There was an earlier record of a Leather Bottle in the 1739 recognizance orders. The later Leather Bottle stood on Holy Bones – St Nicolas Street, the property previously being one of Alderman Newton’s schools which had been rebuilt elsewhere, circa 1864.
The old Master’s house was thus given a beerhouse licence and a Mr Cleaver bought the property – including the old school next door – in 1869, which was one run as a leather warehouse, (Lawrence & Blunt). By July 1870, the landlord was F. H. Lawrence and he transferred his licence to William Soars.
Cleaver pulled down a substantial part of the building, and sold part off to the corporation for road widening. The remaining Leather Bottle was described as being the size of a kitchen.
Soars had been using the upstairs of the old leather warehouse as part of the beerhouse, so when he came to renew the licence (now called the Alderman Newton ex Leather Bottle), he came into difficulties. Arguments were put forward if the whole property was licensed or not, and the bench deferred the outcome until a later Brewster sessions to hear further contributions to the argument. For Mr Soars and the owner Mr Cleaver this proved disastrous as objections were put forward by residents as to the behaviour its clientele.
The conduct was described as a nuisance with indecent language and singing coming from the upstairs room, on two separate occasions in July 1871. Between 40 and 60 youngsters were seen coming from the beerhouse ages, although their ages ranged from nine to 25.
One resident claimed he saw one man in the gutter, drunk pulling the mud over him as a blanket. This drew roars of laughter from the court room. The bench also heard there were twenty six beerhouses within 150 yards. The Churchwardens begged the bench to refuse any renewal.
Landlord Soars failed to attend but his wife, Anne, said they no longer used the adjoining upstairs. This didn’t wash with the bench so the license was refused.
One last try by Mr Cleaver to transfer the licence of the Ram to the Alderman Newton also failed, so the pub closed in September 1871.
An evocative picture of the corner of Holy Bones and most likely St Nicholas St (LRO and see map). Uncertain whether it ever played any part in the beerhouse but must have been adjacent. ‘S & IT’ part of a sign, far left tantalising suggests ‘Wines – or Beers – & Sprit’. The Crown & Dolphin was at the opposite end of Holy Bones.
The name Holy Bones is of much conjecture, deriving from the early fifteenth century. It could mean the remains of animal bones from the nearby Shambles (Butchers) Street, or indeed the pathway leading to St Nicholas Church Yard.
SEE LEATHER BOTTLE ST NICOLAS ST For more information.