The Definitive Guide to the History of
Pubs and Beerhouses in Coventry

Drinking in an Old English Town

General Wolfe, Foleshill Road

Alternative Addresses:	Old Leicester Road, The Heath
These premises have been known by different names during their history:	FROM	TO	NAME
	1793	1859	General Wolfe
	1859	1859	Travellers Rest
	1859	2010	General Wolfe
The original General Wolfe (with thanks to David McGrory). James Wolfe (1727 - 1759) commanded the expedition against Quebec. He forced an open battle with the French under Montcalm on the Heights of Abraham, winning a victory that was decisive in giving New France to England. Both he and Montcalm were killed in the battle. This pub is first recorded in 1793 when auctions were held there. At this time it was a cottage pub. In late 1859 it was briefly renamed the TRAVELLERS' REST, but soon reverted. The pub was rebuilt c1895 in a grand style. According to the 'Buildings of Coventry' by George Demidowicz, it is a 'close and detailed study of the Tudor-Jacobean style with richly decorated triangular and Dutch gables, an octagonal corner turret and dome, two-storey bay windows and finely sculpted classical doorways'. Interestingly Mr Demidowicz states that 'Terracotta... was not used extensively in Coventry'. I wonder if that is so or if the majority of the terracotta buildings in Coventry disappeared with the blitz and redevelopment? In the 1950s, the Royal Antediluvian Order of the Buffaloes used to meet at "the Wolfe". In the 1970s under Ken Brown's residency it was the venue for serious music lovers hosting such bands as U2, The Eurythmics and Robert Plant. In 2011 the pub closed and became an Indian restaurant called Mushtaq's. This was closed by environmental health officials in 2012 when their demands to improve standards were not met. One of its owners, Abbar Jan, was found to have four previous convictions for food hygiene offences in Birmingham and had been banned from having any involvement in the running of a food business. It will open again as Toro's Steakhouse in the summer of 2015.
LICENSEES: 1835 Joseph Adcock 1841 Edward Elton 1850 - 1868 Thomas Jones 1874 - 1880 Richard Green & shoemaker 1888 - 1900 William Carpenter 1903 - 1913 Elijah Strong 1919 Frank Garner 1921 - 1922 Elijah Strong 1921 - 1936 A. C. Marden (or Maiden) 1937 - 1940 P. Weston 1952 - 1959 William Dutton 1984 - 1985 Paul Todd