Kings Arms

King’s Arms (now Coleorton)

The King’s Arms was a Swannington public house until the 1936 parish boundary changes, as the Coleorton and Swannington parish boundary ran down the centre of what is now The Moorlands.  In 1936 there were numerous boundary changes when Coalville Urban District Council expanded.  The opportunity was taken to “tidy up” parish boundaries and the one between Coleorton and Swannington was moved to the east.  As a result the houses on both sides of The Moorlands are now in Coleorton Parish.

Bill Platts of Botany Bay recollected that the Coleorton Home Guard used to meet and parade by the Kings Arms during the Second World War.

Landlords and Landladies of the Kings Arms

1880 Thomas Potter

Thomas Potter landlord until May.

1880 William Poster

1880 Thomas Potter to William Poster – Ashby-de-la-Zouch Gazette – Saturday 08 May 1880 – Temporary transfer of the license of the Red House, Coalville, was granted to William Edward Frisby ; and of the King’s Arms Inn, Swannington, from Thomas Potter to William Poster.

1911 James Shaw

The 1911 census shows a large family comprising:

• James Shaw, 49 years, Farmer and Publican, born Coleorton.
• Clara Shaw, 50 years, born Coleorton.
• Clara Annie Shaw, 19 years, Mother’s Help, born Coleorton.
• Evelyn May Shaw, 18 years, Mother’s Help, born Coleorton.
• Joseph William Shaw, 16 years, Farm Labourer, born Coleorton.
• Thomas Richards Shaw, 14 years, Farm Labourer, born Coleorton.
• Eustace W P Shaw, 12 years, Scholar, born Coleorton.
• Elsie Maud Shaw, 10 years, Scholar, born Coleorton.
• John Fern, boarder, 59 years, Carpenter at the Coal Mines, born Coleorton.

1928 John Smith

The 14th July 1928 Leicester Chronicle reported on a “Terrible tragedy in collision with ‘bus at Long Eaton”. Three men, including the driver John Smith, licencee of the Kings Arms, The Moor, Coleorton were killed when their car hit a bus at Long Eaton.

John Smith was described as “the popular host of the Kings Arms”.  He left a wife and three children.  The other two deceased occupants were neighbours William Brooks and Willoughby Neal.  Reuben Cook of the Firs, Coleorton, survived.