Milk Maid seen on the map corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street.
JR has record of Joseph Cave keeping the Milk Maid in 1747 (cannot be sure if it’s the same one). The address given early 19th century then was Barkby road later to become Bedford street, North and South.
Directories tell us that the Nutting family, John and Ann, kept the pub from circa 1827-1858, when it was transferred to Thomas Kirk. During the Nuttings’ time July 1828, a young child of only eighteen months was run over outside the Milk Maid by a cart carrying bricks. The poor little sufferer passed away when being taken to the Royal Infirmary.
Jan 1829, ‘A daring robbery’ headlined the Leicester Journal, when four lads stole the till and its contents from the bar.
A copy cat robbery ten years later December 1839, took place when the till and its contents (about 10/-) were again stolen.
1867 John Stains took over from Thomas Kirk.
1882 John Halford, who was described as a brewer, although the Milk Maid was owned by LBM. (MB)
Other licensees included:
1897- Thomas Pinsent
1899 Albert Frith
1906 Reuben Orton, ex Cottage Bow St, followed by his widow Caroline Orton until 1913, Caroline was fined 5s for allowing Louisa Lovatt to get drunk on her premises, following cases found Caroline being lax and unable to run the premises satisfactory, allowing drunkenness. The courts told her the Milk Maid due to its position and reputation should not be kept by a women, if she surrendered the licence a fine of £2 would ensue.
Edward Keech, 1913-15
Edward Oswin, 1915-23
Arthur Atkins until 1929
William Bannister until 1935 and lastly Charles Lowe (JR)
By this time the Milk Maid was owned by Holes Brewery, who had bought the property from George Harrison who as also owned many licensed premises. The pub closed June 1938, and the license transferred to the newly built Wyvern on the corner of another Barkby road and Kerrysdale Ave.
