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Among the most popular You & Yesterday articles are those in our 'Lost Derby Pubs' category. Here local historian Peter Seddon considers the uncommonly-named 'George The Fourth'.

A children's 'Victory' party is held outside the George The Fourth public house in Leonard Street, Derby, in May 1945

It is not at all unusual for pubs in urban residential areas to bear a name honouring Queen Victoria, for the majority of Britain's surviving terraced streets were developed during her reign.

But it is much less common for 'street pubs' to bear the name of earlier monarchs. That makes it quite a shame that Derby's very own 'George The Fourth' no longer survives, for it would have been one of the earliest hostelries in the town purpose-built to serve a community of terraced dwellings.

The George The Fourth stood at 36 Leonard Street, a thoroughfare pitched between Normanton Road and Osmaston Road in 1807. The street itself was created at the behest of the Grove Street Building Club with financial backing from the Birmingham Land Society. Brand new homes were built there and offered for sale at £40 each!

As the street was further developed the scheme incorporated a public house which was built around 1827. The inn was advertised in 1829 as the 'newly built and well accustomed' George The Fourth - it had been named to honour the portly monarch who died in the following year.

Only bare snippets of its history have come to light. The first known landlord was George Woodward - when he left in 1856 the pub was advertised 'to let' and by 1872 it was 'for sale'. It served the local community for over a century, and by 1937 belonged to Shipstone's.

The Leonard Street community at large survived World War Two but the pub itself only just - it was closed in 1946. And now the entire street has vanished, so it is heartening that the George The Fourth should feature on the particularly evocative photograph shown here.

The snap was taken shortly after Tuesday 8 May 1945 - that significant 'end of the war' date better known as VE Day.

The scene depicted is the Leonard Street VE party at which the street's children sit at long trestle tables for a jolly good tea. No doubt later that same day the George The Fourth was the scene of more raucous celebrations still.

The double-fronted pub with its Shiptone's Ales sign forms the backdrop to the cheery scene and has entered into the spirit by flying the Union Jack flag from all of its upper windows.

This is the only known photograph of this 'lost Derby pub'. Although never an especially celebrated establishment it nevertheless takes its place in that rather sad list - yet another of the once-lively hostelries to have been demolished.

It is possible that some of Derby's most senior residents may remember enjoying a drink in the George The Fourth. Or perhaps someone will even recognise themselves about to tuck into the buns and jelly.

If you can add to this piece just click on 'edit' or 'discussion' and begin writing.

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County:  Derbyshire

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