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

Drinking in an Old English Town

Samson and Lion, 15 Swanswell Place

Alternative Addresses:	34 Swanswell Terrace
The exploits of this biblical hero have always had great appeal. He was a man of prodigious strength, not exactly a thinker, and putty in the hands of an attractive woman: he personifies the macho image. He slew a lion while still a young man and a few thousand Philistines along the way, but was ultimately betrayed by The Woman. In 1835 the pub was sold by auction. Until c1920 (see photo below) this was a home brew pub and it closed on 9th October 1967.
LICENSEES: 1828 - 1829 J. A. Skelsey 1835 Thomas Harrison 1841 Benjamin Kingdom 1845 - 1851 Richard Ballard 1868 Thomas Russell 1871 - 1874 Mrs Mary Russell 1879 - 1893 Henry Keene 1895 - 1913 T. Bailey 1919 - 1924 Elizabeth Bailey 1926 - 1934 E. D. Edwards 1935 - 1936 E. Sale 1937 - 1938 F. C. Smith 1939 - 1940 H. Mears 1949 - 1952 John Spencer 1955 - 1956 N. Harris 1957 W. Harris 1960 - 1962 George Lloyd 1963 Myles Flynn BREWERS: to 1877 Mrs Mary Russell 1877 - 1884 Mrs Mary Anne Keene 1884 - 1892 Henry Keene 1892 - 1920 Thomas Bailey
Street plan of 1851