May 1857: Vicious cock fight at the Lion and Pheasant
What decent self-respecting Victorian pub would go without some wholesome entertainment for its patrons.
“A cock fight of an aggravated kind took place, in the presence of 150 persons, at the Lion and Pheasant, Shrewsbury, a few days since. Five persons were taken into custody, and were each fined 50 shillings and costs. About 200 birds were found upon the premises by detective officer Love.”
Staffordshire Advertiser – Saturday 16 May 1857
So who reported the incident? Well it certainly wasn’t a chap called Thomas Darlington, or so he claimed. Rumour had been going around the town that he had reported the spectacle to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals.
He was so upset about what was being said he wrote to the local paper to say so.
According to a post from Jennifer Alexander in the Memories of Shropshire it’s the last time a cock fight ever took place in Shrewsbury.
