Recorded in 1551, sitting the other side of All Saints to the Pied Bull in Highcross St. In July 1987, workmen uncovered a 14th century roof structure during alterations, museum experts dated it circa 1335, making the Cross Keys the oldest non-secular building in Leicester.
The Chamberlain accounts reports that 1590 the earliest visit of tumblers (dancing, balancing and other movements requiring skill and agility-acrobats) visited the town, when the large sum of 28s.4d in addition to what was gathered was given to certain players, ‘playing upon ropes at the Cross Keys’ ‘Tumbling’ had become popular in London, Queen Elizabeth 1st had her own troupe of tumblers which she instructed to tour the ‘provinces’ 1589-90, so it it quite possible that owing to the large amount paid by the corporation this was possibly the Queens troupe at the Cross Keys.
Thomas Wilson, described as rogue and vagabond, was convicted of being drunk and disorderly for the umpteenth time at the Cross Keys, also begging and having a false petition from Alderman Hudson. He was sent to a house of correction for three months.
Many of the court cases involving the Cross Keys are reported some under Thomas Wright’s tenure are worth repeating.
Thomas usually had good excuse for being caught open during illegal hours. In 1846, he was convicted of being open and allowing drunkenness early one Tuesday morning. He was fined £1. In 1849 he was found guilty of the same offense, this time early on Sunday morning. Later that year, when caught again he claimed all the people in the bar were waiting for him to get up, so they could all go out for a walk.
Thomas’s excuse when again caught in 1851, took the biscuit. Seven drunken men were in his bar at 2-3am in the morning. In his defence he claimed that they were all discussing political matters, papal aggression and trying to amend the budget, Much laughter was heard in the court when the town clerk interjected ‘hope you managed to repeal the malt tax whilst you were about it,’ Wright claimed the conversation was so interesting he didn’t realise the time. For the umpteenth time he was found £1.
Sarah Hawley, landlady in the 1870s, also was found guilty of similar offences, on more than one occasion. She was once threatened with imprisonment when admitting being open after hours. She should have tried one of Thomas Wright’s excuses.
Ben Jeffries was fined for cruelty to dogs by causing them to fight at the Cross Keys.
The licence was refused in 1923 and closed shortly after. In 1929 the Church bought the property for their Mission Hall, a bit of a contrast to its earlier life.
Now in private hands as a retail unit.
A Paul Smith (mainly mono) photo captures a wintry scene of the long gone Cross Keys
Oh dear! I’ve just found out that Thomas Wright was my Great Great Grandfather! I would love to see a picture of him.
A bit of character sounds Thomas, there was a Thomas Wright licensee of other Leicester pubs, but as yet can not say if it was your Thomas, thanks for your interest and comment.
I’ve confirmed the same Thomas Wright at the Sir Colin Campbell and another pub that used to stand near the train station, thats my great great great grandad, they took his license off of him in the end. Proper rogue!😆