Records from 1560 recorded a Bird in Hand address in Redcross Street.
Corporation rental book of 1711 records the Bird in Hand Redcross Street, 1726 records an Old Mitre in the recognizance orders.
Again in 1729, a receipt book records a £1 paid to Mr John Cooper for a ‘messuage in Redcross Street with garden in Chaffe Lane adjoining the said house now in the occupation of Wm Andrews, formally the sign of the Bird in Hand now called the Old Mitre.’
1771 John Wiles victular at the Old Mitre held an auction for 22 stocking frames.
1794 Timothy Atkins listed as victular-1800 Timothy’s widow Elizabeth has taken the licence.
In 1810, the Old Mitre had a stocking makers shop adjoining. A carriers also ran from here and auctions were held on the premises. Other properties were auctioned from here plus stocking frames as in 1813, and a further twenty five in 1817. William Barnes the licensee, 1822 Samuel Hubbard victular. 1828 saw the sale of six adjoining tenements. Thomas Perkins now listed as licensee. c1840 Joseph Grooby 1846 Thomas Preston. 1855 James Burton. 1862 Wm Andrews. 1867 Edward Dexter. 1870 Henry Windham 1874 John Moore .1874 Maria Moore licensee & brewer. John E Johnson (Brewer & Maltster of Stanley House Great Home St-MB) listed as owner. 1875 Josiah Langham licensee. 1876 John Burton licensee and brewer. 1878 Benjamin Eyley licensee and brewer- deceased 1887 Lucy Cartwight Eyley. 1887 Charles Newton. 1888 Rose Newton. 1889 Frederick Blockley. 1890 Robert Tansley. 1895 Sarah Tansley. 1906 Wm Hipwell. 1911 Wm Richardson. William Harris 1912. John Warner 1915. Jesse Ashley 1926. Ralf Matlock 1927. and Herbert Shipman 1931. (Thats 25 Licensees in 100 years) most were listed as brewers as well at the Old Mitre up to c1906 when Everards bought the pub.
Owner John Johnson 1860s is listed as brewer and maltster at Great Holme St & brewer in Hinckley Rd also Harvey Lane – The Johnson family seemed to have involvement in many licence premises. (MB)
Feb 1936 The Old Mitre licence was surrendered in exchange of a new Hotel to be built corner of Blackbird Rd to be called ‘The Thomas Wolsey’ licensing justices would not sanction this instead the chairman suggested to Everards the owners calling it ‘The Blackbird’ Everards quickly agreed so the transfer was passed. Herbert Shipman the licensee.
The Old Mitre was an inn of some significance in old Leicester and many inquests were held here. In October 1834 this included that of chimney sweep, Thomas Hawes, that recorded a verdict of ‘Died by the visitation of God.’
Later that year an inquest held at the Old Mitre after five children who were playing in an unoccupied house in nearby Bakehouse Lane when the roof and walls collapsed in on them, burying them. Nearby workers on hearing the noise rushed to the scene to extract the children, four of whom were severely injured. The fifth, a three year old named Allsop, was dead – his head described as completely pulverised.
In 1844, landlord Thomas Preston was charged with having eighty persons in his house after hours, many of them notorious bad characters.
Court records show many other cases of violent conduct during Thomas Preston’s tenure.
Another inquest in 1863 was on Thomas Taylor. He had entered the Old Mitre smoking a long clay pipe and ordered a pint. Before he drank the ale he went into the yard and tripped on a piece of wood, causing him to fall. The pipe broke off in his mouth, hamming it in there. With around four inches still sticking in his mouth, Taylor was taken home in a distressed state, and then on to the Royal Infirmary where it was extracted, He died from his injuries sustained by the clay pipe.
An inquest held at the Old Mitre in July 1868, recorded that the victim was ‘poisoned’ by breathing foul air in tiny closed room with no ventilation.
The Old Mitre ran various lodges and sick clubs. The rules of one sick club from circa 1904 read:
The Old Mitre continued being at the heart of old Leicester up until circa 1938, when the license was transferred to the newly built Blackbird on Blackbird Road. This was initiated by Everards, who had owned the pub since 1906 prior to which the Old Mitre had always brewed its own ale.
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