One of my ancestors, Thomas Lount can be shown in number 5.
Barry Lount
The publicans of the town were mainly in support of the working man’s aims and contributed to their cause. The motives behind this were doubtless mixed and require closer inspection. Many beer house keepers were themselves in dire straits.
In the list of publicans contributing to FWK funds in 1824, Catherine Able of the Old Kings Arms is listed under Sanvey Gate.
The Old Kings Arms is not well represented in records – another tantalisingly, without a photo, considering Sanvey Gate was a well used thoroughfare. Yet it must have been reasonably substantial as it took in lodgers. The 1851 census shows John Cragg, victualler, together with his wife, three daughters and three lodgers all living there.
Inquests were also held here, such as in 1889 when the coroner was incensed at the third new born child was found floating in the canal in as many weeks. He declared that ‘This is quite a public scandal and shows a great deal of immorality going on in Leicester.’ How the bodies got there is not known but the coroner’s inference is that they were concealed births, possibly thrown in the canal or washed down with effluence.
LBM Leased the pub in 1882 after it had previously brewed its own.
Circa 1900 picture of Sanvey Gate. The Old Kings Arms closed in 1909.
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