GOLDEN FLEECE – ROBIN HOOD – OLD ROBIN HOOD, 7 WOODGATE – Pub History Project

John Springthorpe was reported brewing here in 1633, although the first record I can find as the Golden Fleece Woodgate, is in 1765 when the Golden Fleece was put up for auction, it was auctioned together with five other tenements plus a wheelwrights shop, all at a rent of £18 and 5 shilling per year.

Then in 1771 the pub was again up for sale, the Leicester Journal ad read; ‘To be sold and entered upon immediately a tenement situate in Woodgate Leicester called the Golden Fleece, with outbuildings, orchard and garden late in the occupation of John Bailey.

IN Richard Weston’s directory of 1793. M Forsell was the victualler, and by 1818 it was Abraham Frith.

The next recorded licensees are T. Lee in 1822, Stephen Kimberly (who died there 1827), with Susan Kimberly following on Stephen’s death. Thomas Jordon early 1830s. Ann Arnesby, described as a ‘drunken, nasty and bad women’, was sent to gaol for stealing a watch in the Golden Fleece.

In 1838, the pub was up for auction with five bedrooms, two parlours, a tap room and piggeries. There was adjoining tenement, plus five more at the rear and a garden of 600 yards.

In the 1840s, John Abram took over, coincidently both Thomas Jordon and John Abram were overseers at the nearby St Leonard’s parish.

John Abram, who previously ran the Robin Hood in Abbey Gate, was to change the name to the Old Robin Hood. He died in 1859, his daughter taking over as John’s wife had died previously in 1850. The pub advertised as The Golden Fleece was put up for sale in May 1859. It does seem however that daughter Harriet Abram would carry on running the pub with her sister, Mary Ann. She finally handed over to David Mackness in the early 1870s, who it is thought was also the owner. Mackness was a wheelwright, employing six men living a couple of doors away from the pub. David Challis listed as owner c1870

Intermittently, he would hold the licence. John Abram Junior took on the licence soon after. Mackness sold his wheelwright’s and coach making business in 1875, but kept ownership of the buildings. He died, aged forty eight, in 1878. The pub – still called the Golden Fleece in the auction catalogue – was up for sale in his name by 1880, now Samuel Hopkins was in charge.

It was whilst Samuel Hopkins was there that the end of the Old Robin Hood building was in sight. In March 1889, after a torrent of rain, a great flood overwhelmed the area. Some were drowned in the overflowing River Soar. By bad luck excavations from the demolition of the adjoining cottage was taking place, the water undermining the foundations of the gable end of the inn, the chimney and gable end collapsing into the flooded excavations.

Samuel’s best bedroom fell into the water and with it he claimed was his money safe and jewelry. Some jewelry was found but not the money. Samuel Hopkins sued the builder, Mr Mason, as he should have shorn up the gable end to eliminate any subsidence due to the flood water entering. But due to the dilapidated state of the property, the builder was cleared of any fault. Hopkins was shortly to leave. Architects were to draw up plans for a new Old Robin Hood. George Fisher licensee 1894.

Everards were to build the new Old Robin Hood – this photo above circa 1900. Part of the old arched beam from the original Golden Fleece structure was retained in the new build, Thomas Toone took over the licence.

William Toone Brewery of Belton owned the Robin Hood, one of only two in Leicester, the Wheatsheaf in Gallowtree Gate the other.

1903 Arthur William Ragg licensee, 1912 Arthur Peberdy, 1928 Wm Fisher.