HORSE & PANNIERS – EARL HOWES ARMS, 35 BRAUNSTONE GATE

Photo above:  Charming photo of Braunstone Gate, with the Earl Howe seen on the left with the lamp standard outside, the string bridge in the background, circa 1910.

Earliest recording that can be found of the Horse and Panniers is in 1793 when the Agricultural Society orders were to placed at the Horse & Panniers Braunstone Gate (L J March 1798)

1808 and then in 1811 when an auction of ash and fencing poles was held on land next to the beer house. By 1825, named Earl Howe Arms as described in a court case.

April 1838, the Earl Howe Arms was auctioned off, the ad read:

“Formally Horse and Panniers now Earl Howe Arms complete with stabling, outbuildings, yard, orchard, plus 2143 sq. yds valuable building land. Tenant Mr Haddon, particulars from Mr John Smith BOWDEN BREWERY nr Mkt Harborough’. 

John Smith, of the Bowden Brewery, sold the Earl Howe Arms in 1838. He also seemed to own amongst others the Swan at Welford, Black Horse at Desborough, Swan at Kettering and George Inn at Raunds, Northants.  John Smith often advertised his Ale and Porter x, xx, and xxx quality for sale to the public from the Bowden Brewery, Harborough, sometime under the name John Smith & Son.

George Haddon, who was running the Earl Howe Arms when it was sold in 1838 died suddenly aged 65 in 1862.  His wife, Jane, took over until she herself died in 1870. The licence then passed to Thomas Plant.

Mr Olphin bought the pub in Oct 1876 for £2650.  The following month the licence passed from Thomas Plant to Thomas Coles. Mid 1890s, James Bowler, followed by George & Nellie Boulter from the 1920s through to the outbreak of war. William Barratt from circa 1940.

Eric Swift suggests that the Earl Howes Arms pub was named after was possibly the 3^rd Earl Hoe, Lord Lieutenant of the County, who lived at the now demolished Gopsall Hall, where he entertained royalty.

Eventually a James Eadie brewery house from Market Harborough, that passed on to Bass. The building still stood in 2000, with remnants of the bar seating still intact. Closed as a pub some twenty odd years previously.

Prior to closure with Black Horse to the right (photo Made in Leicester)

After 20 odd years of closer the old pub was to re emerge as Mobius (see next link)