Oldest ref so far is an Lc report of 1834 when Nathaniel Warner landlord of the Green Man was charged by Moses Pegg & Joseph Carpenter with illegal hours drinking, Moses Pegg an informer was a thorn in most beerhouse keepers side, this was prior to to Leicester Police force being formed so any one could lay a charge on a misdemeanor. Pegg had become the most feared informer in the town, he labelled himself as MOSES STEPHEN PEGG President of the General Information Society. After first being thought of by the courts as an upstanding member of society, it was soon realized that his motivation was financial, he was paid out of the courts fine & costs against any defendant found guilty, he took on his role with an evangelistic zeal, he had charged over 100 tradespeople in the past few years, he was now easily recognized, so he employed other informers to work for him, one such informant was Joseph Carpenter, Landlord Nathaniel Warner was so sure of his innocence that he was represented in court, Warners representative exposed Pegg, telling the court that ‘this is the worst case you have ever had to hand’ countering Carpenters evidence with witnesses to such an extent that Carpenter was forced to admit he had the times wrong, he further accused Pegg of misleading the court, his client Warner had been ‘Pegged’ on this Pegg was forced to withdraw the charge on threat of costs being awarded against him, the court agreed warning Pegg to get his evidence correct in future. As in many cases in this project we see that didn’t deter Pegg as he would continue on his ‘crusade’ against beerhouse keepers.
1836 Mr J Williams was in charge as ‘beershop keeper’ of the Green Man, Wharf St, (Which would indicate the Green Man dates from the 1830 Beer Act) he charged Peter Hart 28 of stealing articles from Elizabeth Williams, Sergeant Betts no 2 policeman saw Hart entering a pawn brokers in Belgrave Gate with a bulky bag, when examined by the constable he found it contained the articles stolen from Eliz Williams. Hart was found guilty and sentenced to 7 YEARS TRANSPORTATION.
Sarah Deacon was running the Green Man in March 1847. Henry Gutteridge followed and died here in 1850. His wife Catherine carried on well into the 1860s.
By 1867 Robert Kilby was landlord. He didn’t seem to care for the welfare of his customers with the Green Man gaining an unwanted reputation, although it wasn’t the only pub in Wharf Street to have unsavoury patrons. August 1868, saw a women glassed and beaten – at least Kilby bathed her wounds. In May 1869, PC Poultney was going by the pub at 10am when a man came staggering out, hopelessly drunk. The PC went into the tap room where he found seven other persons, two of whom were drunk with their heads on the table. Going into the bar, he found ten others, male & four female – one had to be helped out between two others. Afterwards, he witnessed prostitutes admitted to the pub with a man via the back way. As a result, Kilby was fined £2.10/- or one month.
1870 records James T. Olphin as licensee. Research shows the Olphin family owning or running other pubs in Wharf Street. It would make interesting reading to find out the Olphin family’s history and association with Leicester history.
Thomas Green was there by 1874 and the Green Man was now involved with musical evenings. Green was enterprising, he brewed his own beer, advertised it as ‘Home Brewed Ales’ and he also provided stalls for refreshments on the cricket ground opposite.
Briefly William Barnard ran the Green Man in 1879 before Thomas Green again in 1883, Annie Jones also held the licence 1883, A quick turnover of licensees ensued George Payne and Annie Jones again in 1884, before Sam Torr, a musical variety artist, took on the reigns in 1885, Sam would become the owner of the Gladstone Vaults and Palace of Varieties across the road. The Green Man would now gain its reputation as a variety venue.
Sam Torr was a proper showman. Classed as a musical comedy act, he would perform up and down the country in music halls and clubs, including Paul’s Music Hall in Belgrave Gate.
Instrumental in parading Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man) at the Gaiety Palace of Varieties in Wharf Street, Torr would run the Green Man from circa 1885 until 1887, when he handed the licence back. Alfred Kilby 1887, James Toone and Mary Ann Toone until 1895. Henry Thornton followed by George Marsh 1896. Harry Thorpe 1899, John Tow 1906 and John Reynolds 1914.
In September 1889, young John Wragg, aged twenty, was found sleeping in a cart in the Green Man yard. He was sentenced to five days hard labour for vagrancy – harsh justice indeed.
G &W E Cooper, brewery of Donisthorpe, Leicestershire, supplied the Green Man – their only outlet in the town. Welsh Brothers Brewery would own the Green Man circa 1895.
Up for Auction with trade furniture fixtures and fittings, the Green Man eventually became an LBM house circa 1914.
A succession of landlords followed until the Green Man closed with compensation circa 1933. This rebuild of Green Man looks late Victorian.
Demise of WMC. Eventually became the Starlight Club. Photo above circa 1988. Building still standing as of 2022 as photo below shows gradually falling into disrepair (photo Rob Hubble).
Classic perspective now Wharf St South (Jeremy Corbett collection)
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I know family of the Olphins lives up saffron, back of Aylestone pk.