orchard Street, transferring it to son Daniel Harmer soon after (to be dealt with under Orchard Street).
(Many thanks to Eileen Greenwood for info on the Harmer family her ancestors).
1866, saw Matthew Richards for a couple of years. Richards was fined for harbouring bad characters. At the next Brewster Sessions, the magistrates asked Richards if he still allowed them to frequent his house, he replied that the magistrates must realize that his beer house was in a low neighbourhood and they drank late until past one. The license was granted.
Christopher and Charles Harrison were licensees until c.1876, around which time the Artilleryman changed its name to the Tramway Inn.
James Buxton was landlord until c1879, followed by William Nickels.
1887, Henry Bodycot, then Isaac Smith, (Incidentally Henry had married my great aunt Ada Sands and lived in his retirement with my grandma and family now Lounts).
1899 Charles and Mary Hurst
1904 Thomas Spence
William Hyde from 1905 until it was delicensed a year later.
It was delicensed for permitting the premises to be used for the habitual resort of repeated prostitution. PC Peberdy observed 13 prostitutes on the premises, 3 women danced in front of customers in an indecent manner, also a number of unfortunates were amongst the customers.
The Tramway was owned by the Cardington Brewery, coincidently from Bedford. They were taken over by Nottingham Brewery in 1897.
1886, saw a prize fight between two Leicester men that made headlines in the London Police News. It was curious because of the affliction of the two men: William Burley small in stature had only one eye and Edward Wilson only one arm.
Both William Burley and Edward Wilson were from nearby Britannia st. (although it is thought Burley was lodging next door to the Eight Bells in Bedford St) fought for a £10 stake in front of hundreds of spectators. So as not to arouse suspicion the pair and their supporters’ rendezvoused in a field near Cossington. The fight lasted over an hour, the one armed Wilson being the victor after Burley’s one good eye became so swollen he could not see. Due to the commotion the police were called, the two prize fighters being well known to them (Edward Wilson a habitual offender) and were soon apprehended. The Police knew where to find one eyed William Burley, as he couldn’t go far. Burley was duly arrested in the Tramway Inn. Both were charged and sent to appear at the Assizes. Wilson had recently been in prison for larceny, his sixteenth offence. Burley also did not heed the warnings as in 1892 he was again at the assizes for assault on the purpose of prize fighting.