The building c 1930’s ?
In 1839, an advert declared ‘TO PIGEON SHOOTERS- Double barrelled shot, apply William Smith The Hind Inn London Road.’
JR has Smith there in 1831, also a Richard Smith in 1794. There was another Hind in Swans Mill Lane during the seventeenth cent.
The Hind was auctioned in November 1841, complete with a four poster bed.
In 1850, it was again up for sale complete with brewhouse, piggeries, coach house and stables.
In January the following year, an annual supper got out of hand when fourteen builders drunk too much and ended up fighting outside the Hind, assaulting the police who came to quell the brawling. All were find 10/- or fourteen days.
The Hind Inn – now a hotel – was rebuilt in 1893. Part of the rebuild was apparently without permission, as the newspaper report below shows:
The Swinging Sixties (this pic 1966) saw many breweries catching on to the young who, for the first time, had money to spend, full employment and were free of the shackles of post war austerity. Ind Coope saw the trend and opened The Cauldron, a cellar bar which became very popular. Marijuana was in the air, Scott McKenzie was singing ‘If your going to San Francisco, wear some flowers in your hair’ Topped the charts for what seemed forever, the hippy days were upon us. But who from Leicester wants to go to San Francisco when after a night in the Cauldron you could go to the Kohinoor across the road in Conduit St for a curry, to listen to Elvis on a windup gramophone in the back, courtesy of Abdul (Billy). Ah… happy days.
By the early seventies most of the flower power children had settled down, the summer of love was over and the Cauldron went the same way. Eventually the Hind returned to a normal pub again, still going in 2015, but with a revolving door of licensees.’
Barry Lount
There is a large cast iron clock, on a cast iron post, in front of the main bar.
A staff member thinks at one time it was on the street outside the premises.
Is there more information available regarding the clock?
Regards, Kev.
thanks for that Kev, I know the one you mean but sorry i cant help you with the history of the clock,if you go on to the facebook site Made in Leicester and ask that question I am sure someone will come up with the answer as there are people on there with great knowledge and photos of old Leicester, thanks again Kev for your input.
Thanks for info Kev I know the clack you mean but have no more info on it, try facebook site ‘Made in Leicester’ ask the question ill bet there will be some one who can help as there are some great researches on there, thanks again Kev for your input, cheers Barry
My Parents were the living landlords late 70s, we lived there for about 3 years, loved going down in the cellar and remember the cauldron, had at the time plastic crabs and lobsters on the ceiling, very fond memories of living there. Happy times.