Off Belgrave Gate, the Shamrock stood on the corner of Orchard Street and Royal East Street. In the late 19th century this area was inhabited by many Irish.
Ran from the late 1850s to circa 1882, by Mr & Mrs Chamberlain. During Mr Chamberlain’s time, he was also the brewer. In 1859 a lodger, John Worth, sixty-five, became depressed that his children were discarding him for whatever reason and was heard to bemoan his lot. One morning in June 1859 Mrs Chamberlain went out into the yard to clean the privy but found it hard to push open the door. Behind was John Worth, hanging from a beam by a rope in the privy, quite cold and dead. The Inquests verdict was ‘the deceased destroyed himself whilst labouring under a temporary fit of mental instability.’
Local Brewer Bates & Bishall took over the supply (MB), when the pub was sold together with the four adjoining houses in Orchard Street & Royal East Street, around the end of Chamberlains tenure. J. Lander briefly held the licence before transferring it to Joe Noble in February 1882. Joe Noble applied for a music license in November 1884 but admitted he hadn’t a separate room for the purpose, although he did have a piano which he could put in the upstairs billiard room. The police objected and the application was refused. Joe Noble left in February the following year, putting the pub up for lease – complete with brewing plant – at an ingoing of £200.
There couldn’t have been any takers as in April another ad read: ‘Shamrock beerhouse to let, no good will free for everything, all to be taken at valuation.’
William Bradford then held the licence but in February 1886 the Shamrock was again up for sale, with five bedrooms, offices, outbuildings, brewhouse, vaults, smoke and large clubroom.
William Bradford was still here in March 1887, when he was unfortunately assaulted and bitten by two brothers, John and Martin Garrity, The two Garrity brothers wanted to fight each other and started to spar, refusing to leave when asked by the landlord. They set about him sustaining injuries to his arm and face. John Garrity admitted in court he had seven previous convictions for similar offences, whilst his brother had been up before the court before on twenty six separate charges. Both were again fined or prison on default.
William Bradford unsurprisingly soon left: Mr Newcombe was to follow.
Another death was to occur to a lodger when Albert Hughes, only aged twenty six, died in front of the landlord and a Mr Cox who was approached to assist Alber,t who was struggling and distressed. Dr Dixon concluded that it was ‘the failure of the hearts action.’
The Shamrock was finally to lose its licence in April 1939. It was by then owned by LBM. John Sidney Sergeant gained an ‘Ordinary Removal’ and transferred his full licence to the Board in Humberstone Gate, which only had a six day licence at the time, at the sessions it was remarked ‘at least that’s one less pub in Leicester.’
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