Situated in the Highfields area of the city, John Hall, a builder bought the plot of land in 1866 on the corner of Stoughton and Oxendon Street, where he built the Old Trooper. The conveyance, however, contained a covenant that alcohol was not to be served. A licence was granted in 1869. An auction for the property in June 1869 declared:
Auction of the newly licensed public house by the name of the Old Trooper corner of Stoughton St and Oxendon St in the occupation of Mrs Elston.
It wasn’t long before the Trooper was inadvertently involved in a trade dispute between weavers of the town when new looms and rules were introduced. A few workers agreed to the new practices but were accused of taking bribes to induce them. When walking in Stoughton Street, one weaver from W. Rapp & Co in nearby Gordon St was aware of a crowd starting to follow him, calling him names. He took refuge in the Old Trooper and the landlady, Mrs Elston, kept the crowd at bay until some managed to get into the pub and started to molest him. Hearing of the occurrence, Mr Rapp arrived at the Old Trooper to find the man cowering under a table, so attempted to take him back to the factory. Rapp was then attacked and a melee ensued, the weaver escaped, leaving Mr Rapp being roughly handled with bruises to his body through having been kicked.
The weavers’ dissatisfaction resulted in strikes and civil unrest when crowds of 300-400 would target factories. The owners of W. Rapp & Co. were assaulted and the factory windows were also smashed.
Licensees included. as well as Jane Elston 1869. Jane Yateman Elston died at the Old Trooper in December 1893. Fred Ward Parker 1894, John Talbot 1904. by now Allsopps Brewery were recorded as owners.
John died at the pub, Mary Talbot became licensee, Mary marred Thomas Barnacle 1912 who then became licensee, he too died to be replaced by John Walton, 1916. ‘yes’ he died there as well. Catherine Walton then became licensee, Horace Peak 1924, George Coleman 1928.
The Old Trooper closed circa 1963, becoming the Kennedy Club, before being demolished by LCC circa 1967.
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I remember the Kennedy club the little terrace white house behind is where I lived 33 Stoughton Street with my mum and dad from 1955 to 1967 my father died 1957 so just mum and myself really cosy house .Stoughton Street used to run from the top of sparknoe street to Melbourne road past Rank .it now turned into Stoughton Street south and loops into evington street .guthalaxton street has gone . and other streets where the Rank works was .all changed from when we lived there Michael Pini.
Thanks Micheal, good memories