Smithford Street 1900. Classic old turn-of-the-century view of Smithford Street looking westwards from the junction with High Street, Hertford Street and Broadgate. The Kings Head Inn is on the left.
In 1756 four soldiers were billeted here. An army recruiting office was set up at the pub in 1761 and in the following year a woman was whipped from the gaol to the Cross for stealing from the Leopard. In July 1785 the Aris's Birmingham Gazette reported an auction held here, at the house of Samuel Hams, who died in 1826 aged 90.
In July 1843 the Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle described John Adrian's pub as the "Spotted Leopard", Coventry!
The pub closed c1942.
This name is probably a heraldic reference to the Weavers' Company, whose arms show three leopards' heads.
LICENSEES:
1785 - 1797 Samuel Hams
1820 - 1823 Thomas Grimes
? George John Lowe (insolvent, Nov 1828)
1825 - 1829 John Aston
1829 - 1832 William Wakelin (committed suicide 10th Jul 1832)
1841 - 1843 John 'Fatty' Adrian
1849 James Tayton
1849 - 1863 Thomas Aspinall
1863 - 1866 David Sanders
1866 - 1869 Thomas H. Davis
1869 - 1871 Harry Bishop
1871 - 1872 Mary Clarke
1872 - 1874 James Wilcox
1874 - 1875 Robert Higgitt
1875 - 1876 Samuel Newey
1876 - 1878 John Hobson
1878 - 1879 Henry French
1879 Mr. Colley
1879 Thomas Houghton
1881 - 1905 Henry Yardley
1909 - 1913 William H. Smith
1919 - 1922 Ernest John Sanders
1924 - 1934 E. Baron
Smithford Street 1900. Classic old turn-of-the-century view of Smithford Street looking westwards from the junction with High Street, Hertford Street and Broadgate. The Kings Head Inn is on the left.
In 1756 four soldiers were billeted here. An army recruiting office was set up at the pub in 1761 and in the following year a woman was whipped from the gaol to the Cross for stealing from the Leopard. In July 1785 the Aris's Birmingham Gazette reported an auction held here, at the house of Samuel Hams, who died in 1826 aged 90.
In July 1843 the Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle described John Adrian's pub as the "Spotted Leopard", Coventry!
The pub closed c1942.