KEELCOMBERS – WOOLSTAPLERS – ROYAL STANDARD, 87 CHARLES STREET

Photo above: c1918 Alfred Allen, who is shown here in with wife Sarah(?) picture by George Lejeure.

Leicester Chronicle 26th of June 1824, lists Mr. Hannan as running the Woolstaplers in Charles Street.

James Hannam also ran a bakery on site. His brother James, a malster in Northampton owned various pubs in Leicester including the Mitre & Keys. (Thanks to Maggie Gaskell for the additional family info.

Recorded as the Keelcombers in 1840, again as Woolstaplers in 1844 (with an access in Free Lane), causing some confusion although it is the same trade. 

1848 Thomas ‘Dinah’ Johnson stole a purse from a Mr Howlett in the skittle Alley of the Woolstaplers, a witness confirmed he saw Johnson enter the alley where there were 20-30 people. Johnson jumped on Howletts back and drew a purse from his pocket which contained 10/- Mr Howlett claimed the witness looked ‘very ill & rather stuopid’ Thomas ‘Dinah’ Johnson was found guilty and sentenced to 7 years transportation.

By 1860, it had become the Royal Standard.

Early licensees:  1864, Robert Benford. 1870, Charles French.

In 1883, Thomas Carver grievously assaulted his wife Ann, after he caught her sitting with PC Richards who had his arm around her.  Carver claimed there had been a ‘going on’ between them, so badly did he beat her that she was disfigured for life as part of her nose was bitten off. Ann Carver, who had been laid up for three weeks, was herself summoned for threatening to kill a witness who had verified seeing PC Richards with her.  Carver was sentenced to a year’s hard labour and Ann was bound over for three months.

A postscript to this occurred in 1889, when Thomas Carver was found dead in Highcross Street, with blood coming from his mouth.

1874 Henry Fosbery, 1883 George Stevens, 1885 Edward Dayman. 1886 George Page. 1887, Sam Smith. 1887, John Rimmington. 1887 Harry Rylott. Harry or Harris Rylott was drawn to the attention of a women in a distressed state wandering around in the yard of the pub, on entering the closet Rylott found a new born baby boy, he took it out and called the police where the baby was taken to the workhouse just in time for the baby to survive, the women who had given birth in the closet was Catherine Jeffcot 26 years old and already a widow, she was recognized by a customer as she had been in the vaults with a young child earlier asking for a brandy. the poor women was charged with abandonment of a child.

1903 John Biggs. 1907 Earnest Stringer. Ernest became the unwilling victim of a bird napping in 1914, Harry Brooks a coalman was charged with stealing a ‘mule’ (cross canary) from Ernest Stringer, Brooks entered the Royal Standard with two magpies in a cage trying to sell them to Maud Wright the barmaid, Maud went out of the room for a moment, on her return Brooks had gone but so had landlord Ernest Stringers bird from its cage. On calling at Brooks house in Clipstone St Hannah Garwood a domestic servant approached Mrs Brooks who offered to sell the bird back for 6/- less than a third of its value. At court Harry Brooks claimed he didn’t think he stole it as he was drunk at the time. Mrs Brooks was called to testify where she promptly fainted before she could take the oath, magistrates decide not to pursue Mrs Brooks, on Harry Brooks’s promise to give up drink he was put on probation.

Further landlords 1916 Alfred Allen. 1924 Charles Cross. 1927 Ernest Davis. 1930 George Gray. (JR’s list)

Property Possibly owned by Harry Fosbery ? pre circa 1912, when Ind Coope took over prior to Brunt & Bucknall, then Thomas Salts Burton Brewery who were acquired by Bass in 1927 (Brewery History Society)

1891, the licensee was fined for adulterating the whisky.

1898, a court case ensued when the landlord acted as a stakeholder for a bet, but kept the money.

THE ROYAL ANTEDILUVIAN ORDER OF BUFFALOES

During the 19th cent many lodges of above (Buffs) were formed in public houses, set up to help and support members (brothers) and other charitable institutions The Royal Standard became one of the leading lodge venues. aptly named The Royal Standard Lodge no 24, from 1874 the lodge was to meet here for 60 years until the original pub was demolished in 1934.

Joseph Regan in his unpublished history of the Royal Standard Lodge tells us of one amusing incident during the 1920’s when a raffle was organised by Bill Quinn, George Chapman and Tug Wilson, first prize was to be ‘Guarantee of a gallon of milk every day’ such a success was the raffle that it raised £69 for a Children’s home, after the draw took place the astonished winner was presented with a live goat that could honour the pledge as it was a female milker. Not amused the winning brother returned the goat to the organizers. The lodge decided to send the goat and money to the children’s home, the goat not obviously keen on the idea escaped, a frantic chase along Charles St ensued before recapture. The matron of the home accepted the goat which became a firm favorite with the children, this unfortunately wasn’t the end of the story as the goat chewed its way through the flower garden and vegetable plot resulting in a new home having to be found for the goat, the proceeds of the sale of the goat provided the home to buy a new clock.(JR)

Charles St with Royal Standard on right c1935 after being rebuilt

1940s picture  showing excavation for World War II air raid shelters.  The Royal Standard is in the distance with BASS on the gable end
 1957 the Royal Standard over shadowed by the emerging Leicester Temperance Building Society. During the late 1950’s-60’s The Royal Standard was one of Leicesters main Jazz venues.
Leicester Jazz Men at the Royal Standard were in picture Pete Wells trombone, Maurice Coleman guitar, Trevor Jones trumpet, Owen Monk piano, Brian Woolley clarinet and Doug Richards drums.
Jazz had become really popular in the 1950’s pre Rock n Roll, It seemed that the Royal Standard attracted the largest crowd in their upstairs room, like rock n’ roll it attracted a bad press as it was attended by mainly the young, At the time an entertainment tax was due on all performances this led the Leicester Jazzmen to come under the attention of the police, A police superintendent visited the Royal Standard which resulted in a court case, Pete Wells deemed to be the organizer was charged with failing to pay the entertainment duty, he was duly fined £25 with £11 costs, The police report also claimed in a room licensed for 50 there were 137 people present also an entrance fee was being charged which was illegal the police told the court the music being played was VIOLENT JAZZ, the press reported the atmosphere as ‘smokey & mostly tense,-The Leicester Jazz men under various names would perform in many venues around the city and county during the next few years, tragically Pete Wells was killed together with his wife in an accident 1958.

Circa 1988.
Barry Lount recalls: ‘The rear of Royal Standard in Free Lane, where I used to deliver beer in 1959.  This was picture taken in October 2015.

The Royal Standard is still very much open for business as of writing.

6 Comments

  1. Hi thank you for this info, I was not aware that the Royal Standard was the set of the Woolstaplers. My 5 x great uncle was James Hannam who ran the Woolstaplers, he also had a bakery on site. His brother John was a malster in Northampton St and owned various pubs in Leicester at the time of his death in 1852 including the Mitre and Keys, Redcross st.
    Maggie

    1. Hi Maggie, many thanks for your comments, very helpful. We will add and amend the site in due course,

      Regards Barry

      1. Hi I am researching this pub from 1907 when the Stringers had it to 1916 when the Allen’s had it. My great great grandma was Mary Stringer married to Earnest and my great aunt Marjorie married Mr Allen’s son. Any information or knowledge of photographs would be amazing.

        Many thanks

        Julia

  2. Thanks Julia, Ive added a little more on Earnest or Ernest from a court case of 1914 that you may or may not have, if any more comes to light I will let you know, thanks for your interest.
    Barry

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