BRICKMAKERS ARMS – CAROUSEL FUN PUB, ST GEORGE STREET

Photo above of Brickmakers Arms, circa 1930 (Nick Miller Collection) – around the time it was rebuilt.

Earliest known record is circa 1830, Jonathan Wilson the victualler.  He died in 1835, after what the LC reported to be a long and painful illness.  Incidentally, a Jonathan Wilson ran a brickmaker’s yard in Curzon Street.  He was killed 1849, aged thirty-eight, after falling from the top of a kiln.  It is not known if there was  any family connection.

T. Palmer took over.  As landlord he undertook the forming of a new branch of the Oddfellows, to be named the St George Lodge in 1839.  1847, saw the Brickmakers Arms up for sale, together with the fourteen adjoining tenements.

In 1900, the pub was up for sale and leased to James Eadie, Burton Brewers. Brunt & Bucknall Brewery seemed to obtain the pub a year later 1901.

In February 1890, an advert declared: ‘WANTED STRONG GIRL, ONE FROM THE COUNTRY as servant at BRICKMAKERS ARMS.’

Nostalgic 1950s picture of St George Street, with the Brickmakers at top of street.

Taken from opposite angle. Northampton Street seems pretty deserted for what was normally the main Midland Red bus pick up for most of the south Leicester villages, Oadby, Wigston, Great Glen, Kibworth etc.  Queues would form right along Northampton Street –  a swift one in the Brickmakers or Spread Eagle to ease the stress of the working day on the way home.  One bus driver at the Oadby stop on route to Kibworth, would park outside outside the Black Dog and nip in for a snifter, leaving the passengers on the bus.

1960s protest outside the Brickmakers Arms, with placards asking people to protest by passing by instead of calling in for a drink.  The reason for the protest is unclear, although around this time other protests were taking place at the Admiral Nelson regarding a “colour bar policy”.

Around this time there were rumors of the infamous Kray Twins having some involvement with or at the Brickies

What is fact that the Krays opened a gambling club in Leicester, or to be precise Chris Lambrianou one of their right hand gangsters did, the Krays came up to meet potential clients at it is said the Brickmakers, they were certainly at the pub as news spread around the town, this was confirmed to me by an ex policeman who was stationed at the nearby headquarters in Charles St, it would have made sense for Lambrianou to be involved as most of the gambling clubs were at that time in Leicester run by Greek Cypriots. The outcome of the Krays club and time in the town seems to have been limited.

The Brickmakers changed its name to the Carousel Fun Pub pre 1980.  It was a ‘lively’ venue with plenty of characters, especially when the dancers (stripers) entertained.  As with most that went down this route it was short lived and closed circa 1985, demolished a couple of years later for the new ring road.

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4 Comments

  1. The Carousel “Fun Pub” was in business before 1980.
    It was a favorite location for me and my mates on late Friday and Saturday nights. I met my now wife there back in 1978. The last song they played was always “you’ll never walk alone”…And then the bright lights came on the get you out of the building! Happy Day’s.

    1. Thanks Andy for correcting that, we appreciate feedback and thanks for looking in on our project, cheers Barry

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