Photo above: Court B of Bishop Blaze Yard in the map is indicated as Parish workhouse. The buildings in the 1839 sale states ‘premises leading on to Vine Street’, which is on extreme left.
A Bishops Blaise was recorded in 1725, but no address was given. Named after the patron saint of Woolcombers (a prominent Leicester trade), Bishop Blasius was martyred after he had his flesh scored with iron combs before he was beheaded.
First recorded victular was Samuel King c1747 we have to move to the 1820s before we find next listing of licensees with George Bradley, Bishops Blaise, recorded in Causeway Lane early in the 19th century, became a popular venue for property auctions under Mr. Bradley. During inclement weather in the 1830s, he gave 5 cwt of coal each to between forty and fifty tenants, which indicates a man of means and/or the master of the workhouse:. the properties with the pub included all the premises used as the Parish Workhouse. Bradley auctioned this in 1839.
Above the sale of the old Workhouse.
The Leicester Society of Florists would hold their annual Carnation show at the Bishop Blaize which at the time was popular and well attended.
Licensees included: 1841, Thomas Atkins, he held many auctions, inquests and sales here, he put the pub for auction 1853 complete with brew house etc. together with eleven ‘neat and comfortable’ tenements and yard. Presumably this was part of the old workhouse.
1855, Mrs Ann Tebbs. In that year she sent Thomas Clayton to fetch some coal. Mrs Tebbs’ suspicions re the weight were aroused on his return and on checking she was nearly 9cwt short. Thomas was charged with stealing the coal for which he received two months hard labour.
1864, Edward Butt. 1870, John Sparrow, then Obadiah Terry. Circa 1871, William Green. 1877, John Dalrymple, who moved from the Brewers Arms, Belgrave Gate. 1883, Cornelius Broughton, who was fined three guineas or one month in prison for allowing gaming on the premises.
1884, William (?). 1886, Mary Ann Griffin. 1887, William Headley. 1891, Harry King (deceased) 1894, Mary King. 1896, Thomas Edwin Cooper. 1898, John Marvin. 1901 Jan- Fredrick Neal. 1901-Oct Sidney Hubbard. 1906, William Gardiner. 1912, Fredrick Robert Humberstone. 1925, Albert Edward Hammond until c1939
The Bishop Blaise closed on the 1st of February 1939, when Offilers Brewery who had purchased the pub c1922 removed the licence to the new pub, the Blue Moon on Carlise Street.
The Causeway Lane entrance to Court B tenements (workhouse?) showing the covered entry, from front of Bishop Blaise. These pics can be seen in conjunction with the street map and are taken from Ned Newit’s brilliant work Slums of Leicester (DB Publishing, 2009).