SWAN & RUSHES, INFIRMARY SQUARE

A Swan and Rushes is recorded in the first recognizance orders of 1725. No address is given so we can presume the Swan & Rushes dates even earlier.

The old address is given as Horsepool, a forerunner to Infirmary Square.

At an auction of pub and brewhouse in 1812, Ebenezer Jones was named as the victualler. The advert also stated that a new roof had been added and has been trading over fifty years.

Due to the proximity to the Infirmary numerous inquests were held, many being tragic cases. Too numerous to mention, they ranged from burning to death mainly by clothes catching fire, railway deaths, drowning, poisonings, many infant fatalities, murder, manslaughter.

An early reported inquest in 1821, concerned the death of a young child who drank some boiling water from a pan her mother had put on the floor from the fire. When the mother left the room the child drank some of the water, scalding her insides. Her agonizing death took over twenty four hours.

In October 1831, an unidentified well dressed man was found floating in the River Soar. He was recorded as wearing a blue coat, black waistcoat, fustian trousers, broad striped ribbed stockings, light shoes, spotted cravat, with the initials JM on his shirt and forearm. The jury recorded a verdict of ‘Found drowned.’

July 1832, recorded a melancholy case of two brothers, Robert and Thomas Plant, who drowned in the Soar near St Margaret’s Mills. The jury heard that six or more boys had drowned there recently. It was recommended that a ‘CAUTION’ board be erected.

1850s the pub was owned by Elisabeth Taylor, and licensee Samuel Bennett. 1852 Samuel fined 10/- for breaking licensing laws Keziah Bennett Samuel’s wife died June 1861 through alcoholic poisoning, servants described Kezial as an intemperate women who was intoxicated much of the time, 1862 Samuel Bennett fined 10/- again for having his house open Sunday morning. Samuel would marry Emma Cave April 1862. Emma would take on the license. 1869 Emma transferred the licence to Ann Bennett, a Samuel Bennett would hold the licence in 1892.

March 1862, occurred a strange case of buggery. An inquest was held at the pub on Thomas Smith, twenty one, a blacksmith who died in extraordinary circumstances. It appears that Mr Sarson, a blacksmith from Reasby, had dinner with Thomas Smith and his two apprentices, Joe Norman & James Ward – both sixteen.

Afterwards Norman suggested that the three of them should get Thomas Smith and commit an act of gross indecency upon him. Smith resisted and turned the tables on them by proposing that Norman should be the victim.

The three of them held Norman over the forge, committed the act and ran off, upon which Norman picked up a hammer, threw it at Smith just missing him. Undeterred, Norman then threw a piece of iron at Smith, hitting him on the head. Smith fell to the ground insensible. Thomas Smith was taken to the infirmary where he died of his wounds. On examination, of the deceased a piece of ‘clinker’ was found embedded in his skull. Norman was charged with manslaughter and committed for trial.

Other cases included Ann Mawby, a nurse at the Trinity Hospital, who was burned to death in 1876 whilst washing near the fire when her clothes caught alight.

In June 1878, poor Alfie Howes, aged four, was struck in the head and killed by a swing on the playground when he got too close.

In February 1881, William Moore died whilst trying to rescue a pigeon stuck in a spout on the roof. He rescued the pigeon but the ladder slipped and William fell on to some railings below.

These incidents illustrate how life in Victorian England was fraught with accidents. Barely a week went by without the reporting of some tragic circumstances leading to an inquest, many at the Swan & Rushes. A book could be filled by these alone.