Photo above: The Globe was used all through the 19th century for trading of hosiery. Here, in this early 1900s picture, carriers carts can be seen outside the pub which was still a main carriers’ post in Leicester. (Everards collection)
One of Leicester’s oldest pubs, first record yet known of a deed relating to the Globe is 1718 (CJ).
In 1938, a gravestone set in the fireplace was uncovered by workman bearing the names of two children Thomas and Katherine Cooke and dated 1693.
The pictorial hanging sign seen today that depicts a world globe has been misinterpreted, according to local historian Rob Spur. A more likely explanation would be ‘the stockingers lamp’, when glass globes were used to intensify the light for framework knitters’ night working.
The area was known for the weighing and trading of cloth and stockings, sometimes teeming with a throng of people. The Globe was known as the venue for deals between tradesmen. Framework knitters would take their stockings to receive payment, which in itself was self defeating as often much of their wages was spent with the publican. Not until 1882 were attempts made to prohibit payment of wages in public houses.
The Globe not also became notorious for selling purloined goods and many many cases of stolen worsted sold in the Globe. For example, in 1829, a man named Caycroft embezzled 20lbs of worsted from Mr Overton, a hosier, and sold it on to an unnamed man in the Globe, as it was his first offence Caycroft received six weeks hard labour with the threat from the Mayor that another offence would result in being flogged around the Globe pub. The following year the Mayor intimated that flogging in front of the Globe would be in future the sentence as an example.
Transportation was also used as a deterrent, but to little avail. The Globe remained the centre for legal and illegal hosiery trading many years after. In January 1880, the landlord was accused of breaking the licensing act by allowing six gentlemen ‘with their hats off’ and four ladies drinking in the bar at 10:45 am on a Sunday.
Hanging sign of the Globe (see above). Another version of the origin is from the 1866 History of Signboards by Larwood and Hotton which is looked upon as the definitive work on the subject. They suggest that the Globe sign derives from advertising wines from around the world, especially Portugal, but the I doubt if they knew of the framework knitters connection to this area of Leicester. The picture on the right covered the whole of the large window on the corner of Carts lane. Surprisingly it was taken in 2002.
I do like this circa 1960 picture (see above) of the Globe – a time when I used the pub when living in the town. Upstairs in the old stocking exchange, now just like an everyday living room a game of dice could be had if you knew the right people who invariably kindly relieved you of your wages. Strictly illegal at the time, but like anything when you are in your teens, it was more exciting. One hopes the Globe survives for another 300 years.
Barry Lount
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Great to see old pictures of the Globe, particularly the 1976 one as this was the year I came to Leicester as a student. Always a popular pub when I came to live in the city centre and plenty of grant money well invested on Everards etc.
Mark