Cornering Albion Hill and Dover St, the Daniel Lambert was named after Leicester’s most famous jailer and heavy man (weighing over 52 stone). Daniel was born on 13th March 1770 in Boar Lane, his weight gaining rapidly in his teens and, by the age of twenty three, he was tipping the scales at 32 stone. Daniel followed in his father's footsteps as keeper of Leicester gaol close to his birthplace. His strength became legendary; a prolific swimmer, he could carry two men upon his back whilst doing the breast stroke. Such was his power, he was reputed to have fought a bear with his hands and come off the victor.

Daniel Lambert's duty as a jailer was conducted with benevolence; testimonials from the prisoners in his charge were useful in his later years, when Daniel would exhibit himself as a freak for a price, eventually becoming a celebrity of society. Daniel died on a visit to Stamford races in 1809; he was lodging at the Wagon & Horses in the town opposite St Martins, where he is buried to this day. Such was his size that a doorway had to be taken out of the inn to get his coffin out; it took twenty men to lower his body in to the grave.

On his death, Daniel weighed 52 stone 10 pounds. This portrait of him originally hung in the parlour Of the Stirling Castle Inn, Ruding St, Leicester and his chair was exhibited in the foyer of the George Hotel in Stamford.

The first recording of a Daniel Lambert pub in Leicester we can find is in 1815, some six years after his death; Joseph Glover is licensee and the address is given as Gallowtree Gate.

Such was his fame that not only in Leicester were taverns named after his death, this one in London, the saloon bar entrance in Ludgate Hill and grill room in Ave Maria Lane. The first mention of a Daniel Lambert in Albion Hill Leicester is 1835 with George Toon as licensee, but that is not to say it is not the same as the one recorded earlier in 1815.

Another inn trading on the notoriety of Daniel Lambert was in Stamford, advertising his clothing on display and calling him “the celebrated Human Mammoth’.

This photo c1970 one of the last to be taken of the Daniel Lambert in Leicester. In its later years as a pub in the 1950’s it was run by the Cartwright family, Ben Cartwright licensee in the early 50’s and Mary Cartwright for the last couple of years until it closed in 1956 on June 11th. The licence, together with that of the Duke of Cambridge, was surrendered and transferred to a newly built Daniel Lambert on the Goodwood Estate. After its closure, the building was used by leather manufacturers until c1963 when the Leicester Catholic Club occupied the premises. Ironically its last use was by the East Midlands Council on Alcoholism, truly a full circle had turned.

The Daniel Lambert was demolished in the early 1970’s.

During the 1930’s the pub was kept by the Willbond family this photo shows young Bill Willbond standing outside the entrance. A curious phenomenon occurred whenever a photo was taken of the Daniel Lambert pub; a ghostly figure of a lady would always appear at an upstairs window. A nice play on words advertises “Maltanop” Rock Ales brewed by the owners Nottingham Brewery, who were taken over by Tennant Brothers of Sheffield in 1944.