There is a tenuous record of a pub on the site in 1580, but the first definite recorded in Leicester Borough records is in 1688, when James Seeles, or Seets, paid a fee of twelve shillings per annum for the tenement and a damask rose for the adjoining garden.
The damask rose is still traditionally paid today when the rent falls – but the rent is no longer twelve shillings.
Until 1750 the house was called the Red Cow. In one document of 1771, the twelve shillings and one damask rose was payable to the late named Star & Ball, (some records call Bull & Star) now the Crown & Thistle. 1770 Alexander Forrester was licensee.
This ad from the Leicester Journal of 1778, Alexander Forester of the Crown & Thistle selling Oysters etc,
Still today the Lord Mayor collects the rent of one damask rose and four pennies (maybe that predates the twelve shillings of 1688).
1791 Richard Hoe licensee (JR) 1813 John Highton.
There are three or four listings from 1849-65 that named the pub as the Rose and Thistle. This should be confused with the nearby Crown & Thistle on Townhall Lane which seems to have ceased circa1865.
1814 Thomas Kirk advertised from the Crown & Thistle:
‘Fish daily from London, Oysters by the barrel or score, A commodious room as befits such gentlemen as may chose to eat oysters.
1820s Joseph Regans list of licensee has John Hook 1827, Andrew Lawrence 1830. William Wragg 1842. and Edward Butt 1854, all missing from the victulars register – Also advertisement from the 1830s TO LET in the occupation of George Eaton, brewhouse, cellarage, tap, 2 large parlour, bar, dining room, 2 beds 2 large attics, back kitchen, stabling for 7 horses, good yard.
1855 T Morgan is landlord. William Powdrill 1864. Julia Lee purchase the pub and is landlady from 1872. Joseph Simpson 1892. William Bent 1897. Leicester Hotels Co Ltd now bur the pub with Orson Wright listed as landlord (Orson Wright together with Leicester Hotels crops up in various properties- more research needed) Rupert Saddington Watson is installed 1907.
Sydney Albert Smith landlord 1917. Eva Kitty Smith 1918. Sydney Albert Smith again 1919. John Hickingbottom 1927.
Known as the Crown & Thistle even today by old Leicester folks but in 1994, in one of the most insensitive refurbs, Allied Breweries renamed the Crown & Thistle the Fourpence & Firkin, to be in their Firkin pub chain. Fortunately, this ghastly rebranding was not to last long, but what followed was just as bad an’ Irish’ theme pub, O’Neil’s.
By 1996, O’Neil’s it was. The pub was also extended next door in the old Arthur Collin building that stretched around the corner into Guild Hall Lane.
Below ad from ‘Inns in Leicestershire’ c1974 given some history of the pub.
