Leicester's Lost Pubs, By Barry Lount and Chris Jinks

Fleur-De-Lis, 37 Belgrave Gate

The original Georgian building was owned by The Hospital of the Holy Trinity, within the Newarke, Leicester, the foundation of King James. Records of the licensees exist from 1815, the early ones being: 1815 James Kirk; 1831 John Neale; 1851 Henry Simmons; 1854 George Benner; 1855 Samuel Ginns (who also doubled up as an undertaker and supplier of funeral carriages); 1864 Henry Turner; 1873 John Leary; 1876 Thos Slawton; 1884 Cornelius Kelly; 1885 Luke Worhington; 1887 Edward Leary and in 1888 John Hurley completes the 19^th century landlords.

The Fleur-de-lis was a meeting place for the freemen of the parish during the 1840's.

The pub had large grounds at the rear stretching through to Charles St, in the 1860's one of the buildings in the grounds was used as "Steven's new Circus", described as a large wooden building. On Sept 2" 1861 Steven's son, a little boy of 14, whilst playing the part of a monkey, went rather too high on a rope, so that his "cotton hair" caught fire from the gas lights He was burned so badly he died the next day. The building was later transformed into a Music Hall. Dan Cooke advertised the events at the rear of the Fleur-de-lis as the Alhambra Music Hall (the first in Leicester) "tastefully decorated, fitted out at enormous expense and fully waterproof in all parts Private Box's 1/- (5p), Stalls 6d, Pit 4d, and Gallery 2d." Further reading on this and other theatres can be found in the book, "Theatre in Leicester, by Helen and Richard Leacroft ISBN 0850222028".

The Fleur-de-lis changed Ownership in 1922 when Hardy & Hansons Kimberly Brewery purchased it for £10,000. Prior to this the Trinity Hospital had leased the pub to various brewers including one "John Burley ALE AND CIGAR MERCHANT, SOLE AGENT FOR BINDLEY AND CO'S GOLD MEDAL BURTON ALES." Ind Coope had acquired Bindleys in 1914.

In 1931 the Leicester council purchased part of the rear and side for the widening of Charles St. The pub was rebuilt a few years later.

In 1961 Concord Investments bought most a of what was left of the rear of the pub for £24,000 no doubt -with one eye on future development, leaving the Fleur-de-lis with only a Belgrave Gate frontage. The final sale of the building took place in 1969, the council paying £60,000 to demolish this along with a dozen other pubs for their much criticised Haymarket development.

The Fleur-de-lis sign a "lily flower" is nearly always used as a heraldic sign. Usually associated with French royal coat of arms, although incorporated into English royalty when Edward ill claimed the title King of France.

© Barry Lount and Chris Jinks 2001

This page last updated: May 28, 2008

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