Photo above shows corner Bedford st. and Upper George st. awaiting demolition.
Another Barkby Arms, what with Barkby Lane changing its name to Bedford St, two Barkby Arms, a Bedford Arms and two White Lions, confusion reigns for the researcher.
Barkby Arms listed in Pigots’ 1828 directory as in New George st., John Maw victualler. Maw was followed by John Turnville c1840,
August 1845, Delegation of Framework Knitters of Leicestershire met at the Barkby Arms to form a code of conduct for framework knitters to be sent to the government to implement. Frame Work Knitting a major profession in Leicester, meetings to air their grievances would be held in many beerhouses.
c1846 John Olphin became licensee and Thomas Olphin c1850
James Rainbow, victualar, from c1854 was removed from Barkby Arms in 1860 when he and Charles Crowdell – who had bought the pub – fell out over furniture and fittings. Rainbow was accused of smearing the walls with tar, he was found guilty and told to pay 15/- costs.
Edward Dix would then take on the reigns, until Charles Wright in c1867,
Wm Austin followed c 1874, James Richards 1879, Samuel Brierley c1881 and Alf Manship 1887.
Robert Collins, victualar, after Manship was fined £2 in 1894, for selling ale ‘not to the quality and standard required’.
Henry Bray became victular 1895 and Edward Ballard 1898, Thomas Reece 1902, John Ward 1904,
Barkby Arms brewed its own ale, until bought by All Saints Brewery on 11 July 1898. Closed under the Compensation Act in 1911, and compensation paid to the Brewery £849 with £260. to the tenant George Pinsent the last landlord 1905-11
I’m digging through old photos of Leicester that were taken by my Uncle who lived much of his life in Leicester working for Gents. He was a keen photographer. They mainly date from the 1950’s, but one is plainly much older. It’s framed, very faded, and shows a man and two women at the door of a three storey building with a sign showing 8 bells, licensee Thomas Wood. Looks to be perhaps 1900 or earlier. I’m not sure my uncles family had arrived in Leicester that early, so it could be somewhere else.
Very interesting Sophie, some buildings were three stories high in the street, and there was an eight Bells, haven’t found a Thomas Wood yet, but doesn’t mean there wasn’t one, licensing records are vert sketchy.has to be worth a look