Sileby History
Its people and places. A community through time.
The Fountain Inn
Brook Street
Public House
Early History
The Fountain Inn was built about 1800 with various other additions constructed over the years. James Hutchinson of Sileby started to appear in local victuallers lists in the 1790s. By 1802 newspapers reveal that he was the owner of a pub called the 'New Inn', probably indicating that Hutchinson had recently built the property. However, when he put the premises up for sale in 1811 it was under the name of 'The Black Swan', and it was sold to John Dennis of Leicester. Dennis advertised the property for sale in 1814, but no buyer came forward. The newspaper sales advertisement for this event mentions the 'Fountain' Inn as the pub name for the first time. Dennis died shortly afterwards in November 1815 and in his will he left instructions to sell his real estate in Sileby, including his public house. In 1818 another sales notice confirms that the property was then occupied by Mary, John Dennis's widow.
The records for the latter part of the 1820s and early 1830s are confusing and contradictory. Land tax returns show that John Hayes was the owner by 1822 up until about 1838 when they suggest that George Sheffield of Syston was proprietor. Nevertheless, Sheffield appears as the property owner in railway site plans dated to 1835. Therefore it's highly likely that Sheffield was the owner before 1838, and maybe so as early as 1828. The Fountain Inn was only a small part of George Sheffield's estate. He also owned properties in Syston, Skeffington, Thurmaston, Queniborough and Cossington. George died in 1855 and the property descended with his family.
A family dispute over the provisions in George's will went to the High Court in 1875, and ended with the selling off of portions of the family estate, including the Fountain. Later in November that year the pub was purchased for £985 by Thomas Baker of Leicester. Baker's possession was shortlived as in 1876 William Hand, the sitting tenant, (a former policeman and also owner of the Free Trade Inn) was shown as the owner. Tragically, William died shortly afterwards in April 1877 aged only 34, leaving his wife Elizabeth to run the businesses. Incidentally, Elizabeth (nee Stirk) was described as a licenced victualler upon her marriage to William Hand in October 1866.
Fountain Inn, 1835 (in blue) Fountain Inn, 1884 (in blue) Brook Street (right), Back Lane (left) Brook Street (right), Back Lane (left), Railway (top)
Source : © ROLLR QS 73/13 Leics 25 inch OS 25.3 : Creative Commons
Elizabeth Hand, widow, married George Tinkler, a butcher of Sileby in December 1878; and it is George's name that appears on the licencing lists from this date. On the 30th October 1893, George had some kind of seizure whilst at a 'cricket supper' at the Fountain. He fell down a flight of stairs leading from the club-room, but he never recovered and died the day after. The coroner's inquest reported that he'd incurred serious head injuries including a skull fracture which rendered him unconscious. His wife Elizabeth was the sole beneficiary in his will and, as before, she succeeded to the business as a widow. Elizabeth died in 1901 aged 54, and bequeathed the businesses to her daughter Clara Hand. About 1904 William Barber, the sitting tenant for over twenty years, was named as owner and licensee. William had married Annie Stirk in 1883 near the same time as he had first entered the pub as licensee. Annie was the sister of Elizabeth Hand/Tinkler; the pub was therefore kept within the family.
Tied House and the End
William Barber's forty year association with the Fountain Inn ended in 1924 when Everards brewery bought the property. In turn Everards had a long association with the pub lasting over fifty five years. A large part of this coincided with the tenancy of Horace Rowell (1924-1931) and his wife Florence G. Rowell (1931-1963).
Florence Rowell, Fountain Inn, 1963
(Unknown media)
Source : John Whittington
Everards sold the pub at auction in 1979 which began a rollercoaster series of financial ups and downs with its new owners. Within eight years, in April 1987, the mortgagees put the property up for sale by another auction with a guide price of £110,000. By 1999 Whitbread's ales were being served at the pub.
The building disappeared with great controversy in April 2003 when the property was demolished and the buildings replaced by the Jordean Court flats complex. This final act ended the two hundred year old association that this site had with public houses and brewing.
Fountain Inn, cottages and bridge
undated : c1930
Fountain Inn - Everards Signage
Source : John Whittington
Description in Sales Notice - 1811
(Leicester Journal - 3rd May 1811)
MAIN BUILDING
The Black Swan
Desirable premises consisting of a capital well built house... built within these 11 years.
Parlour, Bar, a large dining room, good back kitchen and brewhouse, cellar, three large chambers and attic.
OTHER BUILDINGS
A Dairy and chamber over the same
Capital Frame-smith's shop
Coal house
Yard
Newly erected pig sties
And well supplied with hard and rain water
A Stable for two horses
A large garden well stored with rich fruit trees, and adjoining the premises.
Description in Sales Notice - 1875
(Leicester Chronicle - 13th November 1875)
MAIN BUILDING
The Fountain Inn
Valuable old Licensed Public House
Parlour, Bar, Tap Room, 2 Club Rooms, Brewhouse, Cellar, three bedrooms and dairy.
OTHER BUILDINGS
Yard
Piggeries
Cow hovel
Garden
Back entrance from the lane.
Description - November 1914
(Valuation Act : National Archives IR 58/51169/531-2)
MAIN BUILDING
Brick and Slated, Old, Fair Condition
a) Ground Floor – Tap Room, Smoke Room, Serving Bar (4 pulls), Beer Cellar, Kitchen, Living Room, Pantry
b) 1st Floor – Club Room, 4 Bedrooms
OUTSIDE AND OTHER BUILDINGS
Yard and Garden.
Brick and Slated Bottle Store
Hops room? over Brewhouse
Two Privies
Trap sheds
Stable (2 stalls)
Coal house
3 Piggeries
Fountain Inn : William Barber's name above the door
Source : John Whittington/Lionel Blower
Owners, Licensees and Publicans
OWNERSHIP
James Hutchinson
John Dennis
Mary Dennis, widow
John Hayes
George Sheffield
Trustees of George Sheffield
Thomas Baker
William Hand
Elizabeth Hand, widow
George Tinkler
Elizabeth Tinkler, widow
Clara Hand
William Barber
Everards Brewery
Dates
c1798 - c1811
c1811 - 1815
1815 - c1822
c1822 - c1828? c1828 - 1855
1855 - 1875
1875 - 1876
1876 - 1877
1877 - 1878
1878 - 1893
1893 - 1901
1901 - 1904
1904 - 1923
1923 - 1979
LICENSEE/TENANT
James Hutchinson
John Dennis
Thomas Thornton
John Bowles
Thomas Crofts
Henry Sanders
John Sanders
William Sarson
Ann Sarson
William Hand
Elizabeth Hand, widow
George Tinkler
William Barber
Horace Rowell
Florence Gertrude Rowell
Dates
c1798 - c1811
c1811 - 1814
1814 - 1817
1817 - 1818
1818 - 1821
1821 - 1830
1830 - 1834
1834 - 1839
1839 - 1866
1866 - 1877
1877 - 1878
1878 - 1882
1882 - 1924
1924 - 1931
1931 - 1963
Notes on the listings
The dates are accurate to within a year of that given due to licencing records often starting part way through a year. Also, when electoral electoral rolls and trade directories are used the names quite often reflect the previous years occupiers. Due to privacy and data protection a decision was made to have a listing cut off date of about 1960.
External Pictures : 2002 to 2003
Internal Pictures - 20th April 2003
Everards Ephemera
Newspaper Advertisement (unknown media) - Fountain Inn, 1959
Everards marketing campaign
Source : John Whittington