OLD HORSE, 198 LONDON ROAD

 Photo above: Circa 1900, The Old Horse.  

Everards traded the pub from circa 1894.

Oldest record yet found is circa 1839. In 1857, the Old Horse advertised the opening of ‘New & Extensive Garden & Pleasure Grounds’, although the opening day was postponed due to bad weather.

1863 John Slawson had moved from the Railway in Campbell St after the death of his wife and son, John was obviously much affected by his loss, he also claimed his creditors had miss treated him. Feb 1864 servant Ann Burbeck found John dead standing by his bed, gave the alarm to Johns daughter who fetched Mrs Spencer of the nearby Rose and Crown, also Mr Cheshire from the Toll Gate, he went to the bedroom, then discovered that John Slawson had hung himself with his silk handkercheif, being fastened round his neck to the spike at the top of the bedpost. it looked as though he was just standing there. Mr Crossley surgeon he deposed that the deceased had for several nights been delirious and had threatened to jump out of the window, his mind was in such a state of anxiety his friends were cautioned to watch him closely, Johns sister Elizabeth said she had to watch him like a child, but on the fateful morning he had been left in bed. At the inquest the jury returned a verdict of ‘Temporary insanity’ Its of little wonder at what the poor man had endured the past couple of years.

As reported in the Leicester Journal Feb 1864 (Thanks to Malcolm Slawson-descendant of John Slawson for highlighting the event)

In 1878, the civic authorities tried to close the Old Horse. Landlord William Barrow had been convicted of beating his wife.

The Midland Jackdaw, a publication of the day, mounted a campaign against the closure.

The background to the closure had caused quite a stir. John Massey, who had bought the pub in around 1864, unfortunately died some seven years later.  His his widow, Mary, was to re-marry William Barrow, a butcher, and he eventually took on the licence from Mary.  Theirs was an unhappy marriage with Barrow often beating Mary, resulting in one evening in June 1878 when, with Mary in her bed well advanced in pregnancy, Barrow assaulted her with unspeakable atrocity – almost causing her death, and causing the child to be stillborn.

Barrow absconded before being apprehended in Liverpool trying to make his way to the States. Barrow was brought back to Leicester where he was sentenced to nine years imprisonment, In the meantime, a James Green applied for a licence to carry on trading, but this was inexplicably refused, leaving Mary and her children in much doubt.

The following January an appeal against the closure was heard by the Mayor and Justices.  Various witness were called, with a campaign to reinstate the licence.  The court was told that as the inn was opposite the racecourse with stabling for sixty horses, together with the fact there hadn’t been a complaint since it was built in circa 1839, it should be granted a licence again, the appeal was upheld, and Mary was granted a licence, which she took in her name of Mary Massey widow.  The same year Mary was granted a divorce from William Barrow due to his cruelty.