Drum & Monkey murder!!

[diddymiller]

Hi, I am doing some research for a friend.

She believes that one of her ancestors murdered a game keeper by killing him with a pitchfork at the 'Drum & Monkey' pub at Shepshed.
The pub was closed down after that and reverted back to a dwelling house. it is still there. it is on the main Ashby road going towards Coalville at the crossroads of Belton And Swanneymote road. There used to be a garage there but it is now a kennels.

we dont know when the pub closed down. early 1900's?

I live locally. my friend says she has checked in the local library but I will go and have a look myself as i used to be a librarian and know the ins and outs!!

Does anyone out there have any info on the pub history or the murder. I have looked on Black sheep and tried googling various options.

Diddy

[Mike from Leicester]

Greeting’s Diddy….

Have you tried the Trade Directories ?

http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/index.asp

Or There is always the trawl through local newspapers
On Micro film at the records Office
Leicester Journal, Leicester Mercury
Loughborough Echo

Or another site although Shepshed is not mentioned.. ....yet
But a site worth adding to your favorites :~

http://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/

MIKE.

[diddymiller]

Thanks Mike - yes I know about the trade directories. I did go to the archives library today but didn't have time to look at everything. I did see confirmation that there was a murder at the pub but no other info was available.

Not much point trawling newspapers until more sure of date. hoping to go to Shepshed library soon (schools finish fri)

Diddy

[diddymiller]

forgot to say - the pub was very near to what locals call the poaching corner  guess thats why he killed a gamekeeper?

Diddy

[diddymiller]

MIke - thanks once again for that info - i didn't know the trade directories were online. just as well i didn't get a chance to trawl through them yesterday at the library!!

Had a brief look last night but haven't yet found the Drum & Monkey - maybe my friend is wrong about the dates ie  late 1800's/1900.

Will keep looking. Diddy

[RJ_Paton]

There is a newspaper article concerning the murder of a gamekeeper near leicester published in the Manchester Times on  Saturday, August 19, 1871; Issue 716. - The murdered man was named Thomas Hill.

Update - having read the article it possibly isn't connected as it refers to the man being beaten to death by up to 5 assailants. - The two who were caught are named as John Webster from Rotherham staying in Whitwick and John Kirk of Mushroom Lane, Ashby de la Zouche

[Gregk79]

My Aunty Maureen lived there in the 1970s when it was Crossways Garage. Her Husband was Richard Westgate who owned the garage with his brother Peter Westgate. I remember my Aunty doing some research on the history of the pub and she mentioned the murder which took place in what later became the lounge in the house which was a small room. Apparently the murderer was hanged reputedly down the lane for the murder but whether this was true I'm not sure? I know in the 70s me and my brother and sister had many happy summers there playing in the lovely field at the back of the house. Happy days!

[MAJIC]

hi does anyone have any more info on drum and monkey murder?
does anyone have any pictures of the property when it was a pub or just old pictures of the house?

[Celia longe]

Hi I lived at the Drum and Monkey in the early 60s as a young child. It was a petrol station at the time.
I found the house spooky indoors, particularly my parents room at the top of the stairs and a room downstairs that we used as a bedroom until upstairs was fixed up.
It was not until many years later that mum told me someone had been killed there . She knew no details.
There would certainly be photos in the family. I will have to ask my brother to find some.  Celia