The Clarendon Park area of Leicester dates from 1870 – 1880s. The Clarendon pub was granted a licence IN September 1882, as the Clarendon Hotel with licensee John Hunt. It would have a six day only licence until Hunt applied for it to be increased to seven days in 1892.
John Hunt advertised for staff 1890, including ‘strong girl wanted from the country preferred.’
In July 1891, the Preservation Lodge called for a new lodge to be installed at the pub called the Loyal St Johns Lodge, aptly after the nearby church.
1900 Albert Hunt 1908 Edwin Worsley or Wortley . 1919 Fred Johnson. 1926 Harry Stapleford were all licensees at the Clarendon.
The Clarendon was owned by James Eadie, Burton upon Trent with Bass acquiring it 1933. Bass rebuilt the pub in 1936 and it would be good to unearth picture of the original building.
Above from Leicester Mercury March 2020 some years after the case
In 1986, the Clarendon was to play its part in helping the capture of Colin Pitchfork, killer of two Leicestershire schoolgirls. Pioneering DNA technique by geneticist Alec Jeffreys at Leicester University – only recently introduced – had tested over 5000 men local to the killings. A customer in the pub overheard a colleague of Pitchfork’s admit he took the DNA test for Pitchfork. The customer reported this to the police, which led to the arrest and conviction of Pitchfork.
During the early to mid 1960s, my wife and I lived in North Ave. Our yard gate opened on to West Ave, opposite the Clarendon. As was my want, I would cadge a few bob off of Liz, as she was in work as a hairdresser (and I was usually skint), to nip across the road to the Clarendon as their draught Bass was calling me. I would sit on my own in the panelled room, content to let the Bass ease the cares of the day. Then fish & Chips from the nearby chippy – heaven.
Barry Lount.
Leicester mercury
In 2014, the quick thinking landlady, Vicky Townsend, was alerted that a burglar who had just raided the nearby school and was seen entering the pub with his stolen gear. Following him to the gents, she quickly locked the door and called the police.
Craig Ingle was jailed for burglary of £2000 of items from St Johns School.
Clarendon would underwent extensive refurbishment 2019 see above.
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Lived at 8 West avenue between 1985 and 1997 and the Clarry wS my local.once calculated further to the kitchen than the bar from my front gate. Run by a guy called Terry who had a fearsome wife, once barred people for eating their own crisps when the pub had sold out. Great boozer and great memories.
That’ll be Shirley you’re talking about, I worked there for several years in the mid to late 80s
You sometime here it said that Philip Larkin drank in the Clarendon. Certainly, John Sutherland’s memoir MONICA JONES, PHILIP LARKIN AND ME (2021) contains descriptions of drinking there in the 1960s.
Very interesting William thanks for your input
I worked behind the bar in the 1970’s when Jack and his wife ran it with Carlos the head barman – looked like a Mexican bandit!