Apparently named after the racehorse ‘Champion’ who won the Epsom Derby and St Ledger in the same year, 1800.
c1827 James Chapman victular, c1840 James Clingman, c1842 James Greenwell. 1843 William Bishop
1844 Wm Knight landlord was fined 10/- for serving customers after time, his defense was they wouldn’t leave when he told them to. Also that year John Hurdis known as ‘Jack O the line’ was fined £1 or month imprisonment for assaulting PC Chapman when the PC was trying to clear the pub after a disturbance. Hurdis was well known at the Station House had his face covered in soot & grease as a prank causing mayhem, he damaged the PCs coat also breaking his lamp. ‘Jack O the line’ often meant sleeping in ‘doss’ houses by hanging over a rope or line of some-sorts.
William Bishop licensee, would move to the Craven Arms in Sept 1847, c1850 William Willson, c1852 William Cooke, 1855 James Evans.1860 William Messenger, 1862 Hezekiah Trivett. 1864 John Hallam 1868 The Champion was up for auction but bought by private buyer prior to auction.
1870 James William Cotton licensee, (moved to Lancastrian Inn Arthur St) 1876 Benjamin Walker, 1878 John Clewes, William Farmer Clewes’s ostler together with three others stole 3 pints brandy and 19 cigars whilst Farmer was left to look after the pub one Sunday afternoon. All four were sentenced to 4 weeks hard labour. 1879 Charles Woodford, licensee,
The Champion was one of the fore runners for variety and musical entertainment in Leicester.
1885 John Porter Thomas now licensee. His licence was objected to two years later due to past previous offenses, however his licence was renewed as William Tew took over the licence within 3-4 months. William Tew died c1895 wife Eliza Tew took over the licence. Cooper & Co brewers took on the lease according to the licensing reigster that possibly be G W F Cooper & Co Brewery the Donisthorpe Brewery. That didnt seem to last long as the ownership passed through various trustees eventually to Bass Ratcliffe & Gretton.
The temperance movement was not only against the selling of ale. but combined with music and variety was regard as proving too much temptation.
1896 Charles Fletcher was landlord, Feb 1897 Thomas Stevenson butcher entered the Champion around 9-45 pm, asking for the keys to the pub slaughterhouse, Mrs Fletcher asked why so late, she was told it was urgent as there was no meat to sell for the morning. Landlord Charles Fletcher came home around 11pm to find Stevenson and two others in the slaughterhouse killing a beast, Fletcher telling the men they had no right there, they gave him 2/- for his trouble. It later transpired that the two beasts had been stole from a farm at Great Glen. Stevenson & Castlman another butcher were eventually caught and remanded until the next quarter sessions. where they were both given 12 months hard labour.
Landlord Charles Fletcher ( also held the licence for the Cattle Market Refreshment Rooms)had two sons Charles and Douglas who fought in the 1st war at Ypres with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Where Charles the eldest was severely wounded.
Archibald Mattock would become licensee in 1917. He was summons 1919 for not displaying a copy of ‘Order Of the Central Control Board -Liquor’ which was to be hung in each room due to war time regulations- never mind the war was over-he was fined £2. Archibald would die c1920 and Bertha Mattock was take the licence. Arthur Mills would follow as licensee 1922. Joseph Staines 1924. Rowland Hill 1926. Frank Kirk 1938. George Hector c1947, Ex Regimental Sergeant Major who fought at Mons 1st World War where he was wounded. (died 1950) Ethel Hector 1951. Charles Wykes c1950s. Wykes was fined £30 for serving after time in 56.
The 1950s and 1960s were perhaps the ‘Champs’ heyday. Work buses would pick up building workers from outside in the mornings and drop off in the evening. There could be twenty or thirty buses full of building workers, including many Irish navvies. The ‘Champ’ was one of the ‘Irish’ pubs in town and had quite a fierce reputation. Always busy, very often the only seat available was where ‘Jimmy Carey’ would be sitting, shouting and swearing at no one in particular: frightening sight for any unwary stranger entering, to be greeted with ‘You f*ck dog, You f*ck pig, I’ll strike you.’ Poor Jimmy was mentally unstable and could often see the ‘little people’ Everyone men gave him a wide berth when he was off on one, which was unfortunately all too often. 1956 Joseph Tully after being turned out for being D & D broke down the door trying to regain entry injuring landlords wife, Tully claimed he couldn’t remember anything, he was fined and also to pay for the door damage. 1958 Patrick Rooney was fined £20 for hitting a women with a bottle causing GBH during a ‘cuffule’ where bottles were being thrown. An incident 1959 frank Duffy was charged with ABH and sent to the Quarter Sessions for slashing a man and women across the face, Frank Lundy landlord saw the women in the bar holding her face with blood oozing, he went outside saw Duffy holding another man pressed against the wall, he too had been slashed. The landlord called the police. 1963 the local newspaper reported ‘a bit of a shambles in the Champion with about eight blokes going at it’
During the 1960s the landlord was American Joe Nolan a wrestler known as ‘GI Joe’ or ‘Joe the Champ’ He would enter the ring in Army Combat Clothes. He fought during the 60s and 70s.
This was another world – you could feel the tension when entering – hard working, hard drinking, generous Irish. From the famines in the 1840s onwards, they had come to work in England, Leicester being a favourite city for them. They must have missed ‘home’. Throw in some ‘townies’ and ‘teds’ and this pub seemed ready to ignite, but as often is the case, it’s reputation was worse than its bite. The likes of the ‘Champ’ will be seen no more.’
Barry Lount
The Champion changed its name after a refurbishment in the December 1970 to the Hansom Cab, after Joseph Hansom who had developed the cab in Hinckley, Leicester.
Refurbished 1992, Sept 1993 A man lost part of his ear in a scuffle in the pub
Celebrating the Leicester City’s historic Premiership Win 2015-16
Below Joseph Hansoms cab which the pub is named after.
