Came to prominence in the late 1700s as one of Leicester’s premier coaching inns, changing post for horses to London, Manchester, Hull and Bristol. Birmingham coaches ran daily. Royal mail and post coaches for surrounding Leicestershire villages were housed here from circa 1830.
Many auctions and inquests were held here. One, in 1843, on the death of a Mrs Harris aged 75 told of a neighbour when calling on her, having received no reply entered her room to find lying in bed, lifeless. VERDICT ‘Died from the visitation of God’
Circa 1900, the Stag & Pheasant underwent major alterations with a new exterior designed by architect W. M. Coldwell of Grey Friars in Leicester.
It became fashionable for celebrities to stay here, including stars of the Music Hall. These included Harry Lauder, (the Scottish songster whose well known songs included ‘I Love a Lassie’ and ‘Keep right on to the end of the road’).
Vesta Tilley (the male impersonator), and Gracie Fields. Sporting heroes stayed too, such as Bombardier Billy Wells, the British Heavyweight champion.
This newspaper cutting sent in by Dean Jones regarding how a Canadian serviceman was found dying on the pavement outside the Stag & Pheasant. At The inquest Sept 1943, Other sevicemen gave evidence that they all had been drinking in the RAF club and the Tower Vaults before going to the Palais the witnesses then said they last saw Willan that night in the Hotel with a girl in a pink dress aged about 25, John Willans clothes were found in a upper bedroom where other servicemen had slept, surprisingly none could remember Willan in their room, one claiming he was a heavy sleeper so heard nothing. The coroner concluded that gaps were missing in the evidence given, and questions were to be asked as no motive or meaning was forthcoming why Willan should fall from the bedroom window. The roll of the police was deemed unsatisfactory too reported the coroner. Apparently the girl in the pink dress was not to be found. I suppose as this was war time it didn’t become priority to investigate further.
As can be seen from this photo (from Laura Evans collection taken by Tom Bassett) the Tower Vaults where the Canadian servicemen drank before staying at the Stag & Pheasant and the untimely death of one of their comrades are next door
Eventually closed for last orders on the 31st of October 1959 – its restaurant and silver grill, famous for its steaks and champagne, no more. The building stood empty for a further few years until the whole of this part of Humberstone Gate was ready for redevelopment of the new Haymarket shopping centre.
1959 now closed, Tower Vaults to the left
I’ll leave you to judge on the merits of the scheme, mine are too well known.
Barry Lount
Gone.
Photo of a beer or spirit flagon from Chris Pyrah’s collection.
Photo credit: Nick Miller CollectionNice colourised pic of Stag & Pheasant (posted by Charlotte Victoria Hubbard)
