Lost Pubs Of Leicester
by Barry Lount & Chris Jinks
Old Cheese, Prince of Wales, Tivoli, Pavilion
153 Belgrave Gate
This establishment stood
on the south east side of Belgrave Gate and the north east side of
Wilton Street. A directory of 1849 states that Thomas Edgley was
landlord of The Old Cheese although his name appears just as a
beerhouse keeper two years earlier. By 1861, James Roberts had
taken over the pub whilst Edgley left to run The Spittlehouse Inn
on the opposite side of Belgrave Gate.
The Old Cheese changed
hands again twice before being taken over as The Prince Of Wales in
March 1863 by William Paul who was to transform the establishment
over the next 20 years.
c1890 picture when the building (centre) was known as the Tivoli. Also
in the photo on the right behind the horse and cart is the old
“Ostrich” pub.
Paul immediately
reconstructed the building to include a club room for entertainment
which became known as The Midland Music Hall. Paul purchased the
freehold of the building in 1876 for £2,700 and set about the task
of rebuilding the premises as The Prince of Wales Inn and Paul’s
Concert Hall, the latter of which could now accommodate 1,500
people and boasted a 3-tiered gallery. Paul also hosted many lodge
meetings of the “Buffalos” besides running another concert hall on
Queen Street although the latter closed in 1873.
 Sadly, Paul died in 1882
when choking on a tripe supper he had prepared at Christmas
especially for the old folk of the neighbourhood. The licence
passed to his wife, Ann, who left the running to other family
members until 1888 when the building was purchased by Alexander
Lovejoy (a London impresario) and his wife, Louisa for £6,100 with
aid of a mortgage from Bass Ratcliffe & Gretton. During 1889,
however, the building burnt down completely and a rebuilding
exercise was carried out the following year by George Duxbury who
also became a mortgagee on the property.
In May 1893, the premises
became The Tivoli when purchased by Robert Orr White. However, he
did not enjoy the best of starts when he was fined 14/- or 14 days
in jail for refusing to admit PC Jones to search the premises in
the course of his duty!
The ownership of The
Tivoli Music Hall passed in 1895 to The Tivoli Leicester Limited at
a price of £ 14,500 although it appears that a compulsory winding
up order was presented to the Company in 1898, after which time the
premises - then known as The Tivoli Palace of Varieties Leicester -
passed to Frederick Dew and Robert Stacey for £9,175 who also took
the lease of the adjacent premises at 155 Belgrave Gate with a view
to incorporating the extra area into the theatre. Yet again there
was a name change, the premises now being known as The Pavilion
with the letters PAV at one time illuminated on the roof of the
building. Gracie Fields appeared here during the First World War.
Coming soon “The Twister”1920’s photo of people
studying the billboard outsideThe PAV.
The combined properties
were purchased by The MeNaghton Vaudeville Circuit Limited in 1920
until the premises were acquired by the Council in 1928 for £20,350
for the widening of Belgrave Gate. As well m the acquisition of the
premises, the price also included the surrender of several licences
including a tobacco licence, a licence to perform stage plays, a
music & dancing licence and a cinematograph licence. The building
finally closed its doors to the public in November 1930 when the
Leicester Illustrated Chronicle reported that “almost every square
inch of floor space was occupied by theatre fans wanting to pay
their last respects at the death of the old place - there was
pathos in the air.” The pub licence was transferred to a new
establishment on Gipsy Lane.
Gracie Fields appeared at the PAV Marie Lloyd The major Music hall
during the First World War. artist of her day also appeared here.
This page last updated: May 28, 2008
© Barry Lount and Chris Jinks 2002
Full Archive.
|
