Photo from the Nick Miller collection.
Samuel Street lay just off Southampton Street, and the Railway Arms was used by railwaymen employed at the nearby station goods yard.
The earliest record so far is from 1838. George Angrove was listed as victualer of the Railway Tavern in the Leicester trade directory.
In 1870 Richard Cosens was beer house keeper of the Railway Tavern.
In 1872, an inquest was held there on the death of a railway man who was crushed by a train.
In 1878, thirty-year old Mary Ann Dunn, (alias Giles), was charged with stealing a pocket watch and chain from Henry Lee who lived next door to the Railway Tavern. Lee said he was going into the Engine on Queen Street for a drink when he was accosted by Dunn, who asked him if he would like to treat her. Lee readily agreed taking her to the Railway Tavern for a drink before going with her next door to his house. The next morning Lee found out his watch was missing.
Mary Ann Dunn was well known to the police, so they paid a visit to her house in nearby William Street, and there the watch was given up. Dunn claimed Lee hadn’t any money so offered her the watch (she declined to say what for). In court she claimed it was a joke and she intended to give it back.
Richard Cosens died, aged fifty-one, in 1882. His widow, Emily Catherine Cosens had the licence transferred to her and is still recorded there in 1900. Sometime after 1900, the Railway Tavern still listed as a beer house only. William Dobney held the licence in 1906, Richard Hinks in 1920.
The Railway Tavern was still listed as beer house right through until 1953, when it closed in January of that year. under the compensation act,, Railwaymen provided a petition against closure at the justices court which was ignored and closure granted. By the early 1960s, the Railway Tavern had been demolished.
Owned by Cock & Langmore-All Saints Brewery until acquired by Ind Coope 1929 (BHS). In later years became a Bass pub.
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