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

Drinking in an Old English Town

Sir Robert Napier, 5 Well Street

These premises have been known by different names during their history:	FROM	TO	NAME
	c1756	1868	PACK HORSE
	1870	1870	SIR ROBERT NAPIER
	1871	1929	ROSE
Field Marshal Robert Cornelis Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, GCB, GCSI, FRS (6 December 1810 - 14 January 1890) was a Indian Army officer. He fought in the First Anglo-Sikh War and the Second Anglo-Sikh War before seeing action as chief engineer during the second relief of Lucknow in March 1858 during the Indian Mutiny. He also served in the Second Opium War as commander of the 2nd division of the expeditionary force which took part in the Battle of Taku Forts in August 1860, the entry to Peking in September 1860 and the destruction of the Old Summer Palace in October 1860. He subsequently led the punitive expedition to Abyssinia July 1867, defeating the Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia with minimal loss of life among his own forces but looting many historical and religious artifacts; these artifacts still reside in collections in the UK, despite representations by various parties for their return. This pub is only recorded in 1870. In April it was advertised as To Let with immediate possession, then in July all the stock was up for auction. The license transfer in November records "the Rose (late the Sir Robert Napier) from Elizabeth White to James Wilcox.
LICENSEES: 1870 Elizabeth White
Street plan of 1851