The Leopard Inn - Burslem

Leopard Inn, number 21 Market Place, Burslem

photo: Steve Birks - March 2001

A late 18th Century public house, but re-fronted c.1830.

Burslem's Leopard held in 1765 the first meeting between Josiah Wedgwood and Thomas Bentley, Erasmus Darwin and the engineer James Brindley  which culminated in the cutting of the Trent and Mersey Canal.   

"On Friday last I dined with Mr. Brindley, the Duke of Bridgewater's engineer, after which we had a meeting at the Leopard on the subject of a Navigation from Hull.... to Burslem" 

– Josiah Wedgwood,11th March 1765.

History of the Leopard

Sometimes known as the 'Savoy of the Midlands' the Leopard Inn in Burslem certainly holds a lot of hidden secrets. Local historian Fred Hughes uncovers the past that makes this 18th Century public house so intriguing.

The Leopard Inn is one of Stoke-on-Trent's hidden gems. A listed building in Burslem, it is steeped in history and the recent discovery of tunnels has brought it centre-stage again.

The owner Neil Crisp has also re-opened part of the hotel which closed down in the 1950s. There are over 50 rooms which he hopes to bring back to their former glory.

The Leopard Inn is famous as the place where Josiah Wedgwood and James Brindley met to discuss building the Trent and Mersey Canal in 1765.

Local historian Fred Hughes said the meeting between Mr Wedgwood and Mr Brindley was "very important to the development of the Industrial Revolution".

He said: "History was made here in this pub and there's no doubt about that."

Serving since at least 1765

In his own words, Fred Hughes sheds more light on the history of The Leopard Inn:

"For those who like to know these things, the Leopard Hotel in Burslem has been a public house in continuous use since at least 1765. This information comes directly from the pen of the great potter Josiah Wedgwood whose correspondence mentions he'd dined here with the canal engineer James Brindley in March of that year. A framed facsimile of his letter currently graces the wall of the room the celebrated duo used.

The Wedgwoods were prominent potters in Burslem throughout the 18th century, fathers and sons, uncles and cousins all began their ceramic careers in this important town of the Industrial Revolution.

Josiah was born in 1730 at the Churchyard Works a short distance from the town centre. As a young man he entered into partnership with Thomas Whieldon, (1719-1795) returning to Burslem to manufacture at the Ivy House pottery directly opposite the Leopard then owned by a relative, Ellen Wedgwood.

Market Place inn

As the Wedgwood connection with Burslem receded the Market Place inn exchanged hands frequently. By the mid 1800's it was apparently in poor shape under the ownership of a vicar from Porthill.

But high times were just around the corner as the pub came under the ownership of an enterprising woman named Mary Lees who quickly earned the respect of townsfolk as a property owner of substantial means and influence. In 1857 she was commissioned to prepare the banquet for the official opening of the town hall serving up a five course dinner with over a hundred dishes in a superlative range of meat, poultry and sweets.

The Leopard was purchased in 1872 by James Norris, a local brewer who'd built a bottling plant and small brewery directly opposite next to the meat market and the town hall. Regrettably the brewery and meat market were both demolished in the 1950’s.

There are 120 foot long tunnels from the Leopard, under Market Street
thought to lead to the Norris Brewery opposite

Classy hotel

James Norris decided that Burslem needed a classy hotel to accommodate a lively commercial trade and set about extending the rear of the pub into the confines of what had formerly been a pot bank.

By 1878 Norris's new Leopard was fitted with fifty-seven Victorian bedrooms to complement the half dozen Georgian bedrooms at the front.

Overnight the Leopard became one of Stoke on Trent's premier commercial hotels overshadowing the accommodation provided by the neighbouring George Hotel, and equalling the facilities of three other city railway hotels – the Grand in Trinity Street Hanley, the Crown in Longton and Stoke’s North Stafford.

Although it remained a popular entertainment and accommodation facility the Leopard lacked the necessary interest to keep pace with changing social needs and the rooms were all closed in 1956 leaving just the ground floor Georgian rooms open to the public.

Happily new owners Bass Breweries undertook major regeneration work in the restaurant rooms which reopened in 1965 as the Arnold Bennett Suite. But the bedrooms remain closed-off along with the Georgian cellar vaults.

Bennett's Tiger

The Leopard is steeped in local history and features notably in a number of Arnold Bennett's Five Towns' novels where it is known as the Tiger.

I am asked many times whether Bennett himself stayed at the hotel. I tend to think not as he left Burslem in 1888 and on his infrequent visits he lodged at the family home in Waterloo Road.

Nevertheless, the descriptions of the Leopard interiors in his books indicate a knowledge that could only be obtained first hand. So it does seem likely that the great Potteries’ author would at least have visited to make notes and perhaps to sup a pint."

© Fred Hughes – writer and historian  May 2007

Dark, forgotten corridor in the Leopard Hotel

photo: Brian Deegan - October 2007