This 1885 map depicts an area hardly recognisable today. Many pubs stood on corners and were often recorded by the different Street names, i.e. Wanlip Inn, Lower Willow Street sometimes Wanlip Street.
Willow Bridge Street crosses Willow Street and Lower Willow Street, giving more confusion. Plus Lower Willow Street later becomes Willow Street. There was a proliferation of pubs in this area at this period.
The Wanlip Inn can be traced back to the 1860s, John Tew being in charge.
The ownership of the Wanlip Inn was in question, when a court case was finally bought in 1881, after a decade of dispute. James Wykes claimed he had bought the pub from Charles Harrison (who held a mortgage on the property with William Johnson), in 1869, for £400 with sureties to be paid over the next few years All seemed well until 1872 when Wykes was admitted to the Borough Asylum where he stayed until his discharge in 1876. On his return Wykes claimed payments that had been kept up whilst he was in the Asylum, during which time Harrison had taken back charge of the pub. Harrison denied this and counter claimed that payments had not been kept up. By 1879, the dispute had rumbled on with no conclusion, so Harrison intended to sell the pub to another at public auction.
At the auction the Wanlip was eventually knocked down to none other than James Wykes for the sum of £960, more than double the original agreed price.
In 1874, whilst Wykes was licensee, a meeting was held at the Wanlip to present John Webster with eight sovereigns. Webster had been recently released from prison having been unjustly convicted of assaulting the police.
A dispute had arisen between weavers at Archibald Turners, West Bridge, with a ‘lock out’ ensuing. A crowd had gathered in Russell Square when police were trying to arrest George Sherriff, who was agitating against ‘knobstick’ weavers who were working through the ‘lock out’. One PC was struck a violent blow on the head from behind. In the confusion John Webster an onlooker was dragged away as the assailant, charged and subsequently put in prison for two months.
During the 1860-70s, beer had been purchased from Goodwin Cock & Co, Highcross Street, which eventually became All Saints Brewery.
Later the Wanlip Inn was owned by Welch Brothers who partly amalgamated with LBM and finally sold to Ansells in 1956.
1920 saw Welsh Brothers sell the property to LBM who further purchased the adjoining cottages in 1940.