OLD FLYING HORSE, 20 WELLINGTON STREET

The gibbet, thirty three feet high, was constructed on a piece of land on what is now Saffron Lane in which Cook’s body was suspended.  It was said 20,000 people witnessed the spectacle.    

(by Barry Lount & Chris Jinks)

 More reading on James Cook can be found in a booklet by D. Clarke & R. Abbott.

c1900 (Leicester Past & Present)

Licensees included 1830s Mathew Warden he died aged 40 in 1840 Lydia Warden took over that year she transfered the licence in 1848 John Siddall, who came from the Brickmakers in George St. 1854 John Haven. 1855 unreadable looks like W Gaines. (JR has Wm Dickens) 1861 Thomas Matthews who was also owner. 1869 Thomas Stanger. Thomas Stanger came from Spinny Hill Tavern and in July 1869 the Flying Horse was up for auction. 1871 John Smith. 1879 Jos Dashwood. 1879 Henry Callaghan. 1880 Jabez Burden. 1881 Joseph Harrison or Harman. 1883 Wm Broughton. 1887 Thomas Butler. 1896 Thomas Hutt. 1900 Wm Winfield. 1900 John Benjamin Stone. 1901 Richard Grant. 1904 Wm Potter. 1907 Robert Morley 1910 Alan Bray. 192- Frank Wm —– (unreaderble) 1930 Frank Tusitin. 1933 Wm Coulsey. 1944 George Riley. 1951 Ernest Brooks, 1957 Albert Southcock.

Old Flying Horse rear and front circa 1960 (Eric Swift).

In May 1933, a police raid on the pub found four people drinking in the smoke room at 10:00-10:30pm.  One, a Mrs Julia Walker, took exception to the police questioning, arguing that she had bought her full glass of bitter at 9-50 pm but it had gone flat, so she couldn’t drink it. Landlord Frank Tustin was fined £8 with £4 guineas costs.

Circa 1960s, looking towards Belvoir Street.

Demo Boys move in, circa 1969. (photos Jack Graves)

Once owned by Worthington Brewery, Burton.  Later a Hardy Kimberly Brewery house, one of eight in Leicester at the time.

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