BLUE BELL – BELL HOTEL, HUMBERSTONE GATE

Recorded sometimes as the Blue Bell prior to 1830, although sometime known as the Bell. Since February 1831 it was the Bell Hotel.

Announcements of the ‘Millers Statutes’ (the hiring of servants) was held regularly at the Blue Bell Humberstone Gate early 1800’s-1815

A Bell hostelry recorded in 1458, and a Bell recorded in Swinesmarket. A Blue Bell stood in Applegate Street late in the late 1700s, so the potential confusion is considerable.

A Bell recorded in 1500, in 1580 Bell in ‘Eastgates without’ which suggests the position it occupied in Humberstone Gate, Although some reports suggest that the Blue prefix to Bell was added after the Battle of Bosworth to lay allegiance to the Tudors, as many Inns of the period did.

1740s William Chaloner is listed as proprietor of the Blue Bell.

Many stories abound from the Bell, one of the most notorious was the fate of John Douglas, landlord of the Bell.  Douglas had arrived in Leicester some years prior to 1760, presented himself to the Bell and courted the landlords’ daughter.  He eventually married her and, on her father’s death soon after John Douglas took on the mantle of landlord. Douglas by all accounts was a model citizen, and highly regarded in the town. 

A robbery had taken place in Coventry by a criminal gang known as the ‘Foys’ and, after a chase which bought them through Leicester, some were apprehended in the town. To everyone’s surprise one of them revealed that John Douglas was in fact a fugitive from the law, having escaped transportation for theft in Rochester in 1757.  Douglas was taken to Gaol whist evidence was accumulated against him, then sent to the Assizes, tried, found guilty and to everyone’s astonishment sentenced to death.  A petition was gathered, signed by even the Mayor and Aldermen, but to no avail as Douglas was hanged for the crime of returning from transportation before his term of banishment.

Four of the ‘Foy’ gang were also hung after being tried at Coventry for the robbery. William Ogden, Mary Brown, John Phillips and Margaret Clarke – the most notorious of them all – known as ‘Long Peg’. She was known for dressing stylishly, wearing a black hussar hat, printed gown with black capuchin, (a hooded cloak), and she rode a grey mare with hunting side saddle. On the scaffold when the hangman tried to tie the noose she tried to knock him off the scaffold. 

Even before Douglas’s time the Blue Bell or Bell was renowned as one of Leicester most prestigious Inns.  18th century accounts recall a flat metal figure of a bell, painted blue hanging in the entrance hall.

The Hey day of coach travel became the main trade for the Bell during the later part of the 18th cent onward, 1770s Mr Nutt named as proprietor, Militia meetings were held here,Thomas Towle would take on the Blue Bell during the 1780s in 1787 The Derby and Leicester Fly coach (6 passengers inside) to London (Swan with Two Necks Lad Lane London) was removed from the White Hart to be let out from the Blue Bell. Joseph Spooner would be landlord in the 1790s, through to the early 1800s. He advertised The Royal Mail Coach, Defiance Elegant Coach, Marquis Cornwallis New Elegant Coach all to run from the Blue Bell.

1808 Thomas Peter Hunt who had been running an Inn at New Alresford moved to the Bell with his wife Sarah (who was very experienced innkeeper herself) to become landlord of one of Leicesters premium coaching Inns. Now called the Bell Hotel.

After five years at the helm Thomas and Sarah moved from the Bell to the Bear in Devizes. As the above ad shows John Earl was to take over at the Bell. (The above information re the Harts was kindly sent in by Marianne Last)

John Earls wife would die 1817, The Bell would lose the rights of the Leicester to London coach to the Three Crowns and Stag & Pheasant during that year. 1820s saw E Mangeon and John Arnick take on the proprietorship, they would retire c1830, many of the gentry would stay at the Bell during this time, their many stables (held 200 horses) would be used for changing en route including the Duke of Wellington who stopped by 1827.

Henry Lhermitte and Arthur Boyer would be proprietors 1830s. The coaching Hey day was now drawing to its close, the coming of the Railways would see to that. Incidentally the Leicester to Swannington Railway proprietors would regularly meet at the Bell with their proposals to run the main line through Leicester, this would take place throughout the years 1830-34. Henry Lhermitte would die April 1845 within two years Arthur Boyer retired from running the Bell. Edward Cuff was now landlord of this prestigious Hotel. This was not to last as by August 1851 Cuff was declared bankrupt. Arthur Boyer was to return to run the inn throughout the next decade.

Henry and Mary Thompson were listed as landlords c1869-1876 followed by Robert Cooper. John and Cecilia Waters would be there until the end of the 19th century. Leonard Hargrave would guide the Bell through the Ist War, around early 1920s Trust House Group would buy the Bell Hotel.

The Bell was perhaps the most famous of the inns that befell in the horrific Haymarket Development, executed against the wishes of many Leicester folk.  Shown here are the diggers as they go in to demolish this wonderful old Georgian building.  The Leicester Mercury report of this in August 1970, described it as a ‘spectacle for passers-by.’