FULL MOON – VICTORIA JUBILEE, 112 LEIRE STREET

Stood on the corner of Harrison Road and Leire Street, off Belgrave Road.

The pub built circa 1876 and called the Full Moon.  Renamed Victoria Jubilee after the Queen’s Golden 50^th year on the throne in 1887.

Harrison Road was named after the Lord High Sherriff of Leicester, Isaac Harrison. He was also a leading light in the Temperance Society and insisted that no licensed houses should be built on a road bearing his name. To getting round the covenant, the licensed part of the property was originally on Leire Street, with the Harrison Road side being private accommodation. Stables were attached, also a bakery in the rear of the pub.

The pub was owned by Daniel Pettifer and Sons Brewery of Anstey. 

Sold to Marstons in 1900.  One of only five Marstons pubs in the City Centre.

The pub was run by the Pilsworth family from circa 1942 for about twenty years, another family (I believe the Langhams) was to run it for 30 years from circa 1970. In this period, the Jubilee had the name as one of the best served pints of Marstons in Leicester, a must for real ale aficionados a lively local.  I often made the effort – although not in my area – to call in for a pint of Marstons Burton Bitter.  My wife, Liz, must have been one of the most knowledgeable ladies in Leicester on back street pubs.

Barry Lount

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The private accommodation was not brought into the licensed area until circa 1979.  Unfortunately the bakery ovens were removed in the alterations to extend the licensed area. Isaac Harrison would ‘turn in his grave.’

As with other out of town breweries before the age of motor transport, beer would be delivered by horse and dray.  Any distance would be covered by beer being delivered to the nearest railway by horse drawn, then by rail to say, Leicester, where a team of locally stabled shire horses would convey the beer from the station to the brewery’s pubs.

These beautiful animals were often adorned in attractive harnesses, often completed by brass plaques on their foreheads, as can be seen in above picture,  Often the horse brasses you see today are quite light the early ones circa 1880-1900 very heavy and ornate.