BRAZIERS ARMS, 2 RUSSEL SQUARE

The Braziers Arms on Russel Square/Woodboy street dates from the 1830s, as with the British Lion.  An auction of January 1836, offered the Braziers complete with brewhouse for sale together with adjoining tenements, and the beer shop in the occupation of widow Auton.  The sale clearly didn’t occur as the identical advert was placed in the newspaper in the September of that year.

From circa 1840 until circa 1892, the Braziers was run by the Garner family. Henry Garner followed by Wm Henry Garner in 1873, he was also listed as the owner. Other Garners would hold the licence; Joseph another William. 1854 Wm Garner found guilty of keeping his beerhouse open near 12oclock at night. One Henry Garner died c1873 his portion of household effects were sold at auction.

1890 John Leader, followed by John Alfred Watlin. Ralph Preston 1897. Joseph Latham 1904. Harry Crook 1906. Wm Henry Fenemore 1907. Thomas Bassatt 1909. George Thomas Barnett 1910. Tom Dawson 1913. George Riley 1914. 1922 the Braziers was ordered by licensing authority was to repair and to put the premises in a proper state. Ernest John Lister 1931. February 1932 at the licensing sessions 11 houses in the Wharf St-Russell Square were all referred for closure and compensation including the Braziers, it was an experiment that at least 3 of the 11 would close, it was up to the owners to decide between themselves, the Braziers survived.

Vincent Maskery 1942. John Murgatroyd 1948 were landlords.

REIGN OF TERROR AT INN-FIGHTING MAD BROTHERS

So ran the headline in the Leicester Mercury Nov 1949, two Irish men John & Wm Mallet ran amok assaulted landlord John Murgatroyd and his son, also two PCs who were called for help, on ejecting the men they smashed their way back in the pub, whilst terrified customers locked themselves in a room. Wm Mallets wife pleaded for leniency saying she had 3 children, and the men hardly ever drank, William thanks to his wife’s intervention he was fined £8. John Mallet thought was given 3 months in prison. Both brothers admitted in court they had so much to drink they remembered nothing of the incident.

This from the Evening Mail.

Photo circa 1970s.

From here on in the pub was known for its quality of its beer, especially the Shippos (Shipstones) mild, one of three pubs in Leicester run by members of the Finnegan family (the other two being the Bowlturners and the Royal Oak). The Braziers, in the back streets as well, would be packed with mild drinkers from far and wide, complementing regular locals.

It is hard to imagine today, the amount of beer drunk – the most “more-ish pint”, you could never have just one or two. Ask any townines of the 1970s-90s. The Braziers is the one that conjures up good nights out (if you remember them).

Barry Lount

The Braziers in the 1980s -Noel McKenna- one of the landlords its heyday nearing the end. Jan 1990 Barbara Hunt was tenant. By late 1990 the Brewery was looking for a new tenant, advertised as ‘needs someone who is up for a challenge’ there were no takers the pub was closed, put up for sale, with offers around £125k another of Leicester’s classic boozers was to be no more. 

There are many reasons for the decline of the British local: drink driving laws, government beer orders – however well meaning had a damaging effect. A lack of investment, central area redevelopment, café bar trends – little could the pub goer of the 1960s imagine the changes over the next 50 years. 

Closed in 1994. Looking forlorn.
May 1997, the final solution – demolition.

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