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. 1869 Harry Fosbery who was also listed as owner. 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.

After Henry Fosbery, 1882 George Stevens, 1883 Edward Dayman. 1886 George Paget. 1887, Sam Smith. June 1888 John Rimmington. (deceased) August 1888 Harris Rylott. Harry or Harris Rylott was the brother of the famous Leicestershire cricketer Arnold or ‘Bobby’ Rylott. Harris 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.

Harris Rylott was also fined for adulterating whiskey 1891, the blame was admitted by Harris’s brother the cricketer who was covering for his brother when Harris was ill in bed. However the fine stood.

1898 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 Bishop Allen. 1924 Charles William Cross. 1927 Ernest Davis. 1930 George Gray.

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)

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)

The Royal Standard had a major refurb 2023. above and below.

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

Perhaps worth reporting is a newspaper article from 1891 when Harris Rylott was landlord of the Royal Standard, although nothing to do with the pub it shows the attitude towards animals of the day, however uncomfortable we feel reading it. This is how it was reported word for word.

“Early in the week old ‘Bobby’ Rylott whose passion for angling is well known spotted an otter near to a rondezvous familiar to local fishermen the ‘Bluebanks’ and an informal kind of hunt was hastily arranged, hounds were forthcoming in the form of a pair of fox terriers belonging to Harris Tylott, (Royal Standard) and in the end these game little animals were equal to drawing Mr Otter from a hole in the river bank, so powerful however was the quarry that he succeeded in shaking off the attention of his game pursuers, on both of whom were left with the impression of his teeth, and they are now the sufferers of nasty gashes caused by the Otters incisors. The fight was most exciting whilst it lasted, No good angling can be had whilst this sharp fanged gentlemen is in the vicinity.

(make of that what you may-I find it cruel, but times and attitudes were different then)